The Arshinov Files: Part Three
Due to extensive research by labour historian Dmitri Rublev we are able to publish, for the first time in English, letters written by Arshinov to prominent Bolsheviks as well as correspondence between Bolshevik leaders among themselves discussing the efforts of Arshinov to 'decompose' anarchism.
In Part Three, we examine Arshinov's letter to Yan Rudzutak. Again, Arshinov makes reference to a request of him to "conduct propaganda work among healthy anarchist elements" by someone, presumably a member of the Central Committee, who remains unidentified.
LETTER FROM P.A. ARSHINOV TO Y.E. RUDZUTAK [1]WITH INFORMATION ABOUT HIS ACTIVITIES TO DECOMPOSE THE ANARCHIST MOVEMENT AND A REQUEST TO ASSIST IN ITS RETURN TO THE USSR
February 20, 1934
Paris
Comrade Ya. Rudzutak, Moscow
Dear comrade Rudzutak,
On January 4, 1932, I addressed the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) with a request to allow me to come to the USSR and take part in the front of socialist construction. I pointed out that as a result of my ten years of active participation in the anarchist movement abroad and the experience of the Western European workers' movement, I had come to the firm conviction that a number of the basic tactical positions of anarchism were erroneous and that the theory and practice of Marxism-Leninism were historically justified. In particular, I recognized in a special brochure ("Anarchism and the Dictatorship of the Proletariat") the historical inevitability of the era of the dictatorship of the proletariat and the absolute correctness of the tactics of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) in this matter. The evolution that had taken place within me completely tore me away from anarchism and led me to Bolshevism, in whose ranks I found myself and worked in 1905–[190]6.
In response to my appeal, I was asked to remain abroad for the time being and conduct propaganda work among healthy anarchist elements, to come forward with the slogan of a united front and to expose the anti-Soviet wing of the anarchists. I had been doing similar work before this proposal, independently guided by the needs of the proletarian revolution in the countries of Western Europe, as well as by the situation of local movements. Over the past two years, I have been systematically conducting work in this sense – in North America, Spain, Bulgaria. I have directed my greatest efforts toward Spain, where the working class is charged with an enormous revolutionary mood and where it is overwhelmingly under the leadership of anarchists, very good revolutionaries who suffer from a severe anarchist prejudice – a fear of seizing power and an unwillingness to continue the revolution under the leadership of the state of the dictatorship of the proletariat.
I will give you an approximate list of my articles sent to Spain and orienting the Spanish revolution towards the experience of the Russian revolution of 1917. 1) Open letter to the general secretary of the National Confederation of Labor A. Pestanye, 2) The Spanish revolution and the Russian experience, 3) The dangers standing in the way of the proletarian revolution in Spain, 4) What is a workers' council, 5) Open letter to the congress of the N[ational] Conf[ederation] of Labor in Barcelona-Madrid, 6) What kind of revolution is taking place in Spain, 7) Open letter to the leaders of the National Conf[ederation] of Labor and the Iberian Federation of Anarchists, 8) Anarchism and the fight against fascism, 9) The October Revolution - the triumph of the international proletariat, 10) Confessions of Lloyd George, etc.
In Solidaridad Obrera (the central organ of the CNT) only two of them were published – the second [2]and the third. After this, and especially after the publication in Russian of my brochure – “Anarchism and the Dictatorship of the Proletariat” – anarchists of all countries waged a fierce campaign against me in Spain, issuing urgent warnings against me as an agent of the Comintern. The remaining articles were to be published by the Spanish communists, but it seems that due to repeated failures, not all of them were printed. Meanwhile, the campaign against me as an agent of Bolshevism was assuming ever-growing proportions. The resolution of the anarchist organ “Delo Truda” on my exclusion as an element alien and harmful to anarchist communism was carried out in the anarchist press of all countries. A number of anarchists who enjoy authority in the anarchist world – Max Nettlau, A. Shapiro, Makhno and others – came out against me with harsh articles and warnings.
I know the anarchist environment and foresaw all this more than two years ago. As long as it was possible to endure, I carried out my work with the necessary persistence, for I believed and believe in this work. But regardless of this confidence, a situation is created that devalues the work itself. From a number of anarchists in Spain, North America, Bulgaria, France I have received written or oral statements that I am taking a dual position (remaining in the ranks of anarchism, but working for Bolshevism) and that this nullifies all my efforts, all the strength of my speeches and my arguments. Quite recently I had several difficult explanations with French, German, Italian and Bulgarian anarchists, who demanded from me a precise answer to the question of whether I am a Bolshevik or an anarchist and how my work of recent years should be understood. Such explanations will continue to be required of me, and the current acute situation in which I find myself will become even more acute.
Let me remind you of one similar case. In 1922, I.S. Grossman-Roshchin, a Soviet anarchist at the time, arrived in Berlin. He was not a member of the RCP(b), and did not express the apology for Bolshevism that I have expressed and continue to express. Nevertheless, for his mere sympathy for the Soviet government, the anarchists raised such a campaign against him that he was forced to leave Berlin for Moscow a few weeks later, despite the fact that a number of Russian anarchists who were in Berlin at the time – Shapiro, Yarchuk, Mrachny, and others – spoke out in his defense. The campaign against me has been going on for more than two or three weeks, and not only in Russian circles, but for more than two years in all countries, and in more violent forms. You can therefore imagine, Comrade Rudzutak, in what a heated and difficult atmosphere I have to be and act in here. And most importantly, this atmosphere is bringing to naught all my work here. I will add that I have failed not only among anarchists of all countries, but also among the police of all countries – France, Belgium, Spain. During the recent events in Paris, two Flicks were constantly watching the house where I live. It was enough for me to go down to the metro to be seized by agents for “participating in a demonstration”. For the fifth year I have been living here under the strictest surveillance, in the position of an exile.
Based on the above, and also on the inexpediency of my trip to Spain at the present time, I addressed the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) on January 20 of this year with a request to give me the opportunity to come to the USSR now and take part in one of the fronts of socialist construction. I am enclosing a copy of this statement to you here.
I personally ask you, Comrade Rudzutak, to support my request before the Central Committee of the Party and, if possible, to speed it up. I will be comradely and sincerely grateful to you.
It hardly needs saying that as a result of my many years of anarchist experience, as well as as a result of the policy of the Soviet government over the last decade, I have become completely close to Bolshevism, to its doctrine and tactics, and have been working in recent years as a mobilized member of the party, although I am not a member of its ranks. What is offensive to me is that, being full of the desire to work on the front of socialist construction, I have been forced to remain on the sidelines of this construction for years, almost inactive.
I bow to you in a comradely and cordial manner.
P. Arshinov.
P.S. I am enclosing here my two recent brochures – “Anarchism and the Dictatorship of the Proletariat” and “Anarchism in Our Time”.[3] Additional information – a number of my articles, recently published in Novy Mir [4](the organ of the Communist Party in Russian in New York), as well as a number of documents written by anarchists against me, can be obtained, if necessary, from my wife – Marya Ivanovna Lebedeva, Skatertny per. d. No. 11, Moscow.
Russian State Archive of Social and Political History. F. 17. Op. 169. D. 29. L. 247–249. Original. Typescript.
[1]Rudzutak, Yan Ernestovich (1887–1938) – Soviet party and government figure. In 1920–1937 – member of the Central Committee of the RCP(b)–VKP(b). In 1926–1932 – member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the VKP(b). In 1923–1924 – secretary of the Central Committee of the RCP(b). In 1924–1930 – People's Commissar of Railways of the USSR. In 1926–1937 – deputy chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR. Simultaneously, in 1931–1934 – chairman of the Central Control Commission of the VKP(b) and people's commissar of the Workers 'and Peasants' Inspection of the USSR. In May 1937 he was expelled from the party. On July 28, 1938, he was sentenced to death by firing squad by the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court. Rehabilitated in 1956.
[2] Cm .: Archinof P. The Spanish Revolution and the Russian Experience // Workers' Solidarity. June 4, 1931. No. 169. P. 6–7.
[3]"Anarchism in Our Time" is a brochure by P.A. Arshinov, published in January 1933. On its pages, Arshinov continued to develop the anarcho-Bolshevik ideas set out in the brochure "Anarchism and the Dictatorship of the Proletariat." Thus, he recognized the socialist nature of the socio-economic system that had developed in the USSR. Arshinov provided unconditional and uncritical support to the policies of the USSR and the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks), justifying the dictatorship and repression, including against anarchists: "A painful process of building a new classless, and then stateless society is taking place in the USSR. It is taking place in the extremely difficult conditions of the blockade, capitalist conspiracies inside and outside the country. Therefore, it requires extreme tension, extreme caution, extreme struggle. Many anarchists consider tension in work and tension in defending the system of workers and peasants to be despotism. In reality, this tension is the only way out of the difficult situation in which the Russian revolution finds itself, surrounded by an armed and hating capitalist world” (Arshinov P.A. Anarchism in Our Time. Paris, 1933. P. 30). He called on the CNT and other anarcho-syndicalist workers’ organizations to establish contacts with the USSR and send delegations to study the situation on the spot.
[4]"Novy Mir" is a socialist, then communist newspaper. From 1911 to 1937 it was published in New York, in Russian. Initially it was affiliated with the Socialist Party of America. In the 1920s and 1930s it became the organ of the Communist Party of America.
