Page:Theses Presented to the Second World Congress of the Communist International (1920).pdf/5

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Theses of the Executive Committee of the Commu—
nist International on the Role of the Communist
Party in the Workers' Revolution.

The first year of work of the Communist International was occupied chiefly in the propagation of Communist ideas. At present, just before the Second Congress, the International is entering upon a new phase. A period of organisation and construction lies before us. Until, now in different countries there have been only vague tendencies and ideas about Communism among the working people. But at present, in almost all the countries where there is a serious workers' movement, one may now perceive not only tendencies and influences, but Communist organizations and parties. This circumstance should persuade the Second Congress of the Communist International to take a perfectly clear and precise position on the question concerning the part to be played by the Communist Party before and after the moment when the power passes into the hands of the working class. Among some of the adherents of Communism (the "Left" party in Germany, the I. W. W.