People's Democracy

THE success of the Great October Revolution proved the correctness and scientific validity of the Marxist-Leninist theory. This earthshaking event ushered in a new era in history.

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, founders of scientific socialism, outlined the course that the history of human development would follow from capitalism to socialism and communism. While the general direction and the forces that would bring about this change was known, it was the concrete ways and means that had to be devised, which would vary from country to country, depending both on the international situation and the situation of any given country.

Lenin in 1917 said:

Lenin had also pointed out that,

These words of Lenin act as a backgrounder to the development of Marxist ideology.

As is well-known, in the years leading up to the First World War, Lenin played a significant role In the Second International in rallying the democratic parties and convincing them to accept the platform of opposition to the war. However, when war actually broke out, many of the social democratic parties reneged and rallied behind the bourgeoisies of their countries in their war efforts, and the Second International collapsed. Within the R.S.D.L.P. too, a bitter struggle ensued Iand the party divided between the Bolsheviks (the majority) led by Lenin, and the Mensheviks (the minority).

Analysing the revolution in this imperialist stage, Lenin came to the conclusion that the socialist revolution could be made successful not only in the capitalist countries but even in a relatively backward country where the imperialist chain was the weakest.

It was this scientific understanding of the new period and the concrete application of the theory to the concrete conditions prevailing in Russia, that enabled the Bolshevik Party under Lenin to prepare for and successfully carry out the revolution in backward czarist Russia. As the old regime was overthrown on October 25, 1917, (according to the old Russian calendar) the Russian Revolution became more popularly known as The October Revolution.

Alarmed at this stupendous development and assault on its system, the capitalist world concentrated all its efforts to throttle the infant socialist state at birth. However instantly promulgating its first decrees proclaiming its stand on peace and nationalization of land, the new socialist state, led by the Bolshevik, headed by Lenin, was able to realise the task of rallying the peasantry behind the working class, in defence of the revolution. It was through the strength thus gained that this infant socialist state encircled as it was by hostile capitalist states and armies, successfully withstood and ultimately thwarted the imperialist armed intervention and put an end to the civil war, backed by the imperialist powers.

This truly earth-shaking event that literally " shook the world" , inspired the working class movement internationally, and acted as a catalyst for struggle for independence of a large number of colonies and semi-colonies. At the same time, the emergence of the socialist state and the formation of the USSR, liberated the various suppressed and oppressed nationalities that inhabited "the prison house" of the Czar.

In the more than seven decades of its existence, the Soviet Union was able to provide its citizens, in practice, with hitherto unheard of rights and guarantees. There can be no doubt this translation of rights from words in to deeds -- the right to work, to education, to health, to shelter and the innumerable other rights and privileges that the people of the first socialist state enjoyed -- had a profound impact on the struggling masses in other countries. The inspiration and fillip that this provided to the struggles for better living conditions in other countries, compelled the capitalists in these countries to give some concessions to their own underprivileged, giving rise to the concept of the "welfare state". All this, while facing the continued hostility and encirclement of the world, it built itself up as a modern industrialised state. Not by accident was the USSR the only country unaffected by the world economic crisis of 1929-33, which gave rise to fascism first in Italy, then Germany, then war.

Despite the differences that the capitalist world may have, they too have had to acknowledge the role that the Soviet Union played in shaping contemporary history. Amongst its achievements, the three most notable were:

• The victory over fascism. While the Hitlerite machine was moving on unhindered and the imperialist countries were unable to withstand the fascist hordes, it was the Soviet Union which delivered the crushing defeat and saved the world from the fascist menace. Twenty thousand of its youth and people sacrificed was the price it paid ,and colossal destruction of so much of its industrial and agricultural wealth achieved through the labour of its people over the previous two decades.

This victory over fascism was to further radically alter the correlation of class forces on the world plane. The liberation of the countries of East Europe by the Soviet Red Army, saw the establishment of socialist states in their place. The defeat of Japan contributed to the success of the Chinese Revolution.

• Secondly, in the period immediately following the war, many countries in Asia and Africa achieved independence, India being one of them. The Soviet Union helped many countries in their struggle against direct imperialist rule and for freedom. The existence of the Soviet Union acted as a bulwark and a buffer against imperialist depredations against the movements for freedom and national liberation.

• Thirdly, the Soviet Union foiled imperialist attempts to maintain their stranglehold over the economies of their former colonies. It came to the aid of these newly liberated countries. It rendered immense help in the industrialisation of these countries and also supplied them arms and equipment.

The disappearance of the Soviet Union from the world map cannot wash away these contributions. It will remain etched not only in memory, but retain its worldwide significance also through its continuing impact on contemporary history.

The events that led to restoration of capitalism in the former socialist countries of East Europe, as well as the disintegration of the Soviet Union came on account of distortions and deviations that had crept in, in the application of Marxism-Leninism to the conditions prevailing at the time. In addition were the serious errors and mistakes committed in socialist construction. Erroneous understandings crept in and realities on the ground were sought to be ignored.

While rightly paying attention to achieving parity in weaponry to meet any imperialist challenge, equal emphasis was lagging on industrial development, and adequate consideration not given to the immense advances made in the fields of science and technology.

While issues in the realm of economy were ignored, in the matter of participation of the people in decision-making bodies and making them truly representative in character an undemocratic stance was taken. No distinction was drawn between the Party and the state, and increasingly the principles of democratic centralism were violated, with the emphasis concentrating on centralism. The Party had come to be replaced by the leadership, and then a coterie of the leadership. These shortcomings, errors and mistakes proved to be grievous and contributed to the setbacks and reverses that followed.

Thus, though with tremendous achievements to its credit, it was the negative factors in the construction of socialism that finally led to the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the socialist regimes in the East European countries. People will note that while capitalism had over 300 years of experience for its development, socialism was a totally new and untried concept. In this context, the great and rapid strides the Soviet Union was nevertheless able to make, stand as stupendous feats of its toiling and working people. The lessons it has left and its inerasible impact are now the common heritage of all mankind.

Today, faced with the hunger, poverty and destitution that form the quintessence of a system of exploitation -- the reality of capitalism stares the peoples of these countries in the face; today they are beginning to understand what they have lost and both in the countries of East Europe and the various republics that formed the Soviet Union, the people are fighting back. The present regimes in these countries are facing mounting resistance. Parties that had surrendered in face of the concerted imperialist onslaught, are regrouping to take on the new challenges. People are once gain reposing faith in Communists Parties, and in Russia today, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation is the biggest organised force.

In China, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos and DPR Korea --- countries of existing socialism --- drawing lessons from the past mistakes, adequate and appropriate changes as the ruling parties there deem fit in their respective objective conditions, are being undertaken. Now it is universally recognised that there can be no one single model for building socialism. Each country has to choose its own path taking into consideration their own objective conditions, the level of development of theirproductive forces and the correlation of class forces.

The Chinese example has made a further contribution on socialist construction in a less developed country. While adhering to the fundamental principles, the Chinese have emphasised on developing the productive forces. But three principles are common for the victory of socialism -- leadership of the communist party, the worker-peasant alliance and the dictatorship of the proletariat. Taking into consideration their own experience, while all base themselves on the science of Marxism-Leninism for achieving success, they also adapt it to local conditions. For the Chinese it is Mao Zedong Thought-Deng Xiaoping Theory; for the Koreans the Juche idea; the Vietnamese refer to Ho Chi Minh; the others identify with their own models or concrete conditions.

The massive propaganda that accompanied the cataclysmic events of 1991, proclaiming the demise of socialism and the death of communism, no longer cut ice. People in the republics of the erstwhile Soviet Union and the countries of Eastern Europe, are realising that capitalism is not the answer.

The imperialist dream of subverting the socialist systems in the other countries, however, did not succeed. One fourth of humanity continues to live in the socialist countries -- China, Vietnam, Cuba, Korea and Laos. These were some of the most backward economies. Cuba, lying just 90 miles off the US coast, is defiantly and valiantly defeating all attempts at destabilisation. The imperialist-imposed blockade imposed great difficulties for the Cuban people and the infant socialist state. But despite its own difficulties, the Cuban people have rendered enormous help to various liberation movements, and its influence has spread to the entire Latin America and the Caribbean.

Marxism-Leninism continues to retain its validity. History has proved this and its relevance. However ferocious the attack by the anti-communists and reactionaries, they will continue to fail to invalidate the continuing importance and significance of the path-breaking event -- the Great October Revolution and the establishment of the first socialist state.