“Socialist Experiments of the Last Century and Path of New Socialist Revolution in the Current Century”

The great October Revolution of 1917 was undoubtedly an earth shattering event which impacted the life of the toiling masses, not just in Russia but across the world. It achieved success in establishing a socialist system that guaranteed equitable distribution of resources, provision of basic needs, and social justice for its people. It set an unparalleled model which drew plaudits from humanist intellectuals, and inspired generations of workers, peasants and other sections of the toiling masses all over the world to struggle for such a model of development. Sadly however, this first socialist experiment in the history of humanity ended in a setback. Historians as well as political activists have been engaged in analysing the causes of the defeat of the socialist experiments of the 20th century and the restoration of capitalism.

But, the global capitalist system today is itself undergoing an incurable structural crisis. It is hurtling us towards human and ecological devastation. Clearly, the objective conditions of revolution are ripening again. Yet, the subjective forces of revolution all over the world suffer from stagnation and disarray. Widespread dogmatic thinking prevailing within the communist movement in India and the world, is a hurdle that blocks the path of an organized socialist movement against the all-round capitalist onslaught. Since the modus operandi of capital has undergone fundamental changes in the last few decades, the need of the hour is to bring about necessary changes in the strategies and tactics of mobilization of the working class towards the aim of bringing about the new socialist revolution in the 21st century.

There can be no better occasion to ponder over the prospects of such a revolution than the centenary year of the great October Revolution, hence a talk on “Socialist Experiments of the Last Century and Path of New Socialist Revolution in the Current Century” by Mr.Shashi Prakash, who is a Marxist thinker, revolutionary Hindi poet, political activist and editor of the Marxist theoretical journal ‘The Anvil’. He has carried out extensive study and research on the problems of socialist transition and capitalist restoration.