The Guardian 8 November, 2006
Editorial
The international significance
of the Russian revolution
November 7, the day on which the Russian Revolution swept out the monarchy and the capitalist power of the old Russian empire will again be celebrated in many countries. Because of the temporary overthrow of socialism in the former Soviet Union they will be smaller than on previous occasions and, some might ask, why commemorate something that has been defeated? That, however, is a very short-term view.
In fact the revolutionary road, its achievements and consequences continue to echo around the world.
What did it achieve? It showed that it was possible for the working class together with allies, to overcome and defeat the rule of the capitalist class. It showed that socialism is capable of building the economy of a nation at a much faster pace than had been achieved by any capitalist country. The leadership of the Communist Party and socialist principles were able to unite the diverse people of the former Soviet Union which contained within its border as many as 150 ethnic groups and nationalities.
The Soviet Union, at the time the only socialist state, was the major force that defeated the Nazi war machine in World War II, which had set itself the task of destroying the young Soviet Union and re-establishing capitalism there. The defeat of fascism was one of the major events of the last century. It was a huge defeat for capitalism and imperialism that opened the door for the national liberation movements that virtually destroyed colonialism everywhere. At the end of World War II there were only 45 nations drawn together in the United Nations. Today there are over 190 UNO member states.
For a time the revolutionary movements were held up by the Cold War which was simply the counter-attack of imperialism against the new world situation created by the existence of the Soviet Union.
When they achieved the break-up of the Soviet Union, imperialism cheered, believing that they had destroyed communism and socialism. "Communism is Dead" screamed the banner headline of the Sydney Morning Herald at the time. How wrong they were!
It has proven impossible to destroy the ideas of the communists and socialists or silence the demands of the working people for jobs, education, health services, clean drinking water, land, the independence and sovereignty of every country and, underlying all, peace and the abolition of war.
We are now witnessing a new, potentially revolutionary wave in Latin America, Africa, Asia and in the Middle East.
China has shown once again, that the leadership of the Communist Party and a socialist economic system can develop the economy of a country much quicker than has ever been achieved by capitalism in any country. It is extending its hand to the people of other nations and implementing in its foreign relations the principles of independence, non-interference, equality of big and small states, mutual benefit in relations and trade, the settlement of disputes between nations without recourse to war.
We see these principles at work in the insistence of China and Russia in the United Nations, that the Iranian issue and the attacks on North Korea should be settled without sanctions or war.
The new governments of both Venezuela and Bolivia have proclaimed socialism to be their economic and social objective. Even in our own neighbourhood — the South Pacific — we are witnessing a new determination by countries to be independent and free of the colonialist ambitions of the Howard government.
It will take many years for this new revolutionary wave to materialise and involve more countries but nothing will stop it except a world war or climate change which, if it passes a "tipping" point, could eventually make the globe uninhabitable for humans and many other living species.
The disastrous consequences of climate change and war are major issues of concern to people throughout the world and increasingly being taken up in struggles and campaigns for a better world.
It is the common people in almost all countries who are on the march as never before in all history. They want peace, jobs, health care, education, a home to live in and a world that will continue to sustain life. They are very modest demands but to achieve them means a change from capitalism to socialism, the door to which was opened by the Russian revolution only 90 years ago.