“The communists everywhere support every revolutionary movement against the existing social and political order of things” (Marx and Engels, 1848, p. 220). The increasing disparity of income between the classes along with horrendous working conditions created the environment in which communism was formed.
The social inequality seen in the mid 19th century caused a liberal political backlash that was the foundation of socialism and communism. Some of the theorists argued for a peaceful transition to socialism or communism while many argued for revolution and the violent overthrow of the bourgeoisie.
The official name and political organization of communism is credited as being established by Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels and others. But, the notion of abolishing private property and living in a state of social equality was penned by Thomas Moore in his book, “Utopia.” Moore focused on the abolishment of private property, saying “that wherever men have private property and money is the measure of everything, there it is hardly possible for the commonwealth to be justly governed or to flourish in prosperity” (Moore 1516, p. 198).
Moore also went into the laws, means of production, customs, punishments and a number of other aspects of life in the “Utopia.” Moore, unfortunately, did not elaborate as to how society will arrive at the “Utopia,” instead we must contrive our own methods to achieve social equality.
Robert Owens, a Scottish mill owner, put Moore’s philosophies in practice by conducting his own social experiments. These experiments proved costly and ultimately failed. Instead his failed experiments left many in the intellectual community wondering if absolute social equality was possible. If it is plausible, how will a large state convert into a socially equitable one?
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels concluded that it would be possible for an equal society to form within a large state. They imagined the revolution of the proletariat to take place within the most industrialized states. It was the states that were poor with a large amount of natural resources and a large number of peasants that first converted to communism.
Marx argues that the development of a communist nation will occur over the course the several steps. “The means of production, and of exchange, on whose foundation the bourgeoisie built itself up, were generated in feudal society” (Marx and Engels 1848, p. 211). The feudal society suffers due to the lack of economic efficiency and the strengthening of the bourgeois class, eventually shifting into a society totally controlled by the bourgeoisie (Marx and Engels 1848, p. 211). In this new society capitalism took hold, “into their place stepped free competition, accompanied by a social and political constitution adapted to it” (Marx and Engels 1848, p. 211).
When the unequal distribution of wealth continues and grows after capitalism and the bourgeoisie have taken control, that is when the revolution will occur and the workers will take control.
The argument continues by Marx asserting that one of the main reasons this revolution will occur, besides the obvious economic inequalities, is that “the work of the proletarians has last all individual character, and consequently, all charm for the workman” (Marx and Engels 1848, p. 212).
Because of the increase of monotonous work and unskilled labor, along with the lack of any real worker’s rights, the proletariat will revolt and seize control of the means of production. Once private property and the right of inheritance have been abolished, a heavy progressive tax instituted and the centralization of communication, transportation, banking and industry into the state occurs, along with an establishment of an industrial army, forced geographic distribution of the populace, then, communism will be established (Marx and Engels 1848, p. 220).
Marx is vague in his writings of how the revolution will occur and what is to happen when a government is established. Who will lead the revolution? Who controls the government? If it’s the people, how is voting conducted, and who controls the voting? When is the revolution complete? Because of these questions, many other forms of communism and socialism were created and eventually put into effect.
Vladimir Lenin took Marx’s arguments one step forward, by arguing for a violent revolution and outlining the role of government in the communist state. He continued Marx’s work by adding to Marx’s assertion that there were phases of communism. The first phase is capitalism, once the people become unsatisfied with the current state of society, they will respond by revolution that will lead to the “dictatorship of the proletariat, i.e., the organization of the vanguard… for the purpose of suppressing the oppressors” (Lenin 1967. p. 238).
The dictatorship will remain for as long there are capitalists and a class system. This dictatorship will be violent, strict and may last indefinitely. Lenin continues by writing that “the dictatorship of the proletariat imposes a series of restrictions on the freedom of the oppressors, the exploiters, the capitalists” (Lenin 1967. p. 238). Lenin makes the argument that this dictatorship will only infringe on the rights of a few, while maintaining social equality for all. As seen by the application of this theory to the Soviet Union a class system will remain all while suppressing the proletariat.
Lenin would argue that the Soviet Union never made it into the final stage of communism; instead he would argue that the state got stuck in the first stage of communism. The first stage of communism is highlighted by the means of production belonging to the state, thus the state will control the labor, goods and services. So, workers would receive a certificate equal to the amount of labor they exerted, in this state equality cannot happen. In the Soviet Union the party members and government officials were the higher class; they controlled the means of production and strictly controlled the labor, pay and many other facets of Russian life.
“But people are not alike: one is strong, another is weak” (Lenin 1967. p. 239). Lenin acknowledges the failures of the first stage of communism, saying that the “differences in wealth will still persist, but the exploitation of man by man will have become impossible” (Lenin 1967. p. 238). Once the society is united into a “single office and a single factory” (Lenin 1967. p. 243); the transition to the final stage is ready to begin. Lenin contends that after a period of rule, the people having lived in this society for sufficient time would have developed the “fundamental rules of the community” into habit (Lenin 1967. p. 243).
When the rules develop into habit the final stage of communism will be near, the only thing that remains is the withering away of the state. After the state has withered away, Lenin would argue that the revolution is complete. By use of deductive reasoning it seems that Lenin believes his state to be self- sufficient, not needing to trade with other states. It was Leon Trotsky who added to Lenin’s arguments by presenting his theory of “The Permanent Revolution.”
The idea of the revolution being permanent and only completed when the whole world is communist is the basis for Trotsky’s “The Permanent Revolution.” “The socialist revolution begins on the national arena, it unfolds on the international arena, and is completed on the world arena. Thus the socialist revolution becomes a permanent revolution” (Trotsky 1929, p. 246).
Trotsky felt that for the Soviet Union to continue and thrive there must be a large number of communist states, for which the Soviet Union can trade. Trotsky realized that ending the revolution at the national level will leave the sole communist state surrounded by many more capitalist ones. This would leave the sole communist state vulnerable to economic embargos and other forms of isolation. Even though Joseph Stalin opposed Trotsky, and eventually had him killed, the Soviet Union did in fact spread their brand of communist ideology throughout the world, in order to strengthen its own economy and influence.
Currently, the more common view of socialism it one that does not advocate a violent revolution or a sudden revolution at all. George Bernard Shaw, a Fabian Socialist advocated for the slow progression towards a democratic-socialist state. Using voting as a means to establish socialism instead of a violent revolution will provide the best results.
“Socialism involves the introduction of design, contrivance, and co-ordination, by a nation consciously seeking its own collective welfare” (Shaw 1908, p. 271). Shaw argues that capitalists should not be oppressed and neither should the working class, instead the transition into socialism should be a collaborative process over a period of time. Shaw insisted that the revolutionaries were visionaries and romantics, not realizing how a transition should really occur. “They actually believed that when their efforts throughout Europe had demonstrated the economics of Socialism to the proletariats…that Capitalism would fall before an International Federation of the working classes of Europe (Shaw 1908, p. 272).
He concluded in calling the revolutionaries “romantic amateurs” (Shaw 1908, p. 271), and dispelling their notion of violent revolution. The forming of parties and the use of democracy in attaining the goal of socialism is the most important part of Shaw’s argument. The threat of violent revolution is only going to stunt any real cultural, social and political progression of that state. A violent revolution is very similar to a drawn-out civil war, where many innocent people are killed. Shaw realized this and if power is seized by the revolutionaries a violent dictatorship will ensue, where many more innocent people are killed.
The idea of revolution is central to the ideology of communism. The argument for a spontaneous violent overthrow of the ruling class was a concept that propelled the beginnings of many communist states. Looking back on the history of communism it seems as if the violent revolution created a violent dictatorship in which the people were oppressed. When Shaw argued for a democratic transition to socialism he understood that this form of progression is best suited to serve the rights of the people. That is why there are many successful socialist states that preserve the rights of the people. Still, one can only be left to wonder what would have happened to the Soviet Union had it reached the final stage of communism.
Reference List
Lenin, Vladimir. 1967. “Revisionism, Imperialism, and Revolution.” In Ideals and Ideologies, Terence Ball and Richard Dagger. New York: Pearson Longman.
Marx, Karl and Engels, Friedrich. 1848. “The Communist Manifesto.” In Ideals and Ideologies, Terence Ball and Richard Dagger. New York: Pearson Longman.
Moore, Thomas. 1516. “Utopia.” In Ideals and Ideologies, Terence Ball and Richard Dagger. New York: Pearson Longman.
Owen, Robert. 1824. “Address to the Inhabitants of New Lanark.” In Ideals and Ideologies, Terence Ball and Richard Dagger. New York: Pearson Longman.
Shaw, George Bernard. 1908. “Fabian Socialism.” In Ideals and Ideologies, Terence Ball and Richard Dagger. New York: Pearson Longman.
Trotsky, Leon. 1929. “The Permanent Revolution.” In Ideals and Ideologies, Terence Ball and Richard Dagger. New York: Pearson Longman.
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