In the second place this measure was calculated to force the bourgeoisie to go to ivork. For if there was nothing for them to buy and if they got nothing to eat, it was thought that they would be compelled to work. But in this calculation they certainly were mistaken, for most of them found other ways and means of evading this rule. In the long run it would not be possible for the bourgeoisie to dodge work. The soviet government gradually discovers the tricks of the bourgeoisie and resorts to other measures. Work-books are introduced, the inhabitants are registered, no food stuffs are delivered to non-workers, etc., so that they cannot find any way out except to perform some sort of work. Then they receive food rations like everybody else.
They have, consequently, not attained what they aimed at. It has been tried on a great scale to introduce production for use. But on a small scale so-called speculation flourishes, namely the trade with food stuffs and other use-objects, stronger than formerly. All larger factories and farms are nationalized and work for the account of the state. But the smaller establishments (and in the Ukraine small industry prevails everywhere, with the exception of the large sugar industry and the metal industry) are still all in private hands and work for private interests, just as before the revolution. The economic life, consequently, continues in this respect to move on private capitalist lines, even if the individual employers are no Stinnes or Thyssen( the two largest German capitalists) . In Kiev, for instance, 2 or 3 months after the occupation by the bolsheviks, everything remained as in other capitalists countries. Many new shops were opened, and only those were compelled to close which had no more goods. But as they receive no goods from the bolsheviks, one after the other is compelled to give up his business. After that the shop keepers enter the service of the soviet government, in some commissariat or bureau. They become officials, state officials. But on the salary that they now receive they cannot live, and they continue to smuggle and speculate. Others had already started to speculate, contrary to the law, of course. They cannot stop that any more than the cat can stop catching mice.
Even the peasants, who by nature are against the system of commercialism, as they derive no benefits therefrom, have now also taken to speculation, as it is called in bolshevik language. This speculation consists in this, that instead of delivering their products to the state, they sell them at the highest possible prices. This is not done out of lust for speculation, but because they cannot do anything else. They would willingly turn it all over to the state, if they could only obtain the goods that they need. But the state has nothing and can give them nothing. Thus they are compelled to buy in. free trade the objects they require. For one pud of flour (34 Ibs.) they receive in free trade about 21,000 rubles, but from the state they receive about 100-200 rubles. It is therefore easily explainable that they would rather sell their goods at speculation prices, although they might get punished for it, than turn them over to the state. But, in spite of receiving so much for their products in free trade, they are not anxious for the money. They are willing to forego the money. They do* not want money at all but would give up everything to the state if they only could get what they need. Money has no value for them. They have so> much money that they paper their walls and their wedding carriages with them. What they want is articles that they can use. The traveler who comes to a village can frequently buy nothing, even if he has ever so much money, but he can get anything for a piece of cloth, a glass of salt, or something similar.