XV. Transport, lading, and storage department of the Supreme Economic Council (“Tramot” Department for the Transport of Material of the Supreme Economic Council).
The expropriation of the bourgeoisie, based upon principle, must be carried to its logical conclusion. This is the first task which is incumbent on our party. But we must be careful not to forget that petty proprietors are not to be expropriated. The “nationalisation” of small-scale industry is absolutely out of the question: first of all, because it is beyond our powers to organise the dispersed fragments of petty industry; and secondly because the Communist Party does not and cannot wish to alienate the many millions of small masters. Their adhesion to socialism will be quite voluntary, and will not result from their forcible expropriation. This fact must be especially borne in mind in those regions where small-scale production is widely prevalent.
Subject to this reservation, the first task we have to face is the completion of nationalisation.
94. Our Goal, the Development of Productivity.
The foundation of our whole policy must be the widest possible development of productivity. The disorganisation of production has been so extensive, the post-war scarcity of all products is so conspicuous, that everything else must be subordinated to this one task. More products! More boots, scythes, barrels, textiles, salt, clothing, corn, etc. — these are our primary need. How can the desired end be secured? Only by increasing the productive forces of the country, by increased productivity. There is no other way.
But here we encounter a formidable difficulty, arising out of the onslaught made upon us by the world-wide forces of the counter-revolution. We are blockaded and put upon our defence, so that we are