velopment, might strike out a unique path for themselves. I need only remind you that Comrade Lenin, when discussing the whole question of colonial revolutions and of the revolutions in semi-colonial countries, laid down a thesis of extreme importance, one which we shall one day have to consider from the standpoint of practical politics. He laid down the thesis that, under certain historical conditions, a number of countries might pass through various stages of development at an accelerated speed. It need not be said that this an entirely general and far distant prospect. But none the less we must hold it in view. I put the question in a general form, as a distant possibility.
We must admit that we possess comparatively little information about the whole of the East, about the colonial movement, and even about such a mighty movement as the present national revolution in China. This revolution deals a heavy blow at the whole fabric of international capitalist stabilization. It is of historical importance for the whole world, the more that it is taking place in a country in which there exists the proletarian dictatorship.
Whilst we are so familiar with the principles of both the economics and politics of the countries of Western Europe that we even know the leading personalities of the bourgeoisie, of the social-democrats, and of the Communist Parties, we are, on the other hand so little informed on the Eastern countries that we are not even fully acquainted with the fundamental outlines of their economic and political structure. And without this knowledge it is extremely difficult to find a line of policy in any way likely to be correct. I should first like to say a few words on the economic structure of China. Concrete data are difficult to obtain, but such as are available clearly show the recent development and growth of capitalist conditions in this country, although this capitalist development has not yet advanced so far as to be of paramount importance for
57
