Alexandra Kollontai, a prominent Soviet stateswoman and member of the Communist Party, was an impassioned orator and journalist. The present book contains a collection of her more important articles and speeches dealing with the women's question, and also some that reflect her contribution to the struggle for peace on earth. The book is illustrated with documentary photographs. Translated from the Russian by Cynthia Carlile Designed by Inna Borisova Compiled and commentary by I. M. Dazhina, M. M. Mukhamedzhanov and R. Y. Tsivlina Printed in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics CONTENTS

• I. Dazhina. An Impassioned Opponent of War and Champion of Peace and Female Emancipated ... ... ... ... ... ... . . .5
• Introduction to the Book The Social Basis of the Women's Question. 1908 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 16
• International Socialist Conferences of Women Workers [1907-1916] ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . . . 36
• The International Proletariat and War. From a speech delivered in Stockholm on 1 May, 1912 ... ... ... ... ... 59
• 'Women's Day'. February 1913 ... ... ... ... ... ... . 62
• The War and Our Immediate Tasks. November 1914 ... . . . 66
• A Giant Mind, A Giant Will [1914-1916] ... ... ... ... . .71
• Who Needs the War? 1915 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 75
• Why Was the German Proletariat Silent in the July Days? September 1915 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . . 92
• Preface to the Book Society and Motherland. 1915 ... ... . . 97
• The Statue of Liberty. The End of 1916 ... ... ... ... . 112
• Our Memorial to the Fighters of Freedom. March 1917 ... 116
• Our Tasks. May 1917 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 119
• Lenin at Smolny [October-November 1917] ... ... ... . 122
• Women Fighters in the Days of the Great October Revolution [1917] ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . . 126
• Lenin Thought of Both Great and Small. January 1946 ... 131
• Why the Bolsheviks Must Win. December 1917 ... ... . . 134
• What Are We Fighting For? May 1919 ... ... ... ... . . 139
• On the History of the Movement of Women Workers in Russia [1905-1917] ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 142
• V.I. Lenin and the First Congress of Women Workers [November, 1918] ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 153
• The First Steps Towards the Protection of Motherhood [1917-1918] ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . . 157
• The Woman Worker and Peasant in Soviet Russia. 1921 . . . 162
• What Has the October Revolution Done for Women in the West? October 1927 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . . 180
• The Soviet Woman - A Full and Equal Citizen of Her Country. September 1946 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 183
• Commentary ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . . 186
• Some Important Dates and Events in the Life of Alexandra Kollontai ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . . . 200