In 1917 the workers and peasants of Russia rose up and destroyed the oppressive Tsarist regime under which they lived. Despite invasion by imperialist powers such as Britain the people, led by Lenin and the Bosheviks, beat off their enemies and set up the first lasting socialist regime in the world.
GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS
Russia and the other countries which became the Soviet Union were poor and backward. Even so, although internationally isolated, the people brought about some tremendous achievements:
· In a very short time they built modern industry on a massive scale. This enabled them to produce the weapons needed to beat off the Nazi invasion in 1941.
· At the time of the Revolution most people were illiterate yet within twenty years mass literacy had been established and there were tremendous advances in education.
· Modern health services were created and by the late 1930’s the Soviet Union had more doctors per head of population than did Britain.
· The position of women was greatly improved with vast numbers of female doctors and engineers.
· Perhaps most important was the impact of the October Revolution on the rest of the world. It inspired poor people in many countries to rise up against their oppressors. Most notable was the revolutionary struggle of the Chinese people which achieved victory in 1949. In capitalist countries such as Britain the ruling classes reluctantly made many concessions to popular demands for change, e.g. setting up public welfare systems. This was because they feared revolution at home.
AFTER THE REVOLUTION AND THE FUTURE
The Soviet Union and People’s China eventually degenerated into capitalism despite the enormous progressive changes in people’s lives. But this was only the first wave of socialist revolutions in the world. We must learn from these experiences so that we can carry forward the revolutionary struggle against capitalism and renew the fight for a better world.
Capitalism, the system under which we live, brings about war and want. The imperialist powers are creating mayhem in the Middle East. America, China and Russia are warming up for a fight for world domination. If we don’t destroy capitalism it will destroy us with war and environmental devastation.
DEFEND THE OCTOBER REVOLUTION!
In this anniversary year there will be many people trying to denigrate and dismiss the achievements of the October Revolution. This includes Trotskyites and other assorted leftists. Don’t be taken in by this rubbish. Investigate, find out for yourself about the real history of this great historical breakthrough.
REVOLUTIONARY PRAXIS
www.revolutionarypraxis.org
contact@revolutionarypraxis.org
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Remembering the Russian Revolution of 1917 and its impact on the world by Otto Kuusinen
SEE ALSO:
http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/capitalist-europe-and-socialist-russia.html
http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/last-talk-with-lenin-by-arthur-ransome.html
http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/the-lessons-of-october-by-nadezhda-k.html
http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/nadezhda-konstantinovna-nadya-krupskaya.html
Finnish Bolshevik on Trotsky's lies about "German October"
http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/a-misleading-description-of-german.html
Video refuting German October
http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/remembering-1917-misleading-description.html
Kostas Mavrakis on Permanent Revolution or Uninterrupted Revolution by Stages ?
http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/permanent-revolution-or-uninterrupted_22.html
