The "inevitable unification" of the Party which Lenin had fought for in April 1905 carne into existenoe at the Fourth (Unity) Party Congress in April 1906. Lenin acclaimed this unification, Bolsheviks had oriented since 1903, as a tremendous achievement. He stated:
*....both at the Congress and ut the Conference we crested the "drab unity" of party unity. Comrude workers, help os transform this drab anity into living reality! **. Join with us in settling this practical question of fusion: let this question be the exception [it is an exception that proves the opposite rale?] in which we shall have one-tenth theory and nine-tenths practice. Such u wish is surely legitimate, historically recessary and psychologically comprebensible .... Let us then unite to make this revolation!' (28) He violencly atracked all those who deciared that unification in one party with the Mensheviks was a manocuvEe Haline ar the Canzress mici of example, to make an authotitative necord, thac:
It is not true that | "supported' Comrade TOLONHS statement that the Holsheriks and Mensheviks cannot work together in ome purty, 1 did not in uny way support such ant assertion, and do nol share that opinion at all." (29)
Once again the dialectical relation of Lenin's struggle for political clarification and organisationa] unity is clear. He posed the political struggle in the sharpest possible terms (30) and simultaneonsly called for strict party discipline on the part of thie Bolsbeviks even though they were now a minority.
The split nu longer exises -- We must and shall fight Ideologieally aguinst the decisioms of l Conpress which we regord as erruneoes.... But at the Lenin plays cheas with the Toycotter' Boodanov in happier ‹ays. Gorky looks on.
lalk of the bopcotl's success. (41)
Following she Panly Congress it bocame cicurer and clearer tnar the Gi-CnE aRaUCOSR represented not a mor lactical difterenpe which colld he contalned wilin a tacton i a pracipica Tinishing touch that delinitely marks the Mensheviks as the opportunist wing of the wurkers' party." (32) Did Lenin now propose a spli? On the contrary, he posed the question entirely as a principled faction struggle in which he demanded of the Bolsbeviks strict observance of the Party's discipline even when tbey were in a minority. He wrote:
"We are waging a ruthless Ideningical struggle apainst the formation of blocs with the Cadets, und this struggle must be developed to the widest possible extent .. The question is how to combine this ruthless idenlogical struggle with proletarian parb discipline.'(13)
Lenin came out absolucely againse any maves to a split:
Does the sanction by Social Demncruts of boes with the Cadets necessitate a complete seserance of organisutional relations, L.e. a split. We shink not sad all the Bolsheviles think the same wat ... Therefore. our duty at the present time is to avoid intellectenlist hysteria and preserve Party unity. (34) Splitters We could not wish for a clearer definition of Leninist principles on orgacisacion. Not for Lenin the split at the drop of a revisionist hat, or the split based os "logically" prujecied results of peesest positions What was oecessary was to struggle against auch thor oughly wong posisions within the purty until cicher the comrades had been won from their CInCOICL positions or the working out of this line definitively placed them outside the camp of the proletariat aitogether — as in 1914, It was the line which Trorsky was to foliow later in relation to the Communis International [35). It demanded political strugale within the of the Pla-ly. Although such differcnos were conrainablc walin a pars, thes were impersble in a fuction. le the course of the strugale Letin outliced aih classic precision ibe dillerence belaeen a part CHO HE8EOH Disciplined proletarian policy triumphed Al the Filth Party Congress in 1907 the Boisheviks gained the majority from the Mensheviks. Then, as it bocame clear that che Bolsheviks were gaining a majority, it was the Mensheviks who began lo split. Once again. jusr as alter 1903, Lenin contrasted the Holshevike proletarian discipline and acoeptance of party unicy with tbe spliting acrivities of Lie Mensbeviks:
"The only organisation of our Purty in which there is a split at present — und a very bad split - * the St Petersburg organisation. Who split this organisation! The Mensheriks split it, did so against the will of the orgunised workers and to the gratification of the EЯOLIN....
The Bolsheviks fooght with might and main against clection ugreements with the Cadets heing regarded as permissible ut the November Parly Conterence. At permissible. Bat agreemests "TETL recngnised this conference the Bolsheriks hound themseives lo abäde by the decisions of the local organisations ithc congress voted to lease the desermination of blocs 1o local organisations); and in every CRs4 where the local organisations deemed it necessary te enter Inta election agreements with the Cadets, the Bol sheviks kept sheir promise as a 'sucred and inviolable duty to the Parly. The Menheriks andertonk the came obligation: lit when thes found that the organised warkers uf St Petersburg soeld not ugree 1o follow themt in the Cadet leading strings, they spilt the organisation. (35)
Far From Leeie beieg the splitter, far from posing mercly. "formal unity", the Bolsheviks were the chief fighters lor tbe uniry of the Party. It was by this menns that the Bolsheviks won the support of many warkers Il was the Mensheviks in this perlod who were the splitters and not Lenib.
can contain a whole gamut of opinions and shudes uf opiniun.. A section in u puriy is a group of like-ininded persums furmed for the puropse primarils of influencing tie party in a definite direction, for the perpose nf securing acceptance of their principles in the purte in the perest possible form. For this reul unanimity of opinion ls necessary. The ditlerent standards we set for party anity and sectional unit: must be grasped hy evergine whio waal do knon how the question of internal discord lo the Bolshevik section stands. "(42)
Theresult was clenr — the baycolser Begdanos was expelled frem the Bolshesik laction. Sur the expalsion claris Ulustrared the difference berween a parry and u Taction, and that there was no Bolslevik Party ar this ticne. The Bollcviks were absolutely Cicar thar Bogdanov remained a member, with all his positons. in the RSDLP "We do mot have a split in the Part, hat in the factine. The writ of our conference does not rue to Party posts. (43)
Throughout this whole strugzle the Belsheviks, far from secking to splt che RSDLP, demanded an cod to all artempts in that direciion, The Bolshevik confes ence ot June 1909 passed a resoletion warning all iss supporters ragainst agitating for u spetial Bobilvest Congress, as such agitation woild lend nhgectively to a Party split' (+4) Indeed ooc of the chie accusatians made agalost Bogdanpy was tha: le was secking to split the Paris, Lenio rocalled the long history of struggle of the Bolsheviks agsinst a splir Since 1903:
"In agitating for a special Bolshevik congress sou [Bogdans] show that sou have lost faith in the Party principle. We hare aiwuys Hood for the Party principle, ever since the Second Congress, and are now continals, the same line, while you are preaching u split at the gross poots. There is also a pro-Party trend among the Mensheriks We heliese in tbe Party principle and sund up fur il.' 1451 Cenin restated tac prinsipies of the Bolsaevias on Tactional straggle and the uncy of the RSDLP: