the crisis in russia(俄国危机)-第6章
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by little will engulf the town organism。 Every workman who leaves the
town automatically places himself on the side of the country in that
struggle。 And when a town like Moscow loses a third of its working
population in a year； it is impossible not to see that； so far； the struggle is
going in favor of that huge chaotic； unconscious but immensely powerful
countryside。 There is even a danger that the town may become divided
against itself。 Just as scarcity of food leads to food speculation； so the
shortage of labor is making possible a sort of speculation in labor。 The
urgent need of labor has led to a resurrection of the methods of the direct
recruiting of workmen in the villages by the agents of particular factories；
who by exceptional terms succeed in getting workmen where the
Government organs fail。 And； of course； this recruiting is not confined to
the villages。 Those enterprises which are situated in the corn districts are
naturally able to offer better conditions； for the sake of which workmen
are ready to leave their jobs and skilled workmen to do unskilled work；
and the result can only be a drainage of good workmen away from the
hungry central industrial districts where they are most of all needed。
Summing up the facts collected in this chapter and in the first on the
lack of things and the lack of men； I think the economic crisis in Russia
may be fairly stated as follows： Owing to the appalling condition of
Russian transport； and owing to the fact that since 1914 Russia has been
practically in a state of blockade； the towns have lost their power of
supplying； either as middlemen or as producers； the simplest needs of the
villages。 Partly owing to this； partly again because of the condition of
transport； the towns are not receiving the necessaries of life in sufficient
quantities。 The result of this is a serious fall in the productivity of labor；
and a steady flow of skilled and unskilled workmen from the towns
towards the villages； and from employments the exercise of which tends to
assist the towns in recovering their old position as essential sources of
supply to employments that tend to have the opposite effect。 If this
continues unchecked； it will make impossible the regeneration of Russian
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industry； and will result in the increasing independence of the villages；
which will tend to become entirely self…supporting communities； tilling the
ground in a less and less efficient manner； with ruder tools； with less and
less incentive to produce more than is wanted for the needs of the village
itself。 Russia； in these circumstances； may sink into something very like
barbarism； for with the decay of the economic importance of the towns
would decay also their authority； and free…booting on a small and large
scale would become profitable and not very dangerous。 It would be
possible； no doubt； for foreigners to trade with the Russians as with the
natives of the cannibal islands； bartering looking…glasses and cheap tools；
but； should such a state of things come to be； it would mean long years of
colonization； with all the new possibilities and risks involved in the
subjugation of a free people； before Western Europe could count once
more on getting a considerable portion of its food from Russian corn
lands。
That is the position； those the natural tendencies at work。 But
opposed to these tendencies are the united efforts of the Communists and
of those who； leaving the question of Communism discreetly aside； work
with them for the sake of preventing such collapse of Russian civilization。
They recognize the existence of every one of the tendencies I have
described； but they are convinced that every one of these tendencies will
be arrested。 They believe that the country
will not conquer the town but the reverse。 So far from expecting the
unproductive stagnation described in the last paragraph； they think of
Russia as of the natural food supply of Europe； which the Communists
among them believe will； in course of time； be made up for 〃Working
Men's Republics〃 （though； for the sake of their own Republic； they are not
inclined to postpone trade with Europe until that epoch arrives）。 At the
very time when spades and sickles are wearing out or worn out； these men
are determined that the food output of Russia shall sooner or later be
increased by the introduction of better methods of agriculture and farming
on a larger scale。 We are witnessing in Russia the first stages of a titanic
struggle； with on one side all the forces of nature leading apparently to an
inevitable collapse of civilization； and on the other side nothing but the
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THE CRISIS IN RUSSIA
incalculable force of human will。
THE COMMUNIST
DICTATORSHIP
How is that will expressed？ What is the organization welded by
adversity which； in this crisis； supersedes even the Soviet Constitution；
and stands between this people and chaos？
It is a commonplace to say that Russia is ruled； driven if you like；
cold； starving as she is； to effort after effort by the dictatorship of a party。
It is a commonplace alike in the mouths of those who wish to make the
continued existence of that organization impossible and in the mouths of
the Communists themselves。 At the second congress of the Third
International； Trotsky remarked。 〃A party as such； in the course of the
development of a revolution； becomes identical with the revolution。〃
Lenin； on the same occasion； replying to a critic who said that he differed
from； the Communists in his understanding of what was meant by the
Dictatorship of the Proletariat； said； 〃He says that we understand by the
words 'Dictatorship of the Proletariat' what is actually the dictatorship of
its determined and conscious minority。 And that is the fact。〃 Later he
asked； 〃What is this minority？ It may be called a party。 If this
minority is actually conscious； if it is able to draw the masses after it；
if it shows itself capable of replying to every question on the agenda list of
the political day； it actually constitutes a party。〃 And Trotsky again； on
the same occasion； illustrated the relative positions of the Soviet
Constitution and the Communist Party when he said； 〃And today； now that
we have received an offer of peace from the Polish Government； who
decides the question？ Whither are the workers to turn？ We have our
Council of People's Commissaries； of course； but that； too； must be under
a certain control。 Whose control？ The control of the working class as a
formless chaotic mass？ No。 The Central Committee of the party is called
together to discuss and decide the question。 And when we have to wage
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war； to form new divisions； to find the best elements for them…to whom do
we turn？ To the party； to the Central Committee。 And it gives directives
to the local committees； 'Send Communists to the front。' The case is
precisely the same with the Agrarian question； with that of supply； and
with all other questions whatsoever。〃
No one denies these facts； but their mere statement is quite
inadequate to explain what is being done in Russia and how it is being
done。 I do not think it would be a waste of time to set down as briefly as
possible； without the comments of praise or blame that would be
inevitable from one primarily interested in the problem from the Capitalist
or Communist point of view what； from observation and inquiry； I believe
to be the main framework of the organization whereby that dictatorship of
the party works。
The Soviet Constitution is not so much moribund as in abeyance。
The Executive Committee； for example； which used to meet once a week
or even oftener； now meets on the rarest occasions。 Criticism on this
account was met with the reply that the members of the Executive
Committee； for example； which used to meet once a week or even oftener；
now meets on the rarest occasions。 Criticism on this account was met
with the reply that the members of the Executive Committee were busy on
the front and in various parts of Russia。 As a matter of fact； the work
which that Committee used to do is now done by Central Committee of
the Bolshevik Party； so that the bulk of the 150 members of
the Central Executive are actually free for other work； a saving of
something like 130 men。 This does not involve any very great change；
but merely an economy in the use of men。 In the old days； as I well
remember； the opening of a session of the Executive Committee was
invariably late； the reason being that the various parties composing it had
not yet finished their preliminary and private discussions。 There is now
an overwhelming Communist majority in the Executive Committee； as
elsewhere。 I think it may be regarded as proved that these majorities are
not always legitimately obtained。 Non…Communist delegates do
undoubtedly find every kind of difficulty put in their way by the rat
