Sociology and Space, No. 75-76, 1982.
Original scientific paper
A Comparative Approach to the Study of the Peasantry in the Socialist Revolution
Ivan Cifrić
Abstract
The author gives his own approach
to a possible theoretic-hypothetic
study of the relationship between
the socialist revolution and the
peasantry. The article is given in the
form of theses without any detailed
elaboration. Its purpose is to
stress the need for a comparative
study of the position and role of
the peasantry in the socialist
revolution. The starting supposition
is that this subject has not been
sufficiently analysed in modern
research, and that in most cases
insight into the problem is only
partial. That is why the author
considers it necessary to approach
comparative study from two aspects.
It is necessary to analyze both the
relationship between the peasantry
and the socialist revolution, and to
make a comparison between
socialist revolutions that have been
carried out to date (Chinese,
Russian, Yugoslav). The author also
indicates revolutions that took place
in a somewhat different,
»un-classical« historical context
(Algeria, Cuba etc.).
For each of the mentioned aspects
the author gives several basic
theses. For the problem of the
relationship between the peasantry
and the socialist revolution he
stresses: 1. a deviation from Marx’s
classic »model«; 2. historical
conditions determining the position
of the peasantry and other classes;
3. the role of war; for socialism
(and the socialist revolution) the
peasantry is a mortgage of
capitalism; 5. the social, ideological
and political level of the
relationship between the peasantry
and the proletariat; 6. the continuity of industrial development from
undeveloped capitalism to the
adoption of industry as the basis
of development in socialism; 7.
socialism is the historical limit of
the peasantry, and it offers it an
»existential alternative« through
the process of integration and
through transition into other social
strata.
Comparing socialist revolutions it is
necessary to analyse elements of
similarity and difference, i.e. what
is historically indigenous to a
revolution. In the case of
similarities 'the author considers: 1.
the fact that in the (October,
Chinese, Yugoslav) socialist
revolution the historical foundation
was undeveloped capitalism; 2. that
class struggle took place; 3. that
war was an important element in
the revolution itself; 4. the maturity
of the avaint-guarde (the Communist
Party) that lead the revolution; 5.
the physical base was made up by
the peasantry with all its specific
characteristics (historical); 6. the
development of bodies of new
proletarian government; 7. the
relationship towards the peasantry.
The author also lists some theses
that are specific to a certain
revolution: 1. differences in the
scope of the social basis of the
revolution; 2. the village and the
town as the site of class struggle; 3.
the existence of elements of two
forms of government during the
revolution; 4. the relationship
towards war (peace, rebellion etc.).
The author attempts to approach
integrally possible theoretic-
-hypothetical bases for comparative
research into the relationship
between the socialist revolution(s)
and the peasantry.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
119608
URI
Publication date:
15.6.1982.
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