BolshevismBourgeoisieCapitalismCommunismLeninMarxParis CommuneRussian RevolutionSocialismSocialist PartySovietWorking Class

8 THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE July 12, 1919 Aspects of the Russian Revolution class. What is Bolshevism?
By John Reed.
the assaults of International Capitalism. But BOLSHEVISM is the Social Revolution to both in its external and internal policies, the which Socialists have looked forward for revolutionary thinkers, who must point out the Russian Soviet Government is supported by more than half a century. It is the inevitable way, and lead the workers along it.
the great majority of the people peasants as struggle which must accompany the transition As Lenin says, If Socialism can only be well as industrial workers.
of society from Capitalism to Socialism. It realised when the intellectual development of Bolshevism and the Russian Revolution the final battle of the workers of the world for all the people permits it, then we shall not see Bolshevism saved the Russian Revolution.
power to end forever the tyranny of class rule, Socialism for at least five hundred years. To the Russian people the Revolution meant and the misery of exploitation.
The Socialist political party this is the van Peace, Land to the peasants, and workers History is a chronicle of the slavery of the guard of the working class; it must not allow control of Industry. The propertied classes working class in many formschattel slavery, itself to be halted by the lack of education of would not surrender their property; and the moderate Socialists, who compromised with serfdom, wage slavery. At various, periods using the Soviets as organs of revolutionary the land owners and capitalists, could not acone group of exploiters has wrested the power initiative.
from another kings from priests, barons from complish the will of the people. Only a govThe Soviets are the representative bodies of ernment exclusively of and for the workers kings, merchants from barons, plutocrats from the vast majority of the organized working and peasants could satisfy these demands.
them all; but always the workers have toiled, Without the unhesitating support of The Bolsheviki advocated such a Governand always the product of their labor has been taken from them.
this vast majority, revolutionary leaders could ment, and made these popular demands the accomplish nothing. Bolsheivsm in Russia basis of their program. And the history of Many attempts have been made by the work conquered only because the people were ready the Russian Revolution is the chronicle of the ers to overthrow their exploiters, and to enjoy to follow it. Bolshevism is established today awakening of the masses to the political realithe fruits of their labor, in the words of John in Russia because it is supported by the great ties of the situation.
Ball, without money and without price.
er part of the Russian people.
The overthrow of Czardom, in March, 1917, Every attempt up to now has been crushed in If this were not so, the Bolsheviki would was accomplished by the spontaneous action blood and fire the slave insurrections of have ceased to lead the Russian Revolution of the popular masses. The bourgeois Liberals Rome, the Communist risings in the Middle long ago. Their power is based upon the So did not participate in the Revolution. Only Ages, the Paris Commune of 1871, and the viets, for whom all persons who live by work after the Revolution was accomplished did Russian Revolution of 1905.
king may cast their votes and the delegates they step in, through the Provisional GovernIn Socialism the working class for the first to which are subject to instant recall. Localment, and try to bridle it for the purpose of time based its aspiration to freedom on scien Soviets meet frequently, and may be summon perpetuating Capitalism.
tific fact. Bolshevism is Socialism put into ed in extra session on short notice by a minor Meanwhile the masses were themselves orgpractice. Today the workers are becoming ity, for the voters, peasants or workers, are anizing. On March 14th the newly formed conscious of their power and ability to win always gathered together in the fields and Soviet of Workers and Soldiers Deputies the world for Labor. They always had the factories. The All Russian Congress of So proclaimed: All together we will fight for the power, and sometimes the wish. But they viets, consisting of over 2, 500 members, meets removal of the old Government.
lacked the will and the knowledge of the way. every three months, at which time the Govern The Soviets, representing truly the masses Bolshevism is the will and the way.
ment automatically resigns and a new Govern of workers, soldiers and peasants, thus apThe word Bolshevism, which can be free ment is elected, responsible to the Congress peared as the real Government of the people ly translated as program of the majority, and its Central Executive Committee. And which, if it had not been diverted by the modoriginated at a convention of the Russian So between times, any or all members of the Gov erate Socialists, could have become the Govcial Democratic Party in 1903, which split into ernment may be easily recalled from office. ernment of Russia early in the Revolution.
two factions. the majority (bolshinstvo) The Socialist Commonwealth is not born This was what the Bolsheviki never ceased adopting the principles which, after the actual without fearful birth pangs the Proletarian to urge, with their slogan, All Power to the experiences of the Revolution of 1905, devel Dictatorship. Russia today is not a Socialist Soviets!
oped into what we now call Bolshevism. The Commonwealth nor does it pretend to be. The Mensheviki and Socialist Revolutionmain idea of the Bolsheviki at that time was There is a Proletarian Dictatorship, engaged aries controlled the Soviets; at first they that the present is a revolutionary period a in conducting the final struggle of the working announced that the Soviets would be a pistol period when the struggle of the working class class against the capitalist class not, however, at the head of the Provisional Government, to turns into open revolution; that the power of its own capitalist class, for that has been con compel it to keep its promises. but they endthe Army of Capitalism lies in the fact that quered, but International Capitalism. Until ed by supporting the Provisional Government its organization is centralized, and commanded international Capitalism is overthrown, Pro and trying to dissolve the Soviets.
by a General Staff and that in order to over letarian Dictatorship will not, cannot end. These moderate Socialists held that owing throw Capitalism, the Army of the Working As it is, however, the, Russian Soviet Re to the economic backwardness of Russia, the class must also be centrally organized, with public, hampered by the lack of education of Revolution could only be a political Revoluits General Staff. The staff of the Army of a people for centuries plunged by tyranny in tion not a social Revolution. Therefore, naCapitalism is directed by capitalists, in the in darkness, and engaged in defending itself turally, a capitalist state must first be estabterest of the few. The staff of the Working against the world, has already accomplished lished in Russia. Distrusting both the masses Class fights under the direction and in the in miracles in organizing industry, agriculture, and themselves, they refused to take the power terests of the many the workers.
and education only hinting at the mighty for the Soviets.
In this Convention the minority (menshin achievements of the new order, when the re The capitalist Ministers, aware of their stvo) afterward known as Mensheviki held moval of capitalist obstruction finally frees the weakness, threatened to resign unless the Sothat the working class as yet had neither the creative genius of the workers.
viet leaders would enter the Government. The knowledge of how to overthrow Capitalism, When the working class, the basic stratum moderate Socialists complied; on May 19th nor the ability to create a new social order; and of society, heaves its giant shoulders, the entire the first Coalition Cabinet was formed whích, that therefore Social Revolution was imposs superstructure of Capitalism cracks and falls with the economic life still controlled by the ible for a long time to come. Moreover, they in ruins.
capitalists, made the Mensheviki and Socialist believed that Socialism was to be achieved by Before our eyes nation after nation is drawn Revolutionaries defenders of Capitalism in education and democratic political action into the headlong current of Social Revolu Russia.
Bolshevism is practical. It does not assume tion, with Bolshevism at the helm.
For the Moderate Socialists needed the that the capitalist class is going to be legis Bolshevism is Socialism arrived at the point capitalists worse than the capitalists needed the lated out of power without a fight. Power is of social revolution at the dictatorship of the Moderate Socialists.
based on private ownership. In order to se proletariat foretold by Karl Marx.
Impelled by the attitude of the masses, the cure power the workers must control capital The object of proletarian dictatorship is to Soviet leaders proclaimed the Russian peaceist property, and abolish ownership. This they seize the power of the capitalist class and trans terms: No annexations, no indemnities, the can do only by force the Dictatorship of the fer it to the workers. It has no other purpose. right of self determination of peoples. But Proletariat.
The methods and expedients it must use the Provisional Government had ratified the Today the workers of all countries are re vary according to conditions. In Russia to secret treaties concluded between the Czar and solving to make an end to Capitalsm. Bolshe day, half the strength of the proletarian dict the Allies, and the moderate Socialists convism asserts that it is the Socialists, the trained atorship is employed in defending itself against tinued to support a war which they themselves