The Lessons of the Great Bolshevik Revolution, Our Honorable Legacy
by: Rosa Libertad
The 20th century was the century of the working class and its great achievements on the path to the social emancipation of all of humanity. Of most prominent importance is the victory of the strategy of insurrection of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks), which was adopted by the Russian proletarian class, and the following seizure of power, which we are commemorating in this year of its 100th anniversary. The Marxist concept of the role of the subjective revolutionary aspect, the identification of the revolutionary subject, the class and its independent and revolutionary party had already been worked out in 1847. Because of its revolutionary spirit, its independent political organization and because of the development of a communist class consciousness, the world could be fundamentally changed, and an entire new historical era could be ushered in – the grandiose era of imperialism and the international proletarian revolution.
To make this possible, the chain of the entire system of capitalist, imperialist exploitation and oppression first had to be targeted. It had been overall weakened by attrition and the general crisis which the first worldwide carnage had given rise to. All strength and efforts had to be concentrated on breaking this weakest link in a revolutionary way. Not all European working-class parties – whether their right or “left” wings – adequately met the requirements which the opening of a general revolutionary situation demanded of them in order to seize power and put an end to the entire capitalist imperialist system already at that time. Even though they were equipped with Marxism as the science of the revolution and the experience of proletarian uprisings from the era of the peaceful development of capitalism. Only the Bolshevik party, based on the principles of Leninism, was able to draw the necessary conclusions and dared to conduct the proletarian socialist revolution and to establish the dictatorship of the proletariat with determination. Well done, old mole!
No bourgeoisie any more, no big landlords and reactionaries of any sort. Historically they are at an end. Starting from this significant date, the working class and its social and political allies gained the right to govern and establish their own state, and they exercised it. They took up the adventurous task of building up an entirely new society, the first socialist stage of communism. Lenin, leader of the Communist Party (B) of Russia and of the broad masses of workers in the cities and countryside, announced it with wonderful and illuminating words: “From now on, a new phase in the history of Russia begins, and this, the third Russian revolution, should in the end lead to the victory of socialism.”
And not only that of Russia. Lenin's message went beyond the borders of Europe and was to spread over all five continents. Because the Soviet socialist revolution not only was important and contained a message for the working people of Russia, but also for the social liberation of all people who are exploited and oppressed. What had been accomplished in the former Tsarist Russia on this 7th of November 1917 could be accomplished by the proletarians, the socially and nationally oppressed and exploited peoples and nations in the entire world. That was the conclusion.
Since this 7th November 1917, socialism as a new societal system was no longer only an unmet hope or an unattainable ideal, but a reality which could be built up, lived and enjoyed.
The proletariat and the oppressed peoples in every corner of the earth only had to dare to rise up, seize their guns and build up a new power, the power of the working class and peasants. And fear no obstacles in their efforts to build up socialism and so make the conquest of such a bright and shining future become reality.
And this was accomplished by the Soviet workers with the most conscious and revolutionary part of the leading core of the Communist Party (B) of Russia, under the ideological and political guidance of Lenin and then Stalin. They brought their historic task to a climax in slightly more than 15 years – consciously, fully determined, creatively and heroically. More than that, they were able to avoid the trap set for them by the imperialist powers and so smash the Nazi-fascist beast and to help in giving rise to a new and powerful socialist world camp. As well as to conquer the power of the atom's core and lay the scientific-technical foundations for conquering space.
The legacy of the Soviet workers and Marxist-Leninist leaders for us as their students consists in the following:
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Today a new type of communist party is necessary because many of the old communist parties have degenerated to revisionism on their long road. Unwavering, class-conscious, proletarian, thoroughly revolutionary, a communist party which is imbued with the science of revolution, of Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought; experienced in the struggle against right-wing and “left” opportunism; which does not practice formal self-criticism, but a constructive criticism in the spirit of Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought instead.
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It is urgently necessary to strengthen political communist class unity and at the same time build up the unity of all revolutionary classes in accordance with the respective stage of the proletarian revolution.
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It is necessary to equip and steel such a communist party with a proletarian militia and a revolutionary people's army, even in times of a “bourgeois peace”.
With the dissolution of the USSR and the breakup of the socialist world camp we suffered a crushing defeat. But this is temporary. Because today great disarray is developing in the world. That is good. Class struggle is intensifying. Once again, the red flag is being raised and is waving strongly. If we are self-confident and heed the lessons of the October Revolution. Ours is a shining future!
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