Speeches at a Meeting of the CC of the RSDLP(b), February 6, 1918

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The Central Committee meeting on January 24 (February 6), 1918 dealt with one question, namely, the agenda of the Seventh Party Congress. On the basis of the proposals submitted, the Central Committee approved the following agenda for the Congress: = 1) review of the programme; = 2) current situation (internal situation, external situation, economic situation); = 3) trade unions, factory committees, etc.; = 4) organisational question; = 5) miscellaneous. A commission headed by Lenin was set up to work out the Party’s programme (see Protokoly TsK RSDRP. Avgust 1917-fevral 1918 [Minutes of the Central Committee of the RSDLP, August 1917–February 1918], Moscow-Leningrad, 1929, pp. 223–25).

When speaking of the October Bolsheviks Lenin had in mind those members of the Party who joined-it after the October Socialist Revolution. The Central Committee decided that only those members who had been in the Party for more than three months, that is, those who had joined it before the Revolution, were entitled to voice and vote at the Congress. In opening the Seventh Congress Y. M. Sverdlov, who was in the chair, announced the CC decision that “the Congress is to be deemed competent only if more than one-half the delegates of the preceding, Sixth Congress of the Party are present” = (see Protokoly syezdov i konferentsy VKP(b). Sedmoi syezd [Minutes of Congresses and Conferences of the RCP(b). Seventh Congress], 1928, p. 1).

MINUTES

1

Comrade Lenin believes that the agenda of the Congress should consist of the Party Programme, the question of peace, and tactical questions.

2

N. I. Bukharin, Y. M. Sverdlov and J. V. Stalin table concrete proposals for the agenda of the Party’s Seventh Congress.

Comrade Lenin agrees with all the previous speakers, but he is worried by the vast number of October Bolsheviks in the Party, a fact which may hinder the Congress in working out a consistent programme.

3

Comrade Lenin considers it essential that in admitting members a mandatory inscription be made concerning the date of joining the Party: before Oct. 25 or after; and that it is essential that new members recognise the mandatory nature of the tactics which the Party found correct in relation to the October Revolution.