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of all kinds are explicitly described as 〃Non…party。〃 Non…partyism is
perhaps a sign of revolt against rigid discipline of any kind。 Now and
then； of course； a clever Menshevik or Social Revolutionary； by trimming
his sails carefully to the wind； gets himself elected on a non…party ticket。
'When this happens there is usually a great hullabaloo as soon as he
declares himself。 A section of his electors agitates for his recall and
presently some one else is elected in his stead。 But non…partyism is much
more than a mere cloak of invisibility for enemies or conditional
supporters of the Communists。 I know of considerable country districts
which； in the face of every kind of agitation； insist on returning
exclusively non…party delegates。 The local Soviets in these districts are
also non…party； and they elect usually a local Bolshevik to some
responsible post to act as it were as a buffer between themselves and the
central
authority。 They manage local affairs in their own way； and； through
the use of tact on both sides； avoid falling foul of the more rigid
doctrinaires in Moscow。
Eager reactionaries outside Russia will no doubt point to non…
partyism as a symptom of friendship for themselves。 It is nothing of the
sort。 On all questions of the defense of the Republic the non…party voting
is invariably solid with that of the Communists。 The non…party men do
not want Denikin。 They do not want Baron Wrangel。 They have never
heard of Professor Struhve。 They do not particularly like the
Communists。 They principally want to be left alone； and they principally
fear any enforced continuation of war of any kind。 If； in the course of
time； they come to have a definite political programme； I think it not
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THE CRISIS IN RUSSIA
impossible that they may turn into a new kind of constitutional democrat。
That does not mean that they will have any use for M。 Milukov or for a
monarch with whom M。 Milukov might be ready to supply them。 The
Constitution for which they will work will be that very Soviet Constitution
which is now in abeyance； and the democracy which they associate with it
will be that form of democracy which were it to be accurately observed in
the present state of Russia； that Constitution would provide。 The
capitalist in Russia has long ago earned the position in which； according to
the Constitution； he has a right to vote； since he has long ago ceased to be
a capitalist。 Supposing the Soviet Constitution were today to be literally
applied； it would be found that practically no class except the priests
would be excluded from the franchise。 And when this agitation swells in
volume； it will be an agitation extremely difficult to resist； supposing
Russia to be at peace； so that there will be no valid excuse with which to
meet it。 These new constitutional democrats will be in the position of
saying to the Communists； 〃Give us； without change； that very
Constitution which you yourselves drew up。〃 I think they will find many
friends inside the Communist Party； particularly among those Communists
who are also Trade Unionists。 I heard something very like the arguments
of this new variety of constitutional democrat in the Kremlin itself at an
All…Russian Conference of the Communist Party。 A workman； Sapronov；
turned suddenly aside in a speech on quite another matter； and said with
great violence that the
present system was in danger of running to seed and turning into
oligarchy； if not autocracy。 Until the moment when he put his listeners
against him by a personal attack on Lenin； there was no doubt that he had
with him the sympathies of quite a considerable section of an exclusively
Communist audience。
Given peace； given an approximate return to normal conditions； non…
partyism may well profoundly modify the activities of the Communists。
It would certainly be strong enough to prevent the rasher spirits among
them from jeopardizing peace or from risking Russia's chance of
convalescence for the sake of promoting in any way the growth of
revolution abroad。 Of course； so long as it is perfectly obvious that
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THE CRISIS IN RUSSIA
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