Leon Trotsky: Soviets and the Constituent Cortes

January 12, 1931

[The Spanish Revolution (1931-39). New York 1973, p. 66 f.]

Will the elections actually take place on March 1? …

In the immediate situation, it certainly appears that we could invalidate Haranguer’s elections by an energetically applied boycott tactic; in 1905 that was how we invalidated the election of a legislative Duma that was merely consultative. What is the policy of the communists on this point? Do they distribute leaflets, appeals, proclamations on this subject?

But if the Cortes is to be boycotted, then in the name of what? In the name of the soviets? In my opinion, it would be wrong to pose the question that way. The masses of the city and countryside can be united at the present time only under democratic slogans. These include the election of a constituent Cortes on the basis of universal, equal, direct, and secret suffrage. I do not think that in the present situation you can avoid this slogan. Soviets are as yet non-existent The Spanish workers — not to speak of the peasants — do not know what soviets are; at any rate, not from their own experiences. Nevertheless, the struggle around the Cortes in the coming period will constitute the whole political life of the country. To counterpose the slogan of soviets, under these circumstances, to the slogan of the Cortes, would be incorrect. On the other hand, it will obviously be possible to build soviets in the near future only by mobilizing the masses on the basis of democratic slogans. This means; to prevent the monarchy from convening a false, deceptive, conservative Cortes; to assure the convocation of a democratic constituent Cortes; and so that this Cortes can give the land to the peasants, and do many other things, workers', soldiers', and peasants' soviets must be created to fortify the positions of the toiling masses.