A social revolution is a radical, qualitative revolution in the entire structure of society.
The following types of social revolutions are distinguished: anti-imperialist (national liberation, anti-colonial), bourgeois, bourgeois-democratic, popular, people's democratic and socialist.
Anti-imperialist - revolutions that took place in colonies and dependent countries and aimed at achieving national independence (they were directed against the economic and military-political domination of foreign capital and the comprador or bureaucratic bourgeoisie, feudal clans, etc. that support it)
The main task of bourgeois revolutions is the elimination of the feudal system and the establishment of capitalist production relations, the overthrow of absolute monarchies and the dominance of the landed aristocracy, the establishment of private property and the political dominance of the bourgeoisie. The driving forces of bourgeois revolutions are the industrial, financial, and commercial bourgeoisie, the mass base is the peasantry, urban strata (for example, the Great French Revolution).
Bourgeois-democratic revolution is a type of bourgeois revolution. Its course is decisively influenced by the active participation in it of the broad masses of the people who rose up to fight for their interests and rights (European revolutions of 1848 - 1849, Russian revolution of 1905).
The socialist revolution was interpreted (according to the Marxist-Leninist concept) as the highest type of social revolution, during which the transition from capitalism to socialism and communism takes place.
A popular revolution is a broad and mass movement as opposed to “top”, “palace”, military or political coups. They may have different socio-economic and political content.
The People's Democratic Revolution is an anti-fascist, democratic, national liberation revolution that unfolded in a large group of countries in Eastern Europe during the fight against fascism during the Second World War. During this struggle, a broad alliance of national and patriotic forces emerged.
54. The concept of social reforms.
Social reforms are:
a change in any significant aspect of the life of society while maintaining the foundations of its economic and political system;
one of the forms of social and political change corresponding to evolutionary development society and characterized by comparative gradualness, smoothness, and slowness of such changes;
innovations carried out “from above”, using legal means, although coercive measures are not excluded.
Formally, social reforms mean innovation of any content; this is a change in any aspects of social life (orders, institutions, institutions) that does not destroy the foundations of the existing social political system.
The need to implement social reforms is on the agenda political life in conditions of growing social tension in society. Social reforms are developed and implemented by dominant social groups , who in this way seek to weaken the pressure of opposition forces and thereby maintain their dominance. Social reforms are always aimed at preserving the socio-political system as a whole, changing its individual parts.
The course of the policy of social reforms is determined by a complex interweaving of objective and subjective factors. The success or failure of reforms largely depends on the degree of readiness of the ruling elite to accept such innovations that actually eliminate obstacles to the normal development of society.
Much also depends on the timeliness of the necessary changes. As a rule, late reforms do not lead to the desired results. Therefore, reforms should be carried out at the appropriate time and very skillfully, because otherwise they not only cannot help but reduce the existing tension, but also lead to revolutionary processes, which the ruling elite was precisely trying to avoid. According to P. Sorokin, reforms should not violate human nature and contradict its basic instincts; social reforms must be preceded by a thorough scientific study of specific social conditions; every reform should first be tested on a small social scale; reforms must be implemented through legal and constitutional means.
Revolution (social) Revolution social, a way of transition from a historically outdated socio-economic formation to a more progressive one, a radical qualitative revolution in the entire socio-economic structure of society. The content of R. is classically revealed by K. Marx in the Preface to the “Critique of Political Economy”: “At a certain stage of its development, the material productive forces of society come into conflict with existing production relations, or - which is only the legal expression of the latter - with property relations, within which they have been developing so far. From forms of development of productive forces, these relations turn into their fetters. Then comes the era of social revolution. With a change in the economic basis, a revolution occurs more or less quickly in the entire enormous superstructure. When considering such revolutions, it is always necessary to distinguish the material revolution, ascertained with natural scientific precision, in the economic conditions of production from the legal, political, religious, artistic or philosophical, in short, from the ideological forms in which people are aware of this conflict and are fighting for its resolution” (Marx K . and Engels F., Soch., 2nd ed., vol. 13, p. 7).
The nature, scale, and specific content of any reform are determined by the conditions of the socio-economic formation that it is intended to eliminate, as well as by the specifics of the socio-economic system for which it clears the ground. As we move to higher stages of social development, the scale expands, the content deepens, and the objective tasks of R. become more complex. In the early stages of the history of society (the transition from the primitive communal system to the slave-owning system, from the slave-owning to the feudal), R. occurred primarily spontaneously and consisted of a combination of sporadic, in most cases of local mass movements and uprisings. During the transition from feudalism to capitalism, revolution acquires the features of a national process in which the conscious activity of political parties and organizations plays an increasingly important role (see Bourgeois revolution). In the era of transition from capitalism to socialism, a world revolutionary process is unfolding, in which the conscious political activity becomes advanced class a necessary condition development and victory of R. R. finds its most complete expression in socialist revolution, which liberates society from all forms of exploitation and oppression, lays the foundation for the formation of a communist socio-economic formation (see. Communism), where, according to K. Marx, “... social evolutions will cease to be political revolutions and” (ibid., vol. 4, p. 185).
The economic basis of R. is the deepening conflict between growth productive forces society and an outdated, conservative system industrial relations,
which manifests itself in the aggravation of social antagonisms, in the intensification of the struggle between the ruling class, interested in preserving the existing system, and the oppressed classes. The revolutionary struggle of the oppressed classes (spontaneous or conscious) expresses the urgent need to free the productive forces from the shackles of the outdated system of production relations.
Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .
See what “Revolution (social)” is in other dictionaries:
Rapid qualitative changes in all areas public life, a leap from one mode of production to another as a result of the violent overthrow of the old government. The economic reason for the revolutionary leap is, according to Marxism,... ... Philosophical Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia of Sociology
Revolution (from Late Latin revolutio turn, overturn, transformation, reversal) is a global qualitative change in the development of nature, society or knowledge, associated with an open break with the previous state. Originally the term revolution... ... Wikipedia
A radical change in the socio-political system, characterized by a sharp break with the previous tradition, a violent transformation of social and state institutions as opposed to reforms and social evolution.… … encyclopedic Dictionary
SOCIAL REVOLUTION- English revolution, social; German Sozialrevolution. 1. A fundamental, sharp qualitative revolution in the entire social system. the structure of society; way of transition from one form of social. watered devices to another. 2. Political revolution, as a result of which social change... ... Dictionary in Sociology
SOCIAL REVOLUTION- 1. Root sharp qualities. revolution in the entire social structure about you; way of transition from one form of social and political. devices to others 2. Political. revolution, as a result of which social change is changing. power structure... Russian Sociological Encyclopedia
SOCIAL REVOLUTION- a radical revolution in the socio-economic structure of society, accompanied by a sudden violent change in the existing political system... Thematic philosophical dictionary
- (from Late Lat. revolutio turn, revolution), a deep qualitative change in the development of k.l. phenomena of nature, society or knowledge (for example, geological R., industrial R., scientific technological revolution, cultural revolution, R. in physics, R. in... ... Philosophical Encyclopedia
Revolution (from Late Latin revolutio - turn, revolution), a deep qualitative change in the development of any phenomena of nature, society or knowledge (for example, geological revolution, industrial revolution, scientific and technical revolution, cultural... ...
I Revolution (from late Latin revolutio turn, revolution) a deep qualitative change in the development of any phenomena of nature, society or knowledge (for example, geological revolution, industrial revolution, scientific and technical revolution, ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia
5. Social revolution
The concept of social revolution Social revolution means a profound revolution in the socio-political, economic, and spiritual life of society, when, first of all, a transition is carried out from one socio-economic formation to another, more progressive one. Revolution is the engine of social progress: it is both destruction and creativity, it marks the beginning of a new period of history, which requires new thoughts, feelings, songs and singers. It is a historical necessity rooted in economic life society. The deepest cause of social revolutions is the conflict between productive forces and production relations. It constitutes the so-called economic basis of the revolution.
What social revolutions not an accidental, but a natural phenomenon, arising with objective necessity from the development of production, does not mean that they occur automatically. For their implementation, objective and subjective prerequisites are necessary. Objective contradictions in the mode of production are manifested in the fierce struggle between progressive and reactionary classes. There is class struggle political basis revolution. The subjective form of expression of this struggle is the clash of class interests, aspirations, and ideas. Social revolution - highest form class struggle of the oppressed. The totality of objective conditions expressing the economic and political crisis of society creates a revolutionary situation. The following signs are characteristic of a revolutionary situation: “The impossibility of the ruling classes maintaining their dominance unchanged: one or another crisis of the “tops”, a crisis of the policy of the ruling class, creating a crack into which the discontent and indignation of the oppressed classes breaks through. For the onset of a revolution, this is usually not enough , so that “the lower classes do not want”, but what is also required is that the “upper classes cannot” live in the old way... An aggravation, higher than usual, of the needs and misfortunes of the oppressed classes... A significant increase... in the activity of the masses, in a “peaceful” era of those who allow themselves to be plundered calmly, and in turbulent times are attracted, both by the entire situation of crisis and by the “tops” themselves, to independent historical action. Without these objective changes, independent of the will of not only individual groups and parties, but also individual classes, revolution - By general rule- impossible" (Lenin V.I. Pili. collected works, vol. 26, pp. 218-219.).
But not every revolutionary situation leads to revolution. Revolutions break out only when subjective conditions are added to objective conditions. The subjective factor includes the will to fight, the skillful organization of this struggle, the consciousness of all participants, comprehension of the goals and objectives of the struggle, the determination of the fighting classes to bring the struggle to the end. In the presence of objective prerequisites, the subjective factor acquires decisive importance: the old government itself will not “fall if it is not dropped.”
Driving forces revolutions are those social groups and classes that are vitally interested in breaking down old orders, in building new ones, and who are making a revolution. One of these classes plays a particularly active role: it carries with it all the other classes and social groups participating in the revolution.
If during relatively peaceful periods of history the masses are, as it were, behind the scenes of politics, being in a state of “historical hibernation,” then in the midst of revolutionary events, the people rise to the forefront of world history and act as creators of the new.
The main question of any revolution is the question of state power. When the fire of revolution flares up, its flame is primarily directed against the main guardian of the old world - the state. “The transfer of state power from the hands of one class to the hands of another is the first, main, fundamental sign of revolution, both in the strictly scientific and practical political meaning of this concept.” Having taken political power into their own hands, the new classes carrying out the revolution, reorganize the entire mechanism of the socio-political life of society: new organs of the revolution are born in its own fire. The seizure of power by revolutionary forces is an act of carrying out a political revolution. This is a revolution in the narrow sense of the word. The concept of a social revolution in a broad sense is, as already said, radical transformations in all spheres of public life.
Social revolutions are characterized by varying degrees of spontaneity and consciousness. In the process of transition from the primitive communal system to the slaveholding system, and from it to the feudal one, revolutions took place mainly spontaneously and were expressed in separate, usually local, mass movements and uprisings. Bourgeois revolutions that broke the foundations of feudalism are acquiring a more conscious, organized character: here the conscious activity of political parties and organizations, which have a certain ideology among their prerequisites, plays an increasingly important role. The principle of consciousness rises to highest level in the era of socialist revolutions taking place as theoretically, tactically and strategically justified, natural social process transition from capitalism to socialism.
Social revolution is fundamentally different from social reform: the latter is aimed, as a rule, only at partial transformations within the framework of the existence of a given system. “But this opposition is not absolute, this line is not dead, but a living, moving line, which one must be able to determine in each individual specific case” (Lenin V.I. Poln. sobr. soch.. vol. 31. p. 133. There same. vol. 20. p. 167). The experience of history shows that reforms are by no means contraindicated for social progress.
6. Types of social revolutions The type of social revolution is determined by what socio-political contradictions it resolves, what social system it overthrows and what it creates anew. This content expresses an understanding of revolution in the broad sense of the word - as a transition from one qualitative state of society to another (which is accomplished both through armed actions of the masses, and not necessarily in this way, but as the cumulative result of the action of many different factors of social life). This type of revolution can include, for example, the transition of society from slavery to feudalism, from feudalism to capitalism, that is, in general, the transition from one socio-economic formation to another. Thus, the social revolution was the transition from slavery to feudalism as a result of the resolution of the internal contradictions of the slave-owning mode of production, although it did not have the character of a political revolution.
A fundamentally different type is represented by revolutions in which socio-political motives play a leading role. These revolutions also contribute to the replacement of one socio-economic formation by another, but they are carried out through violent actions of one class against another. And these actions are carried out on the basis of a theoretical program that promotes certain socio-political goals and ideals. This type includes bourgeois and socialist revolutions. A special type of social revolution that ultimately contributes to the implementation of both of these revolutions should include revolutions that affect one or another separate sphere of social life. This includes scientific, technical, cultural revolutions, etc. All of them are necessary components of these types of revolution.
The highest type of revolution is a socialist revolution, which has as its goal radical transformations of society in the interests of the working people. It differs from previous social revolutions in that while previous revolutions were limited to changes political power, bringing it into conformity with the new economic relations that have already emerged, then the socialist revolution is characterized primarily by a creative principle: its highest purpose is the establishment of public ownership of the means of production, socialist production relations.
Both for generalizing evaluative conclusions and for predictive considerations. Practice confirmed everything that he had previously foreseen theoretically. Marxism V.I. Lenin as a version in the interpretation of Marx's ideological heritage. A) Lenin's revolutionary activity. Lenin is the largest revolutionary of the 20th century, the initiator and leader of the October Revolution in Russia, the founder Soviet state and international...
There was an earlier development of social thought: German classical philosophy, classical English political economy and French utopian socialism. Chapter 2. Development of the philosophy of Marxism and the main works of Marx. Already at the very beginning creative activity(shortly after receiving his Ph.D.) Marx recognized his calling as the defense of...
Fight against any deviations in the middle of the game. The communist movement is based on scientific theory. The main thing in Marxism is a dialectical, and moreover, materialistic method of cognition of phenomena. Chapter 2. About dialectical materialism. Dialectical materialism is the worldview of the Marxist-Leninist party. It is called dialectical materialism because its approach to phenomena...
Legal and political institutions, as well as religious, philosophical and other views of each given historical period. Hegel freed understanding from metaphysics, he made it dialectical, but his understanding of history was essentially idealistic. Now idealism has been banished from the understanding of history; Now the understanding of history has become materialistic, and a way has been found for explanation...
Social revolution means a deep revolution in the socio-political, economic and spiritual life of society, when, first of all, a transition is carried out from one socio-economic formation to another, more progressive. Revolution is the engine of social progress: it is and destruction and creativity, it marks the beginning of a new period of history, which requires new thoughts, feelings, songs and singers. It is a historical necessity rooted in the economic life of society. The deepest cause of social revolutions is the conflict between productive forces and production relations. It constitutes the so-called economic basis of the revolution.
The fact that social revolutions are not accidental, but a natural phenomenon, arising with objective necessity from the development
production does not mean that they occur automatically. For their implementation, objective and subjective prerequisites are necessary. Objective contradictions in the mode of production are manifested in the fierce struggle between progressive and reactionary classes. Class struggle is the political basis of revolution. Subjective The form of expression of this struggle is the clash of class interests, aspirations, and ideas. Social revolution is the highest form of class struggle of the oppressed. The set of objective conditions expressing the economic and political crisis of society creates revolutionary situation. The following features are characteristic of a revolutionary situation: “The impossibility of the ruling classes maintaining their dominance unchanged; one or another crisis of the “tops”, a crisis of the policy of the ruling class, creating a crack into which the discontent and indignation of the oppressed classes breaks through. For the onset of a revolution, it is usually not enough that “the lower classes do not want”, but what is also required is that “the upper classes cannot” live in the old way... An aggravation, higher than usual, of the needs and misfortunes of the oppressed classes... A significant increase... in the activity of the masses, in “ peaceful" era, allowing themselves to be robbed calmly, and in turbulent times attracted, as by the whole situation of crisis, and by the “tops” themselves, to an independent historical performance. Without these objective changes, independent of the will of not only individual groups and parties, but also individual classes, revolution - as a general rule - is impossible" 1 .
But not every revolutionary situation leads to revolution. Revolutions break out only when subjective conditions are added to objective conditions. The subjective factor includes the will to fight, the skillful organization of this struggle, the consciousness of its participants, comprehension of the goals and objectives of the struggle, the determination of the fighting classes to bring the struggle to the end. In the presence of objective prerequisites, the subjective factor acquires decisive importance: the old government itself will not “fall if it is not dropped.”
Driving forces Revolutions are represented by those social groups and classes that are vitally interested in breaking down the old order, in building new ones, and who make a revolution. One of these classes plays a particularly active role: it carries with it all the other classes and social groups participating in the revolution.
If in relatively peaceful periods of history the masses are, as it were, behind the scenes of politics, being in co-
1 Lenin V. I. Full collection soch., vol. 26, p. 218–219.
In the midst of “historical hibernation”, in the midst of revolutionary events, the people rise to the forefront of world history and act as creators of the new.
The main question of any revolution is the question of state power. When the fire of revolution flares up, its flame is primarily directed against the main guardian of the old world - the state. “The transfer of state power from the hands of one to the hands of another class there is a first, main, main feature revolution both in the strictly scientific and practical political meaning of this concept" 1 . Having taken political power into their own hands, the new classes carrying out the revolution reorganize the entire mechanism of the socio-political life of society: new organs of the revolution are born in its own fire. The seizure of power by revolutionary forces is the act of carrying out a political revolution. This is a revolution in the narrow sense of the word. The concept of social revolution in a broad sense is, as already said, radical transformations in all spheres of social life.
Social revolutions are characterized by varying degrees of spontaneity and consciousness. In the process of transition from the primitive communal system to the slaveholding system, and from it to the feudal one, revolutions took place mainly spontaneously and were expressed in separate, usually local, mass movements and uprisings. Bourgeois revolutions that broke the foundations of feudalism are acquiring a more conscious, organized character: here the conscious activity of political parties and organizations, which have a certain ideology among their prerequisites, plays an increasingly important role. The principle of consciousness rises to the highest level in the era of socialist revolutions, which take place as a theoretically, tactically and strategically sound, natural social process of transition from capitalism to socialism.
Social revolution is fundamentally different from social reform: the latter is aimed, as a rule, only at partial transformations within the framework of the existence of a given system. “But this opposition is not absolute, this line is not dead, but a living, moving line, which one must be able to determine in each individual case” 2. The experience of history shows that reforms are by no means contraindicated for social progress.
1 Lenin V. I. Full collection cit., vol. 31, p. 133.
2 Ibid., vol. 20, p. 167.
Types of social revolutions
The type of social revolution is determined by what socio-political contradictions it resolves, what social system it overthrows and what it creates anew. This content expresses an understanding of revolution in the broad sense of the word - as a transition from one qualitative state of society to another (which is accomplished both through armed actions of the masses, and not necessarily in this way, but as the cumulative result of the action of many different factors of social life). This type of revolution can include, for example, the transition of society from slavery to feudalism, from feudalism to capitalism, that is, in general, the transition from one socio-economic formation to another. Thus, the social revolution was the transition from slavery to feudalism as a result of the resolution of the internal contradictions of the slave-owning mode of production, although it did not have the character of a political revolution.
A fundamentally different type is represented by revolutions in which socio-political motives play a leading role. These revolutions also contribute to the replacement of one socio-economic formation by another, but they are carried out through violent actions of one class against another. And these actions are carried out on the basis of a theoretical program that puts forward certain socio-political goals and ideals. This type includes bourgeois and socialist revolutions. A special type of social revolution that ultimately contributes to the implementation of both of these revolutions should include revolutions that affect one or another separate sphere of social life. This includes scientific, technical, cultural revolutions, etc. All of them are necessary components of these types of revolution.
The highest type of revolution is a socialist revolution, which has as its goal radical transformations of society in the interests of the working people. It differs from previous social revolutions in that if previous revolutions were limited to changing political power, bringing it into line with the new economic relations that had already arisen, then the socialist revolution is characterized primarily by a creative principle: its highest purpose is the establishment of public ownership of the means of production, socialist production relationships. If previous revolutions led to the establishment of private property in one form or another, without striving for the complete abolition of exploitation, then the socialist revolution
The revolution is directed primarily against any exploitation of man by man, against all forms of private ownership of the means of production. The Great October Socialist Revolution became such a radical turning point in the history of mankind. A socialist revolution, like no other, does not presuppose a one-time act of overthrowing the old and establishing a new political power, but a very long period of revolutionary transformations in all spheres of social life.
Perestroika as a special form of revolutionary transformation of our society
Revolution in itself does not create a new society, but only creates the possibility of its construction. The implementation of these possibilities in reality depends on real forces, means, both objective and subjective factors, therefore the implementation of the plans does not mean their automatic implementation.
The very principles of socialism contain not formal, but real possibilities for further social progress. Since any social possibilities can turn into reality only through the socio-historical practice of people, they turn out to be extremely sensitive to the influence of the subjective factor. It was primarily due to this factor that the full use of the opportunities available to us, inherent in the very nature of socialism, was not realized. In the conditions of socialist construction, the lack of timely transformation of real possibilities into reality leads to the fact that opportunities, so to speak, change their status: from real they turn into formal ones. And as a result, in social development an unfavorable inhibition mechanism develops, which leads both to various kinds of negative phenomena in various spheres of social life, and to the deformation of social psychology, the moral climate in society, and the emergence of elements of social degradation. Thus, the dialectic of possibility and reality turns out to be not an abstract theoretical law, but a concrete operating principle of the development of society. Accumulated quantitatively unfavorable and destructive phenomena and trends for society ultimately led to this quality the state of the entire social organism, which turned out to be unsatisfactory and partly even harmful.
Under these conditions, a restructuring of social life has become necessary, which, since we are talking about a qualitative transformation of society, is equated in nature to a revolutionary process. And there is no alternative to this revolutionary process.
It would seem that at the current stage we can only talk about some kind of reforms, and not about revolution. Of course, the current stage of transformation does not represent such a socio-political revolution when the foundations of economic relations of the old system are destroyed and a new political power is established. In this case, we are not talking about the destruction of public ownership of the means of production, but about its comprehensive strengthening and effective use, not about the destruction of state power, but about the further strengthening of socialist democracy and the development of people's self-government. In other words, in this case, revolutionary changes are associated mainly with strengthening and creation.
Revolution, as already said, is not a one-time act, but a long process of radical transformations in all spheres of public life. The specific feature of the socialist revolution is that it contains in itself a deep critical a beginning that allows, at one or another stage of the development of society, to critically evaluate what has been created and, if necessary, eliminate everything undesirable, remake or strengthen certain aspects of the new. This specific trait socialist revolution, associated precisely with its positive, creative force, K. Marx described in his work “The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte”, characterizing socialist revolutions as those that “constantly criticize themselves... returning to what seems already accomplished in order to once again start it all over again, with merciless thoroughness they ridicule the half-heartedness, weaknesses and worthlessness of their first attempts..." 1.
We have already repeatedly said that a person is a subject of history, and a specific subject, that is, one who at the same time acts as its object. Therefore, when it comes to perestroika, it is clear that none other than man himself is moving to the very center of it. Therefore, everyone must realize this with maximum clarity and distinctness and approach this extremely delicate and complex matter with the maximum degree of responsibility. Objectively, a person’s life is contradictory in the sense that he always strives for something new, but at the same time is captive of existing outdated stereotypes. And therefore, the difficulty lies in the conscious rejection of these stereotypes, that is, in the constant struggle with oneself, which requires the development of dialectically flexible thinking, independence and impartiality of the mind and concentration of the will. For there is no revolution without revolutionaries.
1 Marx K., Engels F. Soch., vol. 8, p. 123.
Chapter XII
SOCIAL SPHERE OF PUBLIC LIFE
The theory of social revolution is of utmost importance in the sociology of management, as will be shown in this chapter. For this purpose, the methodological problems of the social revolution, its essence, reasons for its occurrence, patterns of development and role in public life will be considered.
Characteristics of the social revolution
At the dawn of the development of bourgeois society, its ideologists, enthusiastically welcoming revolutionary changes, tried to consider the problem of revolution, its necessity and causes. And although they did not understand the true reasons for the revolution, they explained them by the highest principles of justice, given by the natural rights of people (freedom, equality and fraternity between people), their teachings played a progressive role for their time.
To understand ideas about social revolution, categories such as socio-economic formation, as well as base and superstructure, are important. What are they? Socio-economic formation is social system, formed on the basis of a specific type of production relations. The economic basis is the totality of production relations of a certain method of production. And the social superstructure includes the totality of social ideas and the corresponding organizations and institutions generated by prevailing economic relations. The base and superstructure constitute the defining elements of the socio-economic formation
The concept of “social revolution” is used in literature in two ways: in a broad sense – to designate the entire era of transition to a new socio-economic formation, and in a narrow – to indicate qualitative changes in any area of social life - in economics, politics, culture, etc. This chapter will talk about revolution in the broad sense of the word.
Social development is always a natural-historical process of the emergence, development and death of socio-economic formations. The change of socio-economic formations is a complex and multifaceted process, during which the material and technical base of society, its economic system changes, and changes occur in political life, ideology, and culture. These transformations together form the social phenomenon, which is usually called a revolution.
That is, social revolution – This is the law of change of socio-economic formations. At a certain stage of their development, the material productive forces of society come into conflict with existing production relations, or, which is only the legal expression of the latter, with property relations within which they have so far developed. From forms of development of productive forces, these relations turn into their fetters. Then comes the era of social revolution, during which the old relations of production are destroyed. With a change in the economic basis, a revolution occurs more or less quickly in the entire enormous social superstructure.
To destroy the old state power, the old superstructure in general, the revolutionary class uses social violence. Without such violence no revolution is possible. According to some sociologists, violence is an absolutely negative phenomenon. However, it also plays a progressive role in history. According to K. Marx, violence is the midwife of every old society when it is pregnant with a new one. And therefore it is the instrument through which social movement paves the way for itself and breaks petrified, politically deadened forms.
In a word, when the necessary material prerequisites for the transition to a new social system have matured, then the revolutionary class is objectively forced to use violence, which can be carried out in various forms. It is not necessarily associated with armed struggle, but can be carried out peacefully - in the hall of parliamentary struggle, agrarian reform, nationalization of industry, through the application of legal sanctions, etc. Social revolution is the highest, most acute form of class struggle.
This form is used only when the class struggle has intensified to the limit, when relations between the fighting classes have reached their social apogee. Social revolution is not the fruit of a conspiracy of individuals or the arbitrary actions of a minority isolated from the masses. It can only arise as a result of profound social changes that move broad sections of the population.
As a result of the social revolution, political power passes from the old reactionary class to the progressive democratic class. Only by wresting state power from the hands of the ruling class and suppressing its resistance can democratic forces achieve the victory of the new over the old. That's why the question of political power is the fundamental question of the social revolution.
Why, among all the questions of the social revolution, is the main question of power? The fact is that the state is a powerful tool in the hands of the ruling class, i.e. public power with all its organs of violence (army, police) and means of ideological influence. The state, in the hands of the ruling class, strives to preserve the economic basis and the corresponding elements of the social superstructure, and suppresses the actions of the advanced class against the foundations of the old society. Therefore, in order to break the power of the ruling class, it is necessary to take away political power from it.
Consequently, the social revolution is called upon to carry out radical changes, first of all, in the main spheres of social life - in economics, politics, as well as in the field of spiritual life of society, in its culture.
In the economic field, the main purpose of the social revolution is to resolve the conflict between the developing productive forces and outdated production relations, to replace the old economic system with a new, higher one. The prerequisite for this is, first of all, a revolution in the relations of ownership of the means of production.
In the political field, the revolution resolves the conflict between the outdated political superstructure and the emerging new economic relations or urgent needs economic development. It will create a new political and legal superstructure necessary for the strengthening and development of the emerging socio-economic formation.
It should also be said here that political revolution and coup d'etat should not be confused In a political revolution, power passes from the hands of the old reactionary class to the hands of the advanced class, the class essence of power changes, and the ruling class changes. But during a coup d'etat, the class essence of power does not change; power is transferred from one group of the ruling class to another.
In the field of culture, the revolution is called upon to replace old social attitudes with new ones, including material and cultural values accumulated by humanity throughout its development. The new culture does not stand aside from the high road of development of world civilization, but is a natural successor to the old cultural heritage. At the same time, the creation of such a culture requires the critical development of the old, and not its simple borrowing.
So, the social revolution in historical process acts as a combination of economic, political and cultural revolutions. Depending on the nature of the formation and specific conditions, the content and sequence of these three events during the social revolution may be different. There may be a discrepancy between the components of a social revolution over time. While some processes are already being completed, others are just beginning, and others are taking place simultaneously in many of its components.
Therefore, a social revolution is not a short-term explosion, but a long historical period spanning years and decades, a period when the fundamental contradictions of social life are resolved. V.I. Lenin wrote: “The social revolution is not one battle, but an era of a whole series of battles on all and sundry issues of economic and democratic transformation...”.
In its development, the revolution goes through a number of stages, each of which prepares the conditions for the next. In the most general form, seven main stages can be distinguished here: 1) the conflict between the new productive forces and the old production relations, 2) a significant increase in the revolutionary activity of the masses, 3) the crisis of the “tops,” 4) the crisis of the “bottoms,” 5) the development of a revolutionary theory and its dissemination among the masses, 6) the creation of a revolutionary party (organization) and its leadership of the masses, 7) consolidation of the results of the revolution (Fig. 18.1).
Of course, in any given revolution, various kinds of deviations from this scheme are possible (large fragmentation of periods, unclear transitions, their incompleteness, etc.). Seven stages characterize logic revolutionary process in the most general form. For a social revolution to mature, objective and subjective prerequisites are necessary. What are they?
Rice. 18.1.
- Lenin V.I. Full collection Op. T. 27. P. 62.