WHAT IS POLITICS? 11.1 Why the Russian Revolution Failed: When Rich Kids do all the Socialism
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Mar 21, 2023 Why did a revolution aiming for workers’ democracy produce an authoritarian state? This history of Russian socialism follows privileged intellectuals, stubborn peasant communes, and Marxists who often misread the society they hoped to transform. Along the way: radicals trying to bring socialism to the villages, peasants rebuffing them, and a clash between theory and rural life.
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Marxism's Ironic Justification of Capitalism
- Marxists believed socialism was only possible in advanced capitalist countries.
- Ironically, some Russian intellectuals and industrialists used Marx's work to justify aggressive free enterprise.
Aristocratic Socialists
- Many prominent Russian socialists, including Lenin, came from aristocratic backgrounds.
- Guilt over their privilege motivated their revolutionary activities.
Narodnik Idealization of the Peasantry
- The Narudniks, populist socialists, idealized the peasantry but lacked real understanding of their lives.
- They viewed peasants as instrumental to achieving socialism, similar to today's identity politics.