About the Ukrainian Rada: Speech at a meeting of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee

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About the Ukrainian Rada:
Speech at a meeting of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee
December 14, 1917

A source:
Stalin I.V. Works. - T. 4. - M.: OGIZ; State Publishing House of Political Literature, 1947, pp. 15–18.

It may seem strange that the Council of People's Commissars, which has always resolutely defended the principle of self-determination, has come into conflict with the Rada, which also proceeds from the principle of self-determination. To understand the origin of this conflict, it is necessary to raise the question of the political physiognomy of the Rada.

The Rada proceeds from the principle of the division of power between the bourgeoisie, on the one hand, and the proletariat and peasantry, on the other. Whereas the Soviets deny such a division, giving all power to the people, without the bourgeoisie. That is why the Rada opposes the slogan "All power to the Soviets" (ie the people) with its own slogan "All power to the city and zemstvo self-governments" (ie the people and the bourgeoisie).

The conflict is said to have originated over the issue of self-determination. But this is not true. The Rada proposes to establish a federal system in Russia. The Council of People's Commissars goes further than the Rada, right up to [c.15] secession rights. Consequently, the disagreement between the Council of People's Commissars and the Rada is not on this issue. The Rada's statement about centralism as a point of difference is also completely wrong. Regional centers, built according to the type of Soviets of People's Commissars (Siberia, Belarus, Turkestan), applied to the Council of People's Commissars for directives. The Council of People's Commissars replied: you yourself are the local authorities, you yourself must work out directives, therefore, this is not the disagreement. The real divergence between the Council of People's Commissars and the Rada occurred on the following three points.

The first question: the pulling together of Ukrainian units to the Southern Front. Undoubtedly, national troops can best defend their territory. But at the present time our front is not built along national lines. The reorganization of the front according to nationalities, with disrupted transport, would lead to the complete destruction of the front. By doing so, the cause of peace would be undermined. The Ukrainian soldiers turned out to be more prudent and honest than the General Secretariat, because most of the Ukrainian units did not want to obey the orders of the Rada.

The second question is about the disarmament of the Soviet troops in the Ukraine. The Ukrainian Rada, defending the interests of the Ukrainian landlords and the bourgeoisie, by disarming the Soviet troops strikes at the revolution. The actions of the Rada in this respect do not differ significantly from the actions of Kornilov-Kaledin. Needless to say, the Council of People's Commissars will fight with all its might against such a counter-revolutionary policy of the Rada. [c.16]

Finally, the third question: about the impediment of Soviet troops against Kaledin, around whom all the counter-revolutionary forces of Russia have gathered. The non-letting of the Soviet troops was motivated by the Rada's "neutrality" in relation to the "self-determined" Kaledin. But here the Rada replaces the self-determination of the labor Cossacks with Kaledin's autocracy. Preventing the passage of Soviet troops, Rada helps Kaledin move north. At the same time, the Kalinin Cossack units are freely allowed by the Rada to the Don. At the moment when our comrades are being shot in Rostov and in the Donets Basin, the Rada prevents us from sending them help. Needless to say, this traitorous behavior of the Rada should not be tolerated.

The Council of People's Commissars cannot give up the fight against Kaledin. The counter-revolutionary nest of Kaledin must be destroyed. It's unavoidable. If the Rada impedes our advance against Kaledin, shielding him with itself, then the blows directed against Kaledin will fall on the Rada. The Council of People's Commissars will not stop at a decisive struggle against the Rada, for it is no secret to them that the Rada is in a secret alliance with Kaledin. The Council of People's Commissars intercepted an encrypted telegram, from which it is clear that the Rada is directly connected with the French mission, in order to delay peace until spring, and through the French mission with Kaledin. This alliance is directed against peace and revolution. This alliance must and will be destroyed.

We are reproached for pursuing a resolute policy against the Rada. But it is precisely this decisive [c.17] politics opened the eyes of the Ukrainian workers and peasants, revealing the bourgeois essence of the Rada. This can be seen at least from the telegram about the formation of a new Ukrainian revolutionary government in Ukraine.4 , recognizing Soviet power and acting against the bourgeois Rada. (Applause.)


Izvestia No. 254,

December 17, 1917