The Unknown Revolution

Tuesday March 04, 2003 01:25

by Voline

A Cautionary Tale

This is taken from ‘The Unknown Revolution’ by Voline, a Russian anarchist, who was about at these times, although not in Kronstadt when this was happening and later sent into exile (originally to be executed) by the Bolsheviks.

Resolution of the General Meeting of the 1st and 2nd Squadrons of the Baltic Fleet, held on March 1st, 1921.

“After having heard the reports of the delegates sent to Petrograd by the general meeting of the crews to examine the situation, the assembly decided that, since that it has been established that the present Soviets do not express the will of the workers and peasants, it is necessary:

(1) to proceed immediately to the re-election of the Soviets by secret ballot, the electoral campaign among workers and peasants to be carried on with full freedom of speech and action.

(2) To establish freedom of speech and press for all workers and peasants , for the Anarchists and Left Socialist parties.

(3) To accord freedom of assembly to the workers and peasants organisations.

(4) To convoke, outside of the political parties, a Conference of the workers, Red soldiers and sailors of Petrograd, Kronstadt, and the Petrograd province for March 10th, 1921, at the latest.

(5) To liberate all Socialist political prisoners and also all workers, peasants, Red soldiers and sailors, imprisoned as a result of the workers and peasants movements.

(6) To elect a commission for the purpose of examining the cases of those who are in prisons or concentration camps.

(7) To abolish the ‘political offices’, since no political party should have privileges for propagating its ideas or receive money from the State for this purpose, and to replace them with educational and cultural commissions elected in each locality and financed by the government.

(8) To abolish immediately all barriers.

(9) To make uniform the rations of all workers, except for those engaged in occupations dangerous to their health.

(10) To abolish Communist shock-troops in all units of the army and the Communist guards in the factories: in case of need, guard detachments could be supplied in the army by the companies and in the factories by the workers.

(11) To give the peasants full freedom of action in regard to their land and also the right to possess cattle, on condition that they do their own work, that is to say, without hiring help.

(12) To establish a travelling control commission.

(13) To permit the free exercise of handicrafts, provided no hired help is used.

(14) We ask all units of the army and the kursanti cadets to join our resolution.

(15) We demand that all our resolutions be widely published in the press.

This resolution was adopted unanimously by the meeting of the crews of the Squadrons. Two persons abstained. Signed: Petrichenko, president of the meeting: Perepelkin, secretary.”