CHAPTER: 02
DYNAMICS OF REVOLUTIONARY SOCIAL
CHANGE_________________________________________
Looking at history one finds the two features of change in
society & state ----- one is slow and unconscious evolutionary
development. The change, primarily quantitative, leads gradually,
to the qualitative change. The major role behind the change is
played by the forces of production & changes in production
processes. Thus the social change makes an impact on the divisions
of classes which is reflected in the economic systems, state
structure and in the changes in ideologies and cultures.
The evolutionary quantitative change leads to the changes in the
classes for the society and gradually prepares the society for the
qualitative change. The process of change which was unconscious
initially, results in conscious form. The element of revolutionary
change is embedded in the conscious process of change. The
revolutionary changes with its success and failures give birth to a
new historical situation. It causes the replacement of the ruling
class in the state and the society. A new class appears in the wake
of the revolution. The new ruling class creates a new state and
legitimatizes its acceptability by the constitutional process.The
whole process is not, in the Marxian sense, unilateral but spiral
and zigzag.History proceeds through revolution and counter
revolution towards the goal of communism through the stage of
socialism. Indeed the way of liberation of men from exploitation by
men lies only in the communist society. Instead of splitting,
communism helps in the enfoldment of human beings in totality. The
new human beings free from the shackles of economic bondage and
deprivation will enjoy the ecstasy of creation being identified
with nature and society.
On the question of revolution two issues need discussion
-------- (a) Bourgeois revolution and (b) Proletarian
revolution.
Bourgeois revolution: In the changes in steps of history
(class-ridden society) aristocracy, monarchy, slave and feudal
systems appeared more or less in different states. The various
manifestations also were found in various ways. The process of
change did not occur in one or two centuries. It continued for
centuries together ---sometimes through evolutionary and sometimes
in revolutionary paths. The development of bourgeois class began
from the early stage of the civilization when human beings started
home and foreign trade. Merchant capitalists and mercantile
capitalists were present in aristocracy, slave system, monarchy and
other forms of state systems. These classes, misappropriating
surplus value of the working class, enriched themselves in the
light of indigenous and alien experiences from the early times
still they could not appear as the ruling class due to the
historical and social limitations.From the last phase of the
medieval period, the fourteenth century, the colossal change in the
knowledge sciences, arts, literature, and geographical discovery
resulted in the European Renaissance. It opened the opportunities
to make different states not only of Europe but also of Africa
& Asia to come close.This situation led to the increasing
demand of commodities in the expanded market. The bourgeois class
was developing in the womb of monarchy from its embryonic
shape.Although the bourgeois developed in monarchial system, it was
never in the straight linear way. It proceeds sometimes through the
conflict and sometimes through the cooperation stages. This
conflict resolutionconflict gradually formed the total stature into
the role of the ruling class.Admittedly, two most important
historical events in Europe ---- the Industrial revolution in
England and the French revolution, occurred in the 18th century.
The bourgeois class established its dominance through these two
revolutions, not only in Europe but also across the world.While the
ruling class, the feudal lords receded back with the emergence of
the superior forces of production, there appeared the hegemony of
the new ruling class---the bourgeois. Other classes of the society
also welcomed the libertarian role of the bourgeois throughout the
world the bourgeois class established its authority over the former
exploiting ruling class and the exploited working class.The
hegemony of the bourgeois class did not appear in a particular
decade. A long battle of the economic, political, ideological and
cultural character was waged under the leadership of this class. It
developed gradually, its own philosophy, ideology, culture,
literature which was more progressive than those of the old feudal
system.At the same time it is a fact that the bourgeois economy was
nurtured in the feudal economy. With the decadence of the feudal
economy the feudal state became dependent, ultimately on the
bourgeois economy. The bourgeois tactfully utilized on the plea of
the pseudo-progressive slogan, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity ,
where the exploitation and repression of the feudal lords made the
common people discontent.
The bourgeois demonstrated that democratic rights could exist
only in the capitalistic system . The political scenario changed in
England after the Industrial revolution in peaceful way. On the
other hand, the French revolution happened through a long term
blood-stained way. Since then the bourgeois dominance has been
expanding in different parts of Europe and across the world.
Having emerged the ruling class, the bourgeois created the world
market for tightening their grip at the global level and exposed
their imperialistic character by accumulating surplus value by the
naked exploitation of industrial worker. In this way, they deviated
from the progressive role which endeared them to the people.
Historical materialism rightly holds the emergence of the
working class against the antagonistic bourgeois. The two opposite
classes give birth to the socialist consciousness leading towards
the communist society. The socialist state brings out the
philosophy , ideology, economy, culture and new types of state. The
discussion so far is assumed to be broadly speaking,
non-controversial. But the debate arises on another issue dwelt on
the next chapter.
Before we discuss on those points let us place some topics in a
nutshell to be elaborated in next chapters.
1.The bourgeois revolution occurred after the establishment of
the hegemony of the bourgeois.
2.The bourgeois economy owed its origin to the feudal system and
attained maturity before the revolution.
3.Owing to the proximity of its existence to the state
structure, the bourgeois acquired primary experiences in the
conduct of the state in the post-revolution stage.
4.The bourgeois provided civil and political rights, freedom of
thought ,expression and the press pluralistic consciousness.
5.It is evident that the above mentioned freedoms were
manifested in politicalpluralism and in the application of
universal adult franchise with the foundationof the elaborate
electoral arrangements.
6 The bourgeois planned to safeguard the capitalist system by
providing variousinstitutions, for example, educational, judicial,
press etc and other provisionslike human rights, rights of the
working class and the peasants to from unions,etc.Such formal
changes aimed to make the bourgeois rule legitimate to thepeople
along with the public recognition of a new form of
exploitation.
7. It does not need any philosophical discussion that the
capitalist state is based on
exploitation. Hence experience makes it amply clear that the
bourgeoisdemocracy as well as political rights mean protection and
amassing of privaterights.
Few would disagree that the right to private property being
guaranteed under the constitution, no grand cause of human
liberation, democracy, and rights can attain the zenith as
everything is chained in the institution of private property.
The limitations of the bourgeois economy and its exploitation
drove the direction of history to the alternative system. Great
Marx, Engel and Lenin led the prolonged political-ideological
battle to realize this process of alternative path. This resulted
in the founding of the proletarian revolution under the
proletariats under the bold leadership of Lenin in 1917.This
historic event proclaimed the emergence of a new horseman who
inspired the whole of the world. Humanity began to recognize the
new leader and anew in the hope of the liberation. Since the
October revolution of 1917, new philosophy, (materialistic
philosophy) ideology, new literature, culture started to emerge.
Reaching the goal of the communist society is not of course simple
and easy. Marx holds that history proceeds in a spiral and zigzag
course.
The boundless hope generated by the appearance of the great
leader was rocked within a century.
Many factors may be held responsible for this debacle: the
leadership, contradiction in the international front, the fascist
form of bourgeois state ---- central matter is historical
limitations.
This historical limitation is due to the failure for
establishing the hegemony of proletarian class among the toiling
masses. This failure is not only due to the leader of the working
class, that is , the communist parties of different countries and
communist international, but also for uneven development of
capitalism and inner contradiction of imperialism. The imperialist
and capitalist forces have been able to maintain their hegemony in
most of the countries of the world by different tactics utilizing
this unequal development of the capitalism and difference of people
of many nations and countries. At the same time , the weakness of
the proletarian class and their leadership who are unable to
evaluate the changing situation of the world of the capitalist
strategies , so they are continuing their class exploitation and
class rule by maintaining capitalist class system.
In the next chapters, attempt will be to search out the various
limitations in the process of the onward march of socialism.
