Page:Vladimir Ilyich Lenin - On Organization (1926).pdf/42

"The Party is the highest form of the class organization of the proletariat; it should lead all the other forms of proletarian organizations, and take a most active part in their struggles. This it does through Communist fractions."

That is why Lenin so determinedly opposed the so-called "neutrality" of trade unions, and other labor organizations, the "independence" of parliamentary fractions, etc. As a matter of fact this "neutrality" and "independence" is a most reprehensible dependence upon the bourgeoisie and its agents.

Lenin taught that the proletariat cannot bring about a victorious proletarian revolution without having its own independent, political Party. This revolution cannot be brought about by trade unions, or by cooperative societies, although these organizations play an important part in the struggle of the working class for its emancipation from capitalism. Only because it had a strong Bolshevik Party was the Russian proletariat able to secure victory over the capitalists and landowners. Only thanks to the existence of this Party was it possible to retain these gains. On the other hand, if the Party had not had such auxiliary mass organizations like the trade unions, if it had not won over to its side the millions of trade unionists, it could never have captured power, and still less retain it in its hands throughout this difficult period. That is why work in the trade unions and winning them over to our side is of such enormous importance.