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Bukharin and the military conspiracy
In 1935--1936, Bukharin developed closer links with the groups of military conspirators who were plotting the overthrow of the Party leadership.
On July 28, 1936, a clandestine meeting of the anti-Communist organization that included Colonel Tokaev was held. The agenda included a discussion of the different proposals on the new Soviet Constitution. Tokaev noted:
`Stalin aimed at one party dictatorship and complete centralisation. Bukharin envisaged several parties and even nationalist parties, and stood for the maximum of decentralisation. He was also in favour of vesting authority in the various constituent republics and thought that the more important of these should even control their own foreign relations. By 1936, Bukharin was approaching the social democratic standpoint of the left-wing socialists of the West.'
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`Bukharin had studied the alternative draft (of the Constitution) prepared by Demokratov (a member of Tokaev's clandestine organization) and ... among the documents were now included a number of important observations based on our work.'
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Ibid. , p. 61.
The military conspirators of Tokaev's group claimed that they were close to the political positions defended by Bukharin.
`Bukharin wanted to go slowly with the peasants, and delay the ending of the NEP ... he also held that the revolution need not take place everywhere by armed uprising and force .... Bukharin thought that every country should develop on its own lines ....
`(Bukharin, Rykov and Tomsky) succeeded in publishing (the) main points (of their program): (1) Not to end the NEP but to continue it for at least ten years ...; (4) While pursuing industrialisation, to remember that the Revolution was made for the ordinary man, and that, therefore far more energy must be given to light industry --- socialism is made by happy, well-fed men, not starving beggars; (5) To halt the compulsory collectivisation of agriculture and the destruction of kulaks.'
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Ibid. , p. 86.
This program was designed to protect the bourgeoisie in agriculture, commerce and light industry, as well as to slow down industrialization. If it had been implemented, the Soviet Union would no doubt have been defeated in the anti-fascist war.
Next: Bukharin and the Up: The trial of Previous: Bukharin and the
Fri Aug 25 09:03:42 PDT 1995