Click on title to link to one of YouTube's film clips on the Russian Revolution. Some of the material on the revolution is good, some indifference and some are absurd so be selective.
COMMENTARY
LEFTIST YOUTH- LEARN THE LESSONS OF THE ONLY SUCCESSFUL WORKING CLASS REVOLUTION IN HISTORY-FORWARD
FORGET ELEPHANTS, DONKEYS AND GREENS-BUILD A WORKERS PARTY!
On November 7th- Election Day 2006- all the hoopla and media attention in the United States will be focused on the results of an essentially insipid vicious electoral campaign process. As far as history goes it will represent just another capitalist parliamentary changing of the guard, if that. However, November 7th is also the occasion of a historically more important if now seemingly remote event- the 89th Anniversary of the Russian Revolution. The demise of the Soviet Union itself in 1991-92 is beginning to fade into the historic mist. Nevertheless the lessons learned about the revolutionary transformations that created that state –and the causes of its failures- bear careful attention by thoughtful leftists.
There is an old maxim in the Marxist movement that can be paraphrased this way - it is not enough to study about history, one must change it. However, in order to change history we must have at least rudimentary information about the events and people who went before us as they went about the revolutionary struggles of their times. Even from failures, such as the Paris Commune of 1871, much can be gleaned. As mentioned above, the Russian Revolution having been ultimately defeated has receded in the minds of many. Today’s youth know little of that struggle. While we cannot resurrect the past or change past history we can certainly work to insure that today’s leftist youth know that history-our history.
The place to start understanding the lessons of the Russian Revolution for leftist youth is from the prospective of a Russian revolutionary centrally involved in the struggle for working class power- Leon Trotsky’s History of the Russian Revolution in three volumes. (Check Amazon.com for availability of this work, both new and used, if you cannot find it in your local library or bookstore.) Check the April 2006 archives of this blog titled- the ABC’s of the Russian Revolution for an extended review of this major work of Trotsky’s written in exile in the 1930-32 period. I also suggest for a good summary of the highlights presented in Trotsky’s History the recently completed four-part series presented in the Young Spartacus pages of Workers Vanguard, the newspaper of the Spartacist League/US. Google the International Communist League to find that website. FORWARD TO MORE OCTOBERS.
COMMENTARY
LEFTIST YOUTH- LEARN THE LESSONS OF THE ONLY SUCCESSFUL WORKING CLASS REVOLUTION IN HISTORY-FORWARD
FORGET ELEPHANTS, DONKEYS AND GREENS-BUILD A WORKERS PARTY!
On November 7th- Election Day 2006- all the hoopla and media attention in the United States will be focused on the results of an essentially insipid vicious electoral campaign process. As far as history goes it will represent just another capitalist parliamentary changing of the guard, if that. However, November 7th is also the occasion of a historically more important if now seemingly remote event- the 89th Anniversary of the Russian Revolution. The demise of the Soviet Union itself in 1991-92 is beginning to fade into the historic mist. Nevertheless the lessons learned about the revolutionary transformations that created that state –and the causes of its failures- bear careful attention by thoughtful leftists.
There is an old maxim in the Marxist movement that can be paraphrased this way - it is not enough to study about history, one must change it. However, in order to change history we must have at least rudimentary information about the events and people who went before us as they went about the revolutionary struggles of their times. Even from failures, such as the Paris Commune of 1871, much can be gleaned. As mentioned above, the Russian Revolution having been ultimately defeated has receded in the minds of many. Today’s youth know little of that struggle. While we cannot resurrect the past or change past history we can certainly work to insure that today’s leftist youth know that history-our history.
The place to start understanding the lessons of the Russian Revolution for leftist youth is from the prospective of a Russian revolutionary centrally involved in the struggle for working class power- Leon Trotsky’s History of the Russian Revolution in three volumes. (Check Amazon.com for availability of this work, both new and used, if you cannot find it in your local library or bookstore.) Check the April 2006 archives of this blog titled- the ABC’s of the Russian Revolution for an extended review of this major work of Trotsky’s written in exile in the 1930-32 period. I also suggest for a good summary of the highlights presented in Trotsky’s History the recently completed four-part series presented in the Young Spartacus pages of Workers Vanguard, the newspaper of the Spartacist League/US. Google the International Communist League to find that website. FORWARD TO MORE OCTOBERS.
As is always appropriate on international working class holidays and days of remembrance here is the song most closely associated with that movement “The Internationale” in English, French and German. I will not vouch for the closeness of the translations but certainly of the spirit. Workers Of The World Unite!
ReplyDeleteThe Internationale [variant words in square brackets]
Arise ye workers [starvelings] from your slumbers
Arise ye prisoners of want
For reason in revolt now thunders
And at last ends the age of cant.
Away with all your superstitions
Servile masses arise, arise
We'll change henceforth [forthwith] the old tradition [conditions]
And spurn the dust to win the prize.
So comrades, come rally
And the last fight let us face
The Internationale unites the human race.
So comrades, come rally
And the last fight let us face
The Internationale unites the human race.
No more deluded by reaction
On tyrants only we'll make war
The soldiers too will take strike action
They'll break ranks and fight no more
And if those cannibals keep trying
To sacrifice us to their pride
They soon shall hear the bullets flying
We'll shoot the generals on our own side.
No saviour from on high delivers
No faith have we in prince or peer
Our own right hand the chains must shiver
Chains of hatred, greed and fear
E'er the thieves will out with their booty [give up their booty]
And give to all a happier lot.
Each [those] at the forge must do their duty
And we'll strike while the iron is hot.
________________________________________
L'Internationale
Debout les damnés de la terre
Debout les forçats de la faim
La raison tonne en son cratère
C'est l'éruption de la fin
Du passe faisons table rase
Foules, esclaves, debout, debout
Le monde va changer de base
Nous ne sommes rien, soyons tout
C'est la lutte finale
Groupons-nous, et demain (bis)
L'Internationale
Sera le genre humain
Il n'est pas de sauveurs suprêmes
Ni Dieu, ni César, ni tribun
Producteurs, sauvons-nous nous-mêmes
Décrétons le salut commun
Pour que le voleur rende gorge
Pour tirer l'esprit du cachot
Soufflons nous-mêmes notre forge
Battons le fer quand il est chaud
L'état comprime et la loi triche
L'impôt saigne le malheureux
Nul devoir ne s'impose au riche
Le droit du pauvre est un mot creux
C'est assez, languir en tutelle
L'égalité veut d'autres lois
Pas de droits sans devoirs dit-elle
Egaux, pas de devoirs sans droits
Hideux dans leur apothéose
Les rois de la mine et du rail
Ont-ils jamais fait autre chose
Que dévaliser le travail
Dans les coffres-forts de la bande
Ce qu'il a crée s'est fondu
En décrétant qu'on le lui rende
Le peuple ne veut que son dû.
Les rois nous saoulaient de fumées
Paix entre nous, guerre aux tyrans
Appliquons la grève aux armées
Crosse en l'air, et rompons les rangs
S'ils s'obstinent, ces cannibales
A faire de nous des héros
Ils sauront bientôt que nos balles
Sont pour nos propres généraux
Ouvriers, paysans, nous sommes
Le grand parti des travailleurs
La terre n'appartient qu'aux hommes
L'oisif ira loger ailleurs
Combien, de nos chairs se repaissent
Mais si les corbeaux, les vautours
Un de ces matins disparaissent
Le soleil brillera toujours.
________________________________________
Die Internationale
Wacht auf, Verdammte dieser Erde,
die stets man noch zum Hungern zwingt!
Das Recht wie Glut im Kraterherde
nun mit Macht zum Durchbruch dringt.
Reinen Tisch macht mit dem Bedranger!
Heer der Sklaven, wache auf!
Ein nichts zu sein, tragt es nicht langer
Alles zu werden, stromt zuhauf!
Volker, hort die Signale!
Auf, zum letzten Gefecht!
Die Internationale
Erkampft das Menschenrecht
Es rettet uns kein hoh'res Wesen
kein Gott, kein Kaiser, noch Tribun
Uns aus dem Elend zu erlosen
konnen wir nur selber tun!
Leeres Wort: des armen Rechte,
Leeres Wort: des Reichen Pflicht!
Unmundigt nennt man uns Knechte,
duldet die Schmach langer nicht!
In Stadt und Land, ihr Arbeitsleute,
wir sind die starkste Partei'n
Die Mussigganger schiebt beiseite!
Diese Welt muss unser sein;
Unser Blut sei nicht mehr der Raben
und der machtigen Geier Frass!
Erst wenn wir sie vertrieben haben
dann scheint die Sonn' ohn' Unterlass!