TheRevolutionaryCatechism

SergeyNechayev

Contents

BiographicalSketchofNechayev

TheDutiesoftheRevolutionaryTowardHimself

TheRelationsoftheRevolutionaryTowardhisComrades

TheRelationsoftheRevolutionaryTowardSociety

TheAttitudeoftheSocietyTowardthePeople

Colophon

BiographicalSketchofNechayev

SergeyGenadievichNechayevwasamansofearedbytheCzarandthearistocrat,rulingclasses,hebecametheCzar'sspecialprisoner.TheCzarreceivedweeklyspecialreportsonNechayev'sprisonactivities.

NechayevwasbornSeptember20,1847.Hediedatage35inprison,onDecember3,1882-fromdropsycomplicatedbyscurvy.

Hewasconvictedforthemurderofafellowstudent,buthisrealcrimeswerepolitical.Hefrightenedthestatebecauseheclaimedtoheadasecretsocietyfourmillionstrong.Intruth,itwasasmallgroup,maybeafewhundred,mainlyofSt.Petersburgstudents.Thetrialsentencedhimto20yearsinSiberia.TheCzarintervenedandorderedhimtoberetainedfortherestofhislife.HewaskeptinCell#1ofthenotoriousAlexisRavelinofthePeterandPaulFortress.

Asahumanbeing,heleftmuchtobedesired--helied,cheated,blackmailed,murdered.Ofcourse,hewoulddefendhisactionsbasedontheprincipleslaidoutinthefollowingdocument.Regardlesshispersonalattributes,herejectedtheauthorityofthestatetohisdismalendand,forthat,gainedlegendarystatusinRussia.

InRobertPayne'sbiographyonLenin,adescriptionofNechayev'strial(p.21):

"TheprisonerwhostoodinthedockintheMoscowDistrictCourtonJanuary20,1873,didnotresembletheordinarypictureofarevolutionary.Hewasshort,stockyandrathercommonplace.Hehadalongdarkface,aflatnose,thickchestnut-coloredhair,andpiercingblueeyes.Hewasfrail,andhelivedonhisnervousenergy.Storiesweretoldofhisextraordinaryadventures;hehadinventedmostofthem,butthosethatreallyhappenedwereunbelievable.Inthecourtheworeablackjacketandadirtywaistcoat,andheheldhimselfwithanairofcontemptuousdisdain,rarelypayinganyattentiontothejudges,bitinghisfingernails.Abemusedreporteratthetrialwrotethatthemostextraordinarythingabouthimwasthathewasnotintheleastextraordinary.Hewas24,andthecourtwasinaweofhim."

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"EverydaytheminutesofthetrialwerelaidbeforetheCzar,whostudiedthemcarefully,togetherwithareportwrittenbythemajorinchargeofthesecurityguardswhowatchedovertheprisoner.FromtimetotimeNechayevwouldstiralittle,thrusthishandsdeeperinhispockets,andwiththeattitudeofamanwhomustdosomethingtorelievehisboredom,hewouldshoutinhisraspingvoice,"Idonotrecognizethecourt!IdonotrecognizetheCzar!Idonotrecognizethelaws!"Thepresidentofthecourtwouldthenorderhimtobesilent,andNechayevwouldbequietforawhile,leaningupandgazingatthegalleryasthoughsearchingforsomeoneheknew,ordrummingontheledge.Hehadsomeknowledgeofmusic,anditisrecordedthatheplayedtheflutewell.Once,whilehewasbeingquestionedbythepresidentofthecourt,helostallinterestandpretendedtoplaythepianoontheledge,usingbothhands."

"TherewasmethodinNechayev'smadness.Hewasdeliberatelyprovokingthecourt,andhewasalsoactingouthisroleasthededicatedrevolutionary,contemptuousofalllaws,alljudges,andallcourtrooms.Prisonersontrialformurderrarelyshowicydisdaintowardtheiraccusers.Nechayevhadironnerves.Hewasdeterminedtousealltheweaponsavailabletoadefenselessmanconfrontedwiththepowerofthestate;hisprincipleweaponwascontempt."

TheNarodnayaVolya(People'sFreedom)consideredusingresourcestofreehimratherthankilltheCzar-anofferherejected,sayingthedeathoftheCzarwasmoreimportant.(And,indeed,onMarch13,1881,CzarAlexanderIIwasassassinatedwhilstridingthroughthesnowystreetsofSt.Petersburg.)

DostoyevskyusedNechayevastheinspirationforhisnovel,ThePossessed.

Nechayevwrotequiteafewpamphletsonrevolutionarytopics.ProbablythemostfamousandlastingisTheRevolutionaryCatechism.

TheDutiesoftheRevolutionaryTowardHimself

1.Therevolutionaryisadoomedman.Hehasnopersonalinterests,nobusinessaffairs,noemotions,noattachments,noproperty,andnoname.Everythinginhimiswhollyabsorbedinthesinglethoughtandthesinglepassionforrevolution.

2.Therevolutionaryknowsthatintheverydepthsofhisbeing,notonlyinwordsbutalsoindeeds,hehasbrokenallthebondswhichtiehimtothesocialorderandthecivilizedworldwithallitslaws,moralities,andcustoms,andwithallitsgenerallyacceptedconventions.Heistheirimplacableenemy,andifhecontinuestolivewiththemitisonlyinordertodestroythemmorespeedily.

3.Therevolutionarydespisesalldoctrinesandrefusestoacceptthemundanesciences,leavingthemforfuturegenerations.Heknowsonlyonescience:thescienceofdestruction.Forthisreason,butonlyforthisreason,hewillstudymechanics,physics,chemistry,andperhapsmedicine.Butalldayandallnighthestudiesthevitalscienceofhumanbeings,theircharacteristicsandcircumstances,andallthephenomenaofthepresentsocialorder.Theobjectisperpetuallythesame:thesurestandquickestwayofdestroyingthewholefilthyorder.

4.Therevolutionarydespisespublicopinion.Hedespisesandhatestheexistingsocialmoralityinallitsmanifestations.Forhim,moralityiseverythingwhichcontributestothetriumphoftherevolution.Immoralandcriminaliseverythingthatstandsinitsway.

5.Therevolutionaryisadedicatedman,mercilesstowardtheStateandtowardtheeducatedclasses;andhecanexpectnomercyfromthem.Betweenhimandthemthereexists,declaredorconcealed,arelentlessandirreconcilablewartothedeath.Hemustaccustomhimselftotorture.

6.Tyrannicaltowardhimself,hemustbetyrannicaltowardothers.Allthegentleandenervatingsentimentsofkinship,love,friendship,gratitude,andevenhonor,mustbesuppressedinhimandgiveplacetothecoldandsinglemindedpassionforrevolution.Forhim,thereexistsonlyonepleasure,onconsolation,onereward,onesatisfaction--thesuccessoftherevolution.Nightanddayhemust

havebutonethought,oneaim-mercilessdestruction.Strivingcold-bloodedlyandindefatigablytowardthisend,hemustbepreparedtodestroyhimselfandtodestroywithhisownhandseverythingthatstandsinthepathoftherevolution.

7.Thenatureofthetruerevolutionaryexcludesallsentimentality,romanticism,infatuation,andexaltation.Allprivatehatredandrevengemustalsobeexcluded.Revolutionarypassion,practicedateverymomentofthedayuntilitbecomesahabit,istobeemployedwithcoldcalculation.Atalltimes,andinallplaces,therevolutionarymustobeynothispersonalimpulses,butonlythosewhichservethecauseoftherevolution.

TheRelationsoftheRevolutionaryTowardhisComrades

8.Therevolutionarycanhavenofriendshiporattachment,exceptforthosewhohaveprovedbytheiractionsthatthey,likehim,arededicatedtorevolution.Thedegreeoffriendship,devotionandobligationtowardsuchacomradeisdeterminedsolelybythedegreeofhisusefulnesstothecauseoftotalrevolutioarydestruction.

9.Itissuperfluoustospeakofsolidarityamongrevolutionaries.Thewholestrengthofrevolutionaryworkliesinthis.Comradeswhopossessthesamerevolutionarypassionandunderstandingshould,asmuchaspossible,deliberateallimportantmatterstogetherandcometounanimousconclusions.Whentheplanisfinallydecidedupon,thentherevolutionarymustrelysolelyonhimself.Incarryingoutactsofdestruction,eachoneshouldactalone,neverrunningtoanotherforadviceandassistance,exceptwhenthesearenecessaryforthefurtheranceoftheplan.

10.Allrevolutionariesshouldhaveunderthemsecond-orthird-degreerevolutionaries-i.e.,comradeswhoarenotcompletelyinitiated.Theseshouldberegardedaspartofthecommonrevolutionarycapitalplacedathisdisposal.Thiscapitalshould,ofcourse,bespentaseconomicallyaspossibleinordertoderivefromitthegreatestpossibleprofit.Therealrevolutionaryshouldregardhimselfascapitalconsecratedtothetriumphoftherevolution;however,hemaynotpersonallyandalonedisposeofthatcapitalwithouttheunanimousconsentofthefullyinitiatedcomrades.

11.Whenacomradeisindangerandthequestionariseswhetherheshouldbesavedornotsaved,thedecisionmustnotbearrivedatonthebasisofsentiment,butsolelyintheinterestsoftherevolutionarycause.Therefore,itisnecessarytoweighcarefullytheusefulnessofthecomradeagainsttheexpenditureofrevolutionaryforcesnecessarytosavehim,andthedecisionmustbemadeaccordingly.

TheRelationsoftheRevolutionaryTowardSociety

12.Thenewmember,havinggivenproofofhisloyaltynotbywordsbutbydeeds,canbereceivedintothesocietyonlybytheunanimousagreementofallthemembers.

13.TherevolutionaryenterstheworldoftheState,oftheprivilegedclasses,oftheso-calledcivilization,andhelivesinthisworldonlyforthepurposeofbringingaboutitsspeedyandtotaldestruction.Heisnotarevolutionaryifhehasanysympathyforthisworld.Heshouldnothesitatetodestroyanyposition,anyplace,oranymaninthisworld.Hemusthateeveryoneandeverythinginitwithanequalhatred.Alltheworseforhimifhehasanyrelationswithparents,friends,orlovers;heisnolongerarevolutionaryifheisswayedbytheserelationships.

14.Aimingatimplacablerevolution,therevolutionarymayandfrequentlymustlivewithinsocietywillpretendingtobecompletelydifferentfromwhathereallyis,forhemustpenetrateeverywhere,intoallthehigherandmiddle-classes,intothehousesofcommerce,thechurches,andthepalacesofthearistocracy,andintotheworldsofthebureaucracyandliteratureandthemilitary,andalsointotheThirdDivisionandtheWinterPalaceoftheCzar.

15.Thisfilthysocialordercanbesplitupintoseveralcategories.Thefirstcategorycomprisesthosewhomustbecondemnedtodeathwithoutdelay.Comradesshouldcompilealistofthosetobecondemnedaccordingtotherelativegravityoftheircrimes;andtheexecutionsshouldbecarriedoutaccordingtothepreparedorder.

16.Whenalistofthosewhoarecondemnedismade,andtheorderofexecutionisprepared,noprivatesenseofoutrageshouldbeconsidered,norisitnecessarytopayattentiontothehatredprovokedbythesepeopleamongthecomradesorthepeople.Hatredandthesenseofoutragemayevenbeusefulinsofarastheyincitethemassestorevolt.Itisnecessarytobeguidedonlybytherelativeusefulnessoftheseexecutionsforthesakeofrevolution.Aboveall,thosewhoareespeciallyinimicaltotherevolutionaryorganizationmustbedestroyed;theirviolentandsuddendeathswillproducetheutmostpanicinthegovernment,deprivingitofitswilltoactionbyremovingthecleverestandmostenergetic

supporters.

17.Thesecondgroupcomprisesthosewhowillbesparedforthetimebeinginorderthat,byaseriesofmonstrousacts,theymaydrivethepeopleintoinevitablerevolt.

18.Thethirdcategoryconsistsofagreatmanybrutesinhighpositions,distinguishedneitherbytheirclevernessnortheirenergy,whileenjoyingriches,influence,power,andhighpositionsbyvirtueoftheirrank.Thesemustbeexploitedineverypossibleway;theymustbeimplicatedandembroiledinouraffairs,theirdirtysecretsmustbeferretedout,andtheymustbetransformedintoslaves.Theirpower,influence,andconnections,theirwealthandtheirenergy,willformaninexhaustibletreasureandaprecioushelpinallourundertakings.

19.Thefourthcategorycomprisesambitiousoffice-holdersandliberalsofvariousshadesofopinion.Therevolutionarymustpretendtocollaboratewiththem,blindlyfollowingthem,whileatthesametime,pryingouttheirsecretsuntiltheyarecompletelyinhispower.Theymustbesocompromisedthatthereisnowayoutforthem,andthentheycanbeusedtocreatedisorderintheState.

20.Thefifthcategoryconsistsofthosedoctrinaires,conspirators,andrevolutionistswhocutagreatfigureonpaperorintheircliques.Theymustbeconstantlydrivenontomakecompromisingdeclarations:asaresult,themajorityofthemwillbedestroyed,whileaminoritywillbecomegenuinerevolutionaries.

21.Thesixthcategoryisespeciallyimportant:women.Theycanbedividedintothreemaingroups.First,thosefrivolous,thoughtless,andvapidwomen,whomweshalluseasweusethethirdandfourthcategoryofmen.Second,womenwhoareardent,capable,anddevoted,butwhomdonotbelongtousbecausetheyhavenotyetachievedapassionlessandaustererevolutionaryunderstanding;thesemustbeusedlikethemenofthefifthcategory.Finally,therearethewomenwhoarecompletelyonourside–i.e.,thosewhoarewhollydedicatedandwhohaveacceptedourprograminitsentirety.Weshouldregardthesewomenasthemostvaluableorourtreasures;withouttheirhelp,wewouldneversucceed.

TheAttitudeoftheSocietyTowardthePeople

22.TheSocietyhasnoaimotherthanthecompleteliberationandhappinessofthemasses–i.e.,ofthepeoplewholivebymanuallabor.Convincedthattheiremancipationandtheachievementofthishappinesscanonlycomeaboutasaresultofanall-destroyingpopularrevolt,theSocietywilluseallitsresourcesandenergytowardincreasingandintensifyingtheevilsandmiseriesofthepeopleuntilatlasttheirpatienceisexhaustedandtheyaredriventoageneraluprising.

23.Byarevolution,theSocietydoesnotmeananorderlyrevoltaccordingtotheclassicwesternmodel-arevoltwhichalwaysstopsshortofattackingtherightsofpropertyandthetraditionalsocialsystemsofso-calledcivilizationandmorality.Untilnow,sucharevolutionhasalwayslimiteditselftotheoverthrowofonepoliticalforminordertoreplaceitbyanother,therebyattemptingtobringaboutaso-calledrevolutionarystate.TheonlyformofrevolutionbeneficialtothepeopleisonewhichdestroystheentireStatetotherootsandexterminatedallthestatetraditions,institutions,andclassesinRussia.

24.Withthisendinview,theSocietythereforerefusestoimposeanyneworganizationfromabove.Anyfutureorganizationwilldoubtlessworkitswaythroughthemovementandlifeofthepeople;butthisisamatterforfuturegenerationstodecide.Ourtaskisterrible,total,universal,andmercilessdestruction.

25.Therefore,indrawingclosertothepeople,wemustaboveallmakecommoncausewiththoseelementsofthemasseswhich,sincethefoundationofthestateofMuscovy,haveneverceasedtoprotest,notonlyinwordsbutindeeds,againsteverythingdirectlyorindirectlyconnectedwiththestate:againstthenobility,thebureaucracy,theclergy,thetraders,andtheparasitickulaks.Wemustunitewiththeadventuroustribesofbrigands,whoaretheonlygenuinerevolutionariesinRussia.

26.Toweldthepeopleintoonesingleunconquerableandall-destructiveforce–thisisouraim,ourconspiracy,andourtask.

Colophon

TheRevolutionaryCatechismwaspublishedin1869by

SergeyNechayev.

ThisebookwaspreparedbyEricE.Smith,

andisbasedonadigitalversionproducedbyTheAnarchistLibrary

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IlyaRepin.andfeaturestheFanwoodtypeface,

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