Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Great Socialist October Revolution

Harpal Brar gives a message of greeting message on the significance of the 100th anniversary of the Great Socialist October Revolution.

We will be holding a centenary celebration of this festival of progressive humanity in Southall, west London, on Saturday 4th November, at 4.30pm.

Get your ticket here.

Read more about the October Revolution here.

The October revolution was an event of unsurpassed historical impact; an event which literally shook the world and has shaped the 20th century.

For it at once sounded the death knell of imperialism and clearly indicated the future path of humanity’s development – namely socialism.

Lenin, commenting in 1918 on the influence of the USSR upon the proletarians of all countries said:

“The example of the Soviet Republic will stand before them for a long time to come. Our Socialist Republic of Soviets will stand secure as a torch of international socialism and as an example to all the labouring masses. Over there – conflict, war, bloodshed, the sacrifice of millions of lives, capitalist exploitation; here – a genuine policy of peace and a Socialist Republic of Soviets”.

The Russian revolution, that started with the storming of the winter palace in St Petersburg (Renamed Leningrad after the revolution) on 7th November 1917 was a mighty uprising of the working and toiling masses, who under the leadership of the Bolsheviks overthrew Tsarist feudal and capitalist exploitation, quitting the slaughter of WW1, and establishing the rule of the Soviets: councils of working-class men and women, peasant farmers, rank-and-file soldiers and sailors.

It was the Soviet revolution, with the Russian workers’ demand for “peace land and bread”, and the rising rebellion of workers in all countries, fed up to their back teeth of the charnel house of mechanised trench warfare, fought without sense, for the super profits of the imperial exploiters, that brought an end to the world war.

The young Soviet government sued for peace, but after WW1 was invaded by the armed forces of no fewer than 14 capitalist and imperialist powers (including the US, Canada, Britain, Germany, Japan, France, Finland, Latvia and Poland) intent on restoring class rule and exploitation. For they were terrified of the example that the Bolshevik revolution set to their own exploited workers and colonial slaves – upon whose continued forced labour, all their wealth and privilege was founded.

The Bolsheviks united their liberated territories under the policy of war communism and won a heroic victory against the combined forces of domestic and world reaction, emerging bruised but unbowed from the 4-year war of intervention in 1921, more determined than ever to build a new socialist society, worthy of the sacrifices they had made to win their freedom.

The Soviet union was built in the most difficult conditions of hostile imperialist encirclement, yet incredible progresses was made in the project of building an advanced Socialist economy capable of meeting the material and spiritual needs of the working masses.

Illiteracy was eradicated, the masses were educated and enlightened, higher technology, science, and culture was adopted, and brought to bear on all the problems facing the burgeoning Soviet development. It was a truly unparalleled renaissance in human culture.

Moreover, the Soviet people were aware they were building an advanced outpost in the struggle of the world proletariat for its emancipation and every effort was taken to exploit differences in the front of imperialism and aid and assist the struggles of the international working class and colonial masses.

During this period, after Lenin’s death in 1924, the baton of leadership passed to Joseph Stalin. And it is the incredible successes scored by Soviet socialism that have won the enduring hatred of the international bourgeoisie to Stalin, who was himself but one generation removed from surfedom. They have never forgotten the humiliating defeats they suffered at the hands of this Georgian ‘colonial upstart’.

Stalin’s relentless pursuit of the classes struggle, and deep hatred of exploitation can be guaged from his writings:

“The capitalists are our implacable enemies. Their wealth is built upon our poverty; their joy upon our misery”

It is precisely such lessons of world shaking successes, won but the working masses under the leadership of the Marxist-Leninist (third) communist international, that we need to revisit and relearn in today’s crisis-ridden monopoly capitalist world.

Join us to celebrate this festival of progressive humanity!