not out of the inner consciousness, but out of life itself. If life has undergone great changes, the program cannot be left as it was. In winter we have to wear thick overcoats. In the heat of summer only a madman wears a thick overcoat. It is just the same in politics. Marx himself taught us that we should always study the existing conditions of life and act accordingly. This does not mean that we should change our convictions as a fine lady changes her gloves. The primary aim of the working class is the realisation of the communist order. This aim is a permanent aim. It is, however, self-evident that, according as the working class stands far from or close to its goal, it will put forward different demands. Under tsarist rule working-class organisations were driven underground and the workers’ party was persecuted as if its members had been criminals. Now, the working class is in power, and its party is the ruling party. Obviously no intelligent person could advocate exactly the same program for the year 1908 and for the present time.
Thus, the changes in the internal conditions of Russian life and the changes in international circumstances have necessitated changes in our program.
4. The Meaning of our program.
Our new (Moscow) program is the first program drawn up by the party of the working class since it attained to power some time ago. It is therefore necessary for our party to turn to account all the experience which the working class has gained in administering and upbuilding the new life. This is important, not only for ourselves, not only for the Russian workers and poorer peasants, but also for our foreign comrades. For from our successes and failures, from our mistakes and oversights, experience will be gained, not by ourselves alone, but by the whole international proletariat. This is why our program contains, not merely what our party wishes to accomplish, but also that which it has to some extent accomplished. Every member of our party must be familiar with