Appendix 1 Chronology of Major Events and Lenin's Principal Writings, 1870-1924
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Appendix 1 Chronology of Major Events and Lenin's Principal Writings, 1870-1924 Dates given to 30 January 1918 are those of the Russian Old Style calendar, which was twelve days behind the West European calendar in the nineteenth century, and thirteen in the twentieth. From I February 1918 the Russian Calendar conformed to the Western. References to texts are to Lenin's Collected Works, the English translation of the fourth Russian edition in 45 vols, Moscow, 1960-70. In the shorthand notation that follows volume number is given in bold type directly followed by page number. References to Harding, 1983 are to the present author's Marxism in Russia: Key Documents (Cambridge, 1983). 1870 10 April Vladimir Illich Ulyanov (Lenin) born in Simbirsk. 1879 Lenin begins as pupil in Simbirsk classical grammar school. His headmaster, Fyodor Kerensky, is the father of Alexander Kerensky, whose government Lenin is to overthrow in October 1917. 1881 I March Tsar Alexander II assassinated by the terrorist organisation Nr..rodnaya Volya (People's Will). 1883 Formation in Geneva of the first Russian Marxist group - The Emancipation of Labour and the publication of Socialism and the Political Struggle by its leader, George Plekhanov. (Extracts in Harding, 1983, pp. 44-54.) 1886 January Lenin's father dies. 1887 March Lenin's elder brother, Alexander, arrested in plot to kill Tsar Alexander III. 8 May Lenin's brother and his accomplices executed. 281 282 Appendix 1 August Lenin enters Kazan University. December Participates in minor student protest, is arrested and expelled from University. 1888--1893 Begins to study Marx and participates in revolutionary discussion circles in Samara; studies externally for law degree from St Petersburg University; involved in controversy with leading Populists; begins collecting data on capitalism in agriculture. 1893 Autumn-Winter Arrives St Petersburg, joins leading Marxist circle at Technological Institute; and tutors workingmen's discussion circles in the Nevsky Gate area of the city. 1894 March-June Writes his first significant text, What the "Friends of the People" Are and How They Fight the Social-Democrats 1, 133- 332; this lengthy Marxist rebuttal of the economic and social arguments of the Russian Populists was the first publication of the social democrats within Russia. 1895 Spring Arrival of the brochure On Agitation in St Petersburg (in Harding, 1983, pp. 192- 205). April-May Goes abroad to contact emigre Emancipation of Labour Group in Geneva; greatly impresses Plekhanov and Akselrod. May-September In France, Switzerland and Germany meeting prominent Marxists; returns to Russia, visiting working-class centres to arrange publication and distribution of projected journal Rabotnik. November-December Strike wave in St Petersburg and elsewhere; writes a number of agitational leaflets and prepares copy for underground newspaper. Writes his Draft and Explanation of a Programme for the Social-Democratic Party, 2, 95-121. 8 December Lenin and other prominent leaders of the St Petersburg Union of Struggle for the Emancipation of the Working Class arrested. 1896 Spring Begins preparations for a comprehensive study of the evolution of capitalism in Russia. June Most extensive strikes to date in St Petersburg textile industry. Chronology of Events/Lenin's Writings 283 1897 January Renewed strikes in textile industry; Lenin exiled to Shushenskoye for three years. May Arrives at place of exile; continues to write agitational pamphlets and articles on economic theory. Winter Writes The Tasks of the Russian Social Democrats, 2, 327-51; continues drafting his major study on capitalism in Russia. 1898 1 March Foundation Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) in Minsk, its Manifesto written by Peter Struve (in Harding, 1983, pp. 223-6). July Lenin marries Nadezhda Krupskaya; they work together translating History of Trade Unionism by Sidney and Beatrice Webb. August Lenin completes the draft of his major study The Development of Capitalism in Russia, 3, 25-632. This text was published in March 1899 and constitutes arguably his single most original contribution to Marxist theory. It gives a detailed account of the development of capitalism out of feudalism through distinctive phases of usury, merchant, manufacturing and industrial capitalism, and attempts to place differing regions of the country and different trades along this progression. August Publication in Geneva of Akselrod's influential programmatic statement Present Tasks and Tactics of the Russian Social Democrats (in Harding, 1983, pp. 227--41). November At the First Congress of the Union of Social Democrats Abroad, the veteran Emancipation of Labour Group is defeated by the 'young' opposition. 1899 March Publication of Lenin's The Development of Capitalism in Russia. Eduard Bernstein publishes his seminal revisionist book The Preconditions of Socialism and the Tasks of Social Democracy (English translation entitled Evolutionary Socialism). Spring Publication of E. D. Kuskova's Credo, the first manifestation of revisionism in Russia (in Harding, 1983, pp. 250-3). This pro- voked an angry riposte by Lenin, A Protest by Russian Social Democrats, 4, 171-82. September Publication of the 'Separate Supplement' to Rabochaya Mysl (Workers Thought) no. 7 - 284 Appendix 1 the most developed statement or Russian revisionism (extracts from its leading article in Harding, 1983, pp. 242-50). 1900 January Lenin's term of exile ends. February-July Much travelling between social democratic centres in Russia to establish connections for the publication of an 'orthodox' newspaper to counter the influence of 'revisionist' journals such as Rabochaya Mysl and to prepare for a Second Party Congress. May Day Large-scale street demonstrations in Kharkhov. August Lenin in Zurich for discussions with Plekhanov and Akselrod for the publication of a new journal Iskra (The Spark). 11 December First issue of Iskra appears, edited by Lenin and carrying his leading article, 'The Urgent Tasks of Our Movement', 4, 366--71 which broached many of the ideas later elaborated in What Is To Be Done? 1901 January-March Composes a series of articles for Iskra and Zarya (The Dawn) outlining the need for comprehensive reorganisation of the party for it to fulfil its role as leader of the democratic revolution. May Day Widespread demonstrations throughout Russia culminating in the pitched battle of the Obukhov Defence in St Petersburg. 1902 Throughout the year constant editorial work for Iskra; organising Iskra representatives for forthcoming Second Party Congress. February-March Writes his The Agrarian Programme of Russian Social Democracy, 6, 109-150. March Publication in Stuttgart of What Is To Be Done?, 5, 349-520. This was intended (and used) as the common platform of the veteran leadership of Iskra in their battle for predominance at the Second Party Congress. It stressed the centrality of the all Russia struggle against tsarism and the consequent need for a centralised, disciplined, and professionally organised party whose leading core would be the editorial board of the party newspaper. 1903 Continuing editorial and journalistic work for Iskra; leading role on the Organising Chronology of Events/Lenin's Writings 285 Committee established to oversee the convocation of the Party Congress. March-June Strikes and demonstrations on unprecedented scale in most major cities, particularly prolonged in the south. June-July Drafts standing orders and agenda, prepares draft rules and resolutions for forthcoming Congress. 17 July Second Congress of Russian Social Democratic Labour Party convened in Brussels; Lenin elected vice-chairman. 24 July Congress moves to London. 2 August Speaks on his formulation of Article 1 of the Party Rules (defining the conditions for membership); Martov's rival formulation is carried (extracts from this debate in Harding, 1983, pp. 279-87). 2 or 3 August Iskra caucus splits over candidates for election to Central Committee. 7 August Fierce debate over composition of editorial board of party newspaper. Lenin supported by Plekhanov; their adherents now take title Bolsheviki (men of the majority); the minority, with Martov as their principal spokesman, now known as Mensheviki. 19 October Lenin resigns from editorial board of Iskra over Plekhanov's decision to expand the editorial board to include the three editors ousted at the Second Congress. 1904 February Outbreak of Russo-Japanese War; constant polemics within the party throughout the year; Lenin reviews the crisis of the Second Congress and its aftermath in One Step Forward, Two Steps Back, 7, 205--425. July The 'new' Menshevik-dominated Iskra publishes Rosa Luxemburg's Organisational Questions of Russian Social Democracy, in which she concludes that Lenin's 'concept of organisation presents the greatest danger to Russian Social Democracy' (in Harding, 1983, pp. 295-309). November Zemstvo Conference of local government activists; Russian liberals begin to stir. December Fall of Port Arthur to Japanese; general strike in Baku. 1905 9 January Bloody Sunday; Father Gapon leads huge, peaceful demonstration to the tsar's Winter Palace in St Petersburg massacre of 286 Appendix 1 hundreds by Guards regiments; massive strike movement begins; Lenin calls for determined revolutionary action to overthrow tsar. 12-17 April Third Congress of RSDLP; Lenin speaks of need for armed uprising, relations with peasantry and nature of future revolutionary government. June-July Writes his Two Tactics of Social Democracy