Philip Snowden

“ Nevertheless, recognising the will of the people as the supreme law, the Council adopted as the basis for the decree the programme drawn up by the peasants themselves, who were at that time under the preponderating influence of the Socialist-Revolutionaries—a programme which the Bolsheviks had regarded as, on many points, impracticable. ”

“ We have heard a good deal of the work done by the Soviet régime of Russia in the towns, but we know next to nothing of the revolution which has been accomplished in the Russian villages. Yet the degree in which the Revolution has affected the villages is of prime importance in a country which is so preeminently agricultural as Russia. ”

“ The two decrees show the principles which were applied by Socialism in power to the solution of the land question, and Lenin's speech gives an outline of what has been practically accomplished in the application of those principles. It will be seen that Lenin considers the Revolution as having proved triumphant also in the villages. ”