Sociology and Space, No. 18, 1967.
Review article
The Peasantry and Agrarian Question in the October Revolution
Stipe Šuvar
Abstract
The alliance of workers and peasants was an essential condition for the
victory of the October Revolution, the first successful socialist revolution in the
world. Although Lenin gave sufficient theoretical explanation for the necessity ol
the participation of peasants in the October Revolution, contemporary Marxists
are faced with the task of continuing to study closely the experiences of the
Uctobei Revolution and other socialist revolutions when dealing with the a°rarian
and peasant questions. &
This task has acquired additional urgency through the fact that a detailed
analysis ol the participation ol peasants in socialist revolutions — ranging from
the October Revolution, the Chinese and the Yugoslav revolutions to the Cuban
and other revolutions — can promote a better understanding of the nature and
trends of national liberation movements and struggles of the present era whose
initial stages as a rule bear the features of peasant revolutions (in respect of the
forces and immediate programmes involved).
The author tries to make a modest contribution to the study of the agrarian
question and the role of the peasantry in the October Revolution by discussing
briefly certam characterastics of the history of the agrarian question in Russia
and Europe during the period before the Revolution.
f ^The f-rS^ fe,wPart the author’s longer paper are published in this number
of the periodical. In a few next numbers there will be published the other parts.
In this number published article, the author discusses the agrarian problems in
bourgeois revolutions in Europe through the 19th century, results of the restricted
developments capitalism in Russia after 1861 and theoretical conflicts in solutions
of the agrarian question in the Russian bourgeois revolution.
Jhe two Russian bourgeois democratic revolutions which preceded the socialist
0ct°der Revolution hid not settle the agrarian question because of the treachery
of the bourgeoisie The bourgeoisie entered into alliance with the feudal class
tearing lest the proletariat should seize power. As a result these revolutions did
not resolve the agrarian question even to which it was solved bv the bourgeois
revolutions m Europe in the 19th century and even before. "
What marked the situation in Russia in particular was the fact that the
agianan programme aroused clashes and ideological disputes between the Marxist
conception, the Populist conception and the conception of liberal capitalism The
author briefly discusses the essence of these disputes.
The author analysis particularly theoretical basis and practical consequences
of the populism conception.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
118640
URI
Publication date:
14.12.1967.
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