All power to the Soviets!

All power to the Soviets!

A source: Stalin I.V. Works. - T. 3. - M.: OGIZ; State Publishing House of Political Literature, 1946, pp. 297–299.

The revolution is coming. Shot in the July days and "buried" at the Moscow Conference, it is again raising its head, breaking down old barriers, creating a new government. The first line of trenches of the counter-revolution has been taken. Following Kornilov, Kaledin retreats. In the fire of struggle, the dead were revived by the Soviets. They are again at the helm, leading the revolutionary masses.

All power to the Soviets! is the slogan of the new movement.

The government of Kerensky comes out to fight the new movement. Already in the first days of the Kornilov uprising, it threatened to dissolve the revolutionary committees, dismissing the fight against Kornilovism as "arbitrariness." Since then, the struggle against the Committees has intensified, and in recent times has turned into open warfare.

The Simferopol Soviet arrests an accomplice in the Kornilov plot, the notorious Ryabushinsky. And the Kerensky government, in response to this, makes an order "to take measures to release Ryabushinsky and to bring the persons who subjected him to illegal arrest to justice" ("Speech").

In Tashkent, all power passes into the hands of the Soviet, and the old authorities are displaced. And the Kerensky government, in response to this, “is taking a series of measures that are still kept secret, but which will have the most sobering effect on the presumptuous leaders of the Tashkent Soviet of Workers 'and Soldiers' Deputies” (Russkiye Vedomosti).

The Soviets demand a strict and comprehensive investigation into the case of Kornilov and his associates. And the Kerensky government, in response to this, “narrows the investigation to an insignificant circle of people, without using some very important sources that would make it possible to qualify Kornilov’s crime as treason, and not just as a rebellion” (Shubnikov’s report, Novaya Zhizn) .

The Soviets demand a break with the bourgeoisie, and above all with the Cadets. And the Kerensky government, in response to this, is negotiating with the Kishkins and Konovalovs, inviting them to the government, proclaiming the “independence” of the government from the Soviets.

All the power of the imperialist bourgeoisie! - such is the slogan of the Kerensky government.

Doubt is impossible. Before us are two powers: the power of Kerensky and his government, and the power of the Soviets and Committees.

The struggle between these two powers is the characteristic feature of the present moment.

Either the power of the Kerensky government, and then the rule of the landlords and capitalists, war and ruin.

Or the power of the Soviets - and then the rule of the workers and peasants, peace and the elimination of ruin.

This is how life itself poses the question.
With every crisis of power, this question was raised by the revolution. Every time they eluded the gentlemen. the Compromisers from a direct answer and, evading, gave power to the enemies. By convening a conference instead of a congress of Soviets, the Compromisers wanted to evade once again, ceding power to the bourgeoisie. But they miscalculated. The time has come when you can no longer evade.

The direct question posed by life requires a clear and definite answer.

For the Soviets or against them!

Let them choose Mr. compromisers.

"Working Way" No. 13,

September 17, 1917