MEETING
OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE
OF THE R.S.D.L.P.(B.)
OCTOBER 10 (23), 1917[78]
1
REPORT
MINUTES
   
Comrade Lenin maintains that a sort of indifference to the question of insurrection has been noticeable since the beginning of September. But this is impermissible if we are issuing the slogan of the seizure of power by the Soviets in all seriousness. It is therefore high time to pay attention to the technical aspect of the question. Apparently a lot of time has already been lost.
   
Nevertheless the question is an urgent one, and the decisive moment is near.
   
The international situation is such that we must take the initiative.
   
What is being done to surrender territory as far as Narva, and to surrender Petrograd makes it still more imperative for us to take decisive action.
   
The political situation is also working impressively in this direction. Decisive action on our part on July 3, 4 and 5 would have failed because we did not have the majority behind us. Since then we have made tremendous progress.
   
Absenteeism and indifference on the part of the masses is due to their being tired of words and resolutions.
   
We now have the majority behind us. Politically, the situation is fully ripe for taking power.
page 189
   
The agrarian movement is also developing in that direction, for it is obvious that extreme effort would be needed to stem that movement. The slogan of the transfer of all land has become the general slogan of the peasants. The political situation, therefore, is mature. We must speak of the technical aspect. That is the crux of the matter. Nevertheless we, like the defencists, are inclined to regard the systematic preparation of an uprising as something in the nature of a political sin.
   
It is senseless to wait for the Constituent Assembly that will obviously not be on our side, for this will only make our task more involved.
   
The regional congress and the proposal from Minsk[79] must be used for the beginning of decisive action.