On this day November 7th in 1917, the October Revolution began in Russia when the Bolsheviks initiated an armed insurrection in Petrograd, seizing the Winter Palace and dissolving the Provisional Government in a coup with minimal violence. The name “October Revolution” comes from the fact that the revolution began on October 25th in the dating convention of the time.
The October Revolution was the culmination of popular sentiment directed against the provisional government which was achieving little for the majority of people to change Russia from its Tsarist past. In particular, the unelected body continued to participate in the very unpopular First World War opting in July for participation in further military campaigns which provoked outrage amongst soldiers and workers alike.
After the February Revolution which established the Provisional Government, during the period of the Dual Power (February-October 1917), the Bolsheviks gradually gained in strength and influence especially in the soviets and in the army after July. The Bolshevik slogan ‘Peace, Bread and Land’ summarised their programme and was increasingly popular. They established their headquarters in the Smolny Institute. This was a former girls’ convent school which also housed the Petrograd Soviet. The Provisional Government now headed by Kerensky, was still officially in power and under pressure from the nobility and industrialists, Kerensky was persuaded to take decisive action against the Bolsheviks. Thus, on 22nd October he ordered the arrest of the Bolshevik Military Revolutionary Committee (MRC). The government was aware of the unstated purpose of the MRC, established on 12th October and led by Trotsky. The purpose of this committee, created by the Bolsheviks within the Petrograd soviet, was to prepare for armed insurrection against the government. The next day, 23rd October, the government attempted to close down the Bolshevik newspapers and cut off the telephones to the Smolny Institute. However, soldiers and Red Guards ultimately thwarted all Kerensky’s plans.
Following this, a long debate took place at a secret meeting of the Bolshevik Central Committee. At this meeting the main issue centred around Lenin’s proposal that the Bolsheviks should take action before the elections for the Constituent Assembly; in other words, the socialist revolution should proceed without delay. Zinoviev and Kamenev dissented, hence the importance of the MRC which had already deployed commissars to all garrison units. In essence this was both a measure of defence and, at the same time, a preparation for attack
Thus, orders were given for the Bolsheviks to occupy the railway stations, the telephone exchange and the State Bank. In the early morning of October 25th, armed workers started occupying key points of Petrograd, in conjunction with pro-Bolshevik sailors pulling into the city’s harbour. Power stations were seized and strategic bridges were held. These instances produced very little resistance and were not met with violence.
A blank shot from the Cruiser Aurora in the evening signalled the siege of the Winter Palace, which was to be the final offensive of the revolution. Crowds of Red Guards and insurgents surrounded the palace and secured entry, leading to the surrender of the remaining government officials in the early hours of the morning. Members of the Provisional Government that had not already fled the capital were imprisoned. Kerensky had managed to escape from the city.
Crowds of Red Guards and insurgents surrounded the palace and secured entry, leading to the surrender of the remaining government officials.
The revolution itself was brief, being almost entirely peaceful in its execution. Posters were distributed across the city declaring that “the Provisional Government is overthrown” and “Long live the Revolution of Workers, Soldiers and Peasants!” Lenin emerged from the revolution as one of its most notable strategists and a potential leader in the new era.
On 26th October 1917, the second All-Russian Congress of Soviets met and handed over power to the Soviet Council of People’s Commissars. Lenin was elected chairman and other appointments included Trotsky (Foreign Affairs). Two decrees were adopted at the first session: the Decree on Peace, which moved to start negotiations to withdraw from the war in order to bring about “a just and democratic peace,” and the Decree on Land, which moved to transfer land away from landowners and the church to peasant committees. ‘Peace, Bread and Land’ was thus transformed from a slogan into a living reality. In addition, the Council of People’s Commissars nationalised the banks and workers control of factory production was introduced. The army was demobilised and in December and the Soviet Government announced that it planned to seek an armistice with Germany. In December 1917, Trotsky led the Russian delegation at Brest-Litovsk to negotiate peace terms with representatives from Germany and Austria-Hungary.
Thus it was that the full Bolshevik programme, as outlined in Lenin’s ‘April Theses’ was implemented within three months of the successful socialist revolution.
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Links To Resources (Aid and Theory):
Aid:
Theory:
“Without Revolutionary theory, there can be no Revolutionary Movement.”
It’s time to read theory, comrades! As Lenin says, “Despair is typical of those who do not understand the causes of evil, see no way out, and are incapable of struggle.” Reading theory helps us identify the core contradictions within modern society, analyze their trajectories, and gives us the tools to break free. Marxism-Leninism is broken into 3 major components, as noted by Lenin in his pamphlet The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism: | Audiobook
Dialectical and Historical Materialism
Critique of Capitalism along the lines of Marx’s Law of Value
Advocacy for Revolutionary and Scientific Socialism
As such, I created the following list to take you from no knowledge whatsoever of Leftist theory, and leave you with a strong understanding of the critical fundamentals of Marxism-Leninism in an order that builds up as you read. Let’s get started!
Section I: Getting Started
What the heck is Communism, anyways? For that matter, what is fascism?
The FAQ of Communism, written by the Luigi of the Marx & Engels duo. Quick to read, and easy to reference, this is the perfect start to your journey.
Breaks down fascism and its mortal enemy, Communism, as well as their antagonistic relationship. Understanding what fascism is, where and when it rises, why it does so, and how to banish it forever is critical. Parenti also helps debunk common anti-Communist myths. You can also watch the famous “Yellow Parenti” speech.
Section II: Historical and Dialectical Materialism
Ugh, philosophy? Really? YES!
By far my favorite primer on Marxist philosophy. By understanding Dialectical and Historical Materialism first, you make it easier to understand the rest of Marxism-Leninism. Don’t be intimidated!
Further reading on Dialectical and Historical Materialism, but crucially introduces the why of Scientific Socialism, explaining how Capitalism itself prepares the conditions for public ownership and planning by centralizing itself into monopolist syndicates. This is also where Engels talks about the failures of previous “Utopian” Socialists.
Section III: Political Economy
That’s right, it’s time for the Law of Value and a deep-dive into Imperialism. If we are to defeat Capitalism, we must learn it’s mechanisms, tendencies, contradictions, and laws.
Best taken as a pair, these essays simplify the most important parts of the Law of Value. Marx is targetting those not trained in economics here, but you might want to keep a pen and some paper to follow along if you are a visual person.
Absolutely crucial and the most important work for understanding the modern era and its primary contradictions. Marxist-Leninists understand that Imperialism is the greatest contradiction in the modern era, which cascades downward into all manner of related contradictions. Knowing what dying Capitalism looks like, and how it behaves, means we can kill it.
Section IV: Revolutionary and Scientific Socialism
Can we defeat Capitalism at the ballot box? What about just defeating fascism? What about the role of the state?
If Marxists believed reforming Capitalist society was possible, we would be the first in line for it. Sadly, it isn’t possible, which Luxemburg proves in this monumental writing.
Excellent refutation of revisionists and Social Democrats who think the State can be reformed, without needing to be replaced with one that is run by the workers, in their own interests.
Section V: Intersectionality and Solidarity
The revolution will not be fought by atomized individuals, but by an intersectional, international working class movement. Intersectionality is critical, because it allows different marginalized groups to work together in collective interest, unifying into a broad movement.
Critical reading on understanding misogyny, transphobia, enbyphobia, pluralphobia, and homophobia, as well as how to move beyond the base subject of “gender.” Uses the foundations built up in the previous works to analyze gender theory from a Historical Materialist perspective.
De-colonialism is essential to Marxism. Without having a strong, de-colonial, internationalist stance, we have no path to victory nor a path to justice. Fanon analyzes Colonialism’s dehumanizing effects, and lays out how to form a de-colonial movement, as well as its necessity.
Solidarity and intersectionality are the key to any social movement. When different social groups fight for liberation together along intersectional lines, the movements are emboldened and empowered ever-further.
Section VI: Putting it into Practice!
It’s not enough to endlessly read, you must put theory to practice. That is how you can improve yourself and the movements you support. Touch grass!
Mao wrote simply and directly, targeting peasant soldiers during the Revolutionary War in China. This pair of essays equip the reader with the ability to apply the analytical tools of Dialectical Materialism to their every day practice, and better understand problems.
Congratulations, you completed your introductory reading course!
With your new understanding and knowledge of Marxism-Leninism, here is a mini What is to be Done? of your own to follow, and take with you as practical advice.
Get organized. Join a Leftist org, find solidarity with fellow comrades, and protect each other. The Dems will not save you, it is up to us to protect ourselves. The Party for Socialism and Liberation and Freedom Road Socialist Organization both organize year round, every year, because the battle for progress is a constant struggle, not a single election. See if there is a chapter near you, or start one! Or, see if there’s an org you like more near you and join it.
Read theory. Don’t think that you are done now! Just because you have the basics, doesn’t mean you know more than you do. If you have not investigated a subject, don’t speak on it! Don’t speak nonsense, but listen!
Aggressively combat white supremacy, misogyny, queerphobia, and other attacks on marginalized communities. Cede no ground, let nobody be forgotten or left behind. There is strength in numbers, when one marginalized group is targeted, many more are sure to follow.
Be industrious, and self-sufficient. Take up gardening, home repair, tinkering. It is through practice that you elevate your problem-solving capabilities. Not only will you improve your skill at one subject, but your general problem-solving muscles get strengthened as well.
Learn self-defense. Get armed, if practical. Be ready to protect yourself and others. The Democrats will not save us, we must save each other.
Be persistent. If you feel like a single water droplet against a mountain, think of the Grand Canyon. Oh, how our efforts pile up! With consistency, every rock, boulder, even mountain, can be drilled through with nothing but steady and persistent water droplets.
“Everything under heaven is in utter chaos; the situation is excellent.”
Could probably make this it’s own post and then have it linked to in every general mega tbh
Still working out the kinks, trying to make sure I am not missing any gaps, but I greatly appreciate it! I’ll probably make it into a post at some point soon so others can use it or tweak it to their liking. Appreciate the kind words, comrade!
GOOD post
We need a “Plain Englsih Lenin” that cuts out all the shitposting and beefing with minor Russian communist organizations that no one remembers. Lenin is tough to get through because he’s speaking to so many contemporary people and groups that it’s like “Shit what is hte actual content here?” At lesat thjat’s wehat I struggle with.
I largely agree! A lot of theory needs a bit of “cut the bullshit,” and in modern lingo, though that’s a monumental task I certainly can’t fill.
Right? It’s a huge undertaking to update all of this stuff. I think Richard Wolff has done some of it. Idk what the best form for it even is. I’d guess audio book or video essays but both of those are trash formats. But they’re probably the best.
Kinda like a “Shakespeare in plain English,” right? Would be cool to see!
Exactly. People are smart. They can understand this shit if we put it in language they can work with. The barrier is literacy, not human intelligence. Literacy is a skill that has to be taught and learned.
I remember an old anthropology story, an ethnography. Anthropologist was working (in the sense of doing anthropology with this community as a participant-observer and partner, not selling drugs) with drug dealers in the Puertorican part of NYC before they got hammered by NAFTA. Met a drug dealer and got to know him and learn about his organization. Dude had basically franchises going. He had street corner workers who were making about minimum wage, he had managers, he had distributors. He’d re-created the entire structure of a fast-food franchise like McDonalds or something. And the guy couldn’t read. He was functionally illiterate. He could do enough maths to run his business but couldn’t read at a sixth grade level. And it didn’t matter. The guy was smart, he understood what he was doing, he worked with the resources he had effectively.
From what I understand the two biggest barriers to adult literacy, other than the hostility of the American system, is
Shame
and lack of resources
Folks want to learn to read, they know how important it is, they want to be able to read texts from their grandkids, read the news. Apparently being able to read the bible is a huge motivator for many people. Folks want to read, but they need assistance from teachers who can help them through the learning process.
100%, that’s why literacy has always been critical.
Hmm I keep thinking about how boring philosophy was to me and I skipped Politzer for WLC (see here for my live reaction). WL&C was my “holy shit this is like an actual thing, this Marx wrote serious stuff!!” moment. Prior to that I still had this image of communism being all hippie vibes and “if we just worked together what a wonderful world this could be”. But WL&C actually made me take it seriously, then I tried Politzer again and it is so so boring (to me). I went with Stalins write up and I want to have another go at Politzer but it’s such a tedium.
What I’m trying to say is people very new to ML might not know what exactly is going on, why do they need to read this philosophical text and if they don’t know what they’re supposed to learn from it, then it seems kinda pointless at the time. So my suggestion is to put WL&C before that. It was meant for an audience that didn’t know about dia-mat but it makes the point for why reading dia-mat is beneficial. And it’s a nice introduction into what Marxist-Leninist spend their days thinking about (theory and not whatever stereotype people have communists).
I appreciate your input! For me, it was the opposite. The philosophical aspects of Marxism are where it clicked for me, the glue for everything else. I believe I alleviate your issue by including PrinCom first, a shorter work that clears up misconceptions and builds confidence in reading theory. Adding Blackshirts is also dual-purpose, it’s longer than most of the other earlier works so it preps the reader for the mid-late sections, and grabs them with pure bangers worth of anti-communist myth debunking, as well as being particularly important for liberals fearing fascism under Trump yet not understanding it.
I’ll consider it, thank you!
oh yeah b&r is amazing my only suggestion really is to move WL&C before philosophy. princom for me didn’t make the rigour and depth of marxist analysis clear it just seemed like an FAQ on “what we believe”. But I believe I explained my biases in at least a sufficient length so I won’t do it again 😄
People will not necessarily adhere to your order anyway, if a book becomes a waste of time because you don’t learn from it just move to the next. Huge props for your work though I will be utilizing it in the attempt ti radicalize my wife.
Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it! Maybe wait a few days for V1.0 first, haha. Very much a work in progress.
I’m printing an irl book already lol
Oh lol, should be fine but I am definitely overhauling the format, adding commentary to sections, and overhauling the solidarity sections a good deal, just FYI.
What if we put a wizard and an owl on the jacket cover to trick them?
that would be p sick