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Soviet Russia is attacked； no serious growth of non…partyism is to be
expected； but it is obvious that any act of aggression on the part of the
Soviet Government； once Russia had attained peace…which she has not
known since 1914…would provide just the basis of angry discontent which
might divide even the disciplined ranks of the Communists and give non…
partyism an active； instead of a comparatively passive； backing throughout
the country。
Non…partyism is already the peasants' way of expressing their
aloofness from the revolution and； at the same time； their readiness to
defend that revolution against anybody who attacks it from outside。
Lenin； talking to me about the general attitude of the peasants； said：
〃Hegel wrote 'What is the People？ The people is that part of the nation
which does not know what it wants。' That is a good description of the
Russian peasantry at the present time； and it applies equally well to your
Arthur Hendersons and Sidney Webbs in England； and to all other people
like yourself who want incompatible things。 The peasantry are
individualists； but they support us。 We have； in some degree； to thank
Kolchak and Denikin for that。 They are in favor of the Soviet
Government； but hanker after Free Trade； not understanding that the two
things are self…contradictory。 Of course； if they were a united political
force they could swamp us； but they are disunited both in their interests
and geographically。 The interests of the poorer and middle class peasants
are in
contradiction to those of the rich peasant farmer who employs laborers。
The poorer and middle class see that we support them against the rich
peasant； and also see that he is ready to support what is obviously not in
their interests。〃 I said； 〃If State agriculture in Russia comes to be on a
larger scale； will there not be a sort of proletarianization of the peasants so
that； in the long run； their interests will come to be more or less identical
with those of the workers in other than agricultural industry！〃 He replied；
〃Something in that direction is being done； but it will have to be done very
carefully and must take a very long time。 When we are getting many
thousands of tractors from abroad； then something of the sort would
become possible。〃 Finally I asked him point blank； 〃Did he think they
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would pull through far enough economically to be able to satisfy the needs
of the peasantry before that same peasantry had organized a real political
opposition that should overwhelm them！〃 Lenin laughed。 〃If I could
answer that question；〃 he said； 〃I could answer everything； for on the
answer to that question everything depends。 I think we can。 Yes； I
think we can。 But I do not know that we can。〃
Non…partyism may well be the protoplasmic stage of the future
political opposition of the peasants。
POSSIBILITIES
I have done my best to indicate the essential facts in Russia's problem
today； and to describe the organization and methods with which she is
attempting its solution。 I can give no opinion as to whether by these
means the Russians will succeed in finding their way out of the quagmire
of industrial ruin in which they are involved。 I can only say that they are
unlikely to find their way out by any other means。 I think this is
instinctively felt in Russia。 Not otherwise would it have been possible
for the existing
organization； battling with one hand to save the towns front starvation；
to destroy with the other the various forces clothed and armed by Western
Europe； which have attempted its undoing。 The mere fact of continued
war has； of course； made progress in the solution of the economic problem
almost impossible； but the fact that the economic problem was unsolved；
must have made war impossible； if it were not that the instinct of the
people was definitely against Russian or foreign invaders。 Consider for
one moment the military position。
Although the enthusiasm for the Polish war began to subside （even
among the Communists） as soon as the Poles had been driven back from
Kiev to their own frontiers； although the Poles are occupying an enormous
area of non…Polish territory； although the Communists have had to
conclude with Poland a peace obviously unstable； the military position of
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Soviet Russia is infinitely better this time than it was in 1918 or 1919。 In
1918 the Ukraine was held by German troops and the district east of the
Ukraine was in the hands of General Krasnov； the author of a flattering
letter to the Kaiser。 In the northwest the Germans were at Pskov； Vitebsk
and Mohilev。 We ourselves were at Murmansk and Archangel。 In the
east； the front which became known as that of Kolchak； was on the Volga。
Soviet Russia was a little hungry island with every prospect of submersion。
A year later the Germans had vanished； the flatterers of the Kaiser had
joined hands with those who were temporarily flattering the Allies；
Yudenitch's troops were within sight of Petrograd； Denikin was at Orel；
almost within striking distance of Moscow； there had been a stampede of
desertion from the Red Army。 There was danger that Finland might
strike at any moment。 Although in the east Kolchak had been swept over
the Urals to his ultimate disaster； the situation of Soviet Russia seemed
even more desperate than in the year before。 What is the position today！
Esthonia； Latvia； Lithuania； and Finland are at peace with Russia。 The
Polish peace brings comparative quiet to the western front； although the
Poles； keeping the letter rather than the spirit of their agreement； have
given Balahovitch the opportunity of establishing himself in Minsk； where；
it is said； that the pogroms of unlucky Jews show that
he has learnt nothing since his ejection from Pskov。
Balahovitch's force is not important in itself； but its existence will
make it easy to start the war afresh along the whole new frontier of Poland；
and that frontier shuts into Poland so large an anti…Polish population； that a
moment may still come when desperate Polish statesmen may again
choose war as the least of many threatening evils。 Still； for the moment；
Russia's western frontier is comparatively quiet。 Her northern frontier is
again the Arctic Sea。 Her eastern frontier is in the neighborhood of the
Pacific。 The Ukraine is disorderly； but occupied by no enemy； the only
front on which serious fighting is proceeding is the small semi…circle north
of the Crimea。 There Denikin's successor； supported by the French but
exultantly described by a German conservative newspaper as a 〃German
baron in Cherkass uniform；〃 is holding the Crimea and a territory slightly
larger than the peninsula on the main land。 Only to the immense
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efficiency of anti…Bolshevik propaganda can be ascribed the opinion；
common in England but comic to any one who takes the trouble to look at
a map； that Soviet Russia is on the eve of military collapse。
In any case it is easy in a revolution to magnify the influence of
military events on internal affairs。 In the first place； no one who has not
actually crossed the Russian front during the period o