POWER & VISION

Precepts of Revolutionary Socialism

Precepts of Revolutionary Socialism

Introduction

Revolutionary socialism refers to change on a political basis; it is the transition of the throne from the elite class of government to the working class of the society. This revolution was brought by the many revolutionary movements that led the mass population to participate and be a part of the revolution. The basic concept of revolutionary socialism is to encourage the working class of the society and give them the equal rights to other classes of the society. The aim of writing this paper is to evaluate and discuss the precepts of revolutionary socialism.

Revolutionary Socialism

Revolutionary socialism is the socialist tendencies that adapt the beliefs that in order to bring structural changes in the society, the social revolution is necessary. Specifically, it is the belief that achieving transition to socialism from capitalism, revolution is necessary. Here, revolution does not mean a violent and aggressive rebellion, but it is the idea of capturing the working class through mass movement and political power. This revolution aims that the working class directly controls the state as against the capitalist class and its interest. Revolutionary socialism is consisted on multiple political and social movements. These movements include movements based on the theory of Orthodox Marxist like impossibilism, Luxemburgism and DeLeonism, and movements based on the theory of Vanguardist & Leninism like Marxism-Leninism, Maoism and Trotskyism. Revolutionary socialism also includes some non-Marxist movements like Democratic socialism, revolutionary syndicalism and anarchism. Revolutionary socialism is usually used as an opposite of Reformism of social democracy that is not anti-capitalist in form. Revolutionary socialism is against the social movements that aim to slowly ameliorate the social problems and economic problems of capitalism by political reforms. It also opposed the Blanquism which are small groups wanted to seize the power without achieving mass support (Mann, 1987, pp.339-354).

According to Karl Kautsky “Those who reject political revolution as the principal means of social transformation, or wish to detain this to such measures as have been granted by the ruling class are social reformers, no matter how much their social ideas may antagonize existing social forms. On the contrary, anyone is a revolutionist who seeks to conquer the political power for a previously demoralized class, and he does not lose this character if he prepares and hastens this invasion by social reforms wrested from the ruling classes. It is not the striving after social reforms but unambiguous confining of one's self to them which distinguishes the social reformer from the revolutionist”.

These words truly depict the picture and idea of revolutionary socialism. Karl Kautsky propagated the idea that revolution takes place when an individual takes a stand against the demoralized ruling class.

Origin of Revolutionary Socialism

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels gave the basic idea of revolution, and many scholars have agreed on it that their definition of revolution refers to the complete change of economic and social nature by an immense majority of mass movement. They pointed out that if ruling elite class would not oppose this ...