From Lenin to Stalin

Extract

The most striking peculiarity of the Soviet regime, established in Russia more than thirty years ago, is its claim to be the instrument of a necessary historical and social development It regards itself as the accelerator of the evolution of mankind towards socialism and communism. The details of this evolution are unknown—but its general direction is known to the party, the Bolshevist-Communist party of Lenin and of his successor, Stalin. Therefore, the doctrine determining Soviet policies is not only a theory, but the basis for a practice carried out by an organization. This organization, the party, determines which steps are right and correspond to the demands of the situation. For the socialistic-communist aim will not be accomplished at once and easily; it will be realized by difficult and complicated struggles whose realization requires incessant maneuvering, constant observation of existing power conditions, and careful consideration of the degree of maturity reached in the advance towards the goal.