Communist revolution

Quick Facts: Who was Communist revolution?

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Communist revolution

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A proletarian revolution inspired by Marxism to abolish class distinctions.

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Origins & Early Life

A communist revolution is a proletarian revolution inspired by the ideas of Marxism that aims to replace a nation's economic system with communism. Depending on the type of government, the term socialism can be used to indicate an intermediate stage between capitalism and communism and may be the goal of the revolution, especially in Marxist–Leninist views. The idea that a proletarian revolution is needed is a cornerstone of Marxism; Marxists contend that the workers of the world must unite and free themselves from capitalist production relations, establishing transitional workers' states that socializes the means of production and ultimately abolishing all class distinctions and the state itself to form a classless society. Thus, in the Marxist view, proletarian revolutions need to happen internationally. Karl Marx saw revolution as a necessity for communism, where the revolution would be based on class struggle led by the organised proletariat to overthrow capitalism and the bourgeoisie, followed by the establishment of a dictatorship of the proletariat.

Career & Major Achievements

Leninism argues that a communist revolution must be led by a vanguard of "professional revolutionaries", men and women who are fully dedicated to the communist cause and who can then form the nucleus of the revolutionary movement. Thus meaning that under Lenin's framework a communist revolution is not necessarily a proletarian revolution. Some Marxists, such as Rosa Luxemburg, disagree with the idea of a vanguard as put forth by Lenin, especially left communists. Another line of criticisms insist that the entire working class—or at least a large part of it—must be deeply involved and equally committed to the socialist or communist cause in order for a proletarian revolution to be successful. To this end, they seek to build massive communist parties with very large memberships.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The following is a list of successful and unsuccessful communist revolutions and coups throughout history. Success is measured solely by the successful overthrow of the existing order and does not imply an assessment whether the resulting order was in fact communist. Among the lesser-known revolutions, a number of borderline revolutions have been included which may or may not have been communist revolutions. The nature of unsuccessful revolutions is particularly contentious since one can only speculate as to the kinds of policies that would have been implemented by the revolutionaries had they achieved victory. 1917–1923: The October Revolution and the subsequent Russian Civil War led to the establishment of the Soviet Union.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1917: 1917 Milestone — 1917–1923: The October Revolution and the subsequent Russian Civil War led to the establishment of the Soviet Union.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Communist revolution

True or False: “The Marxist view suggests that a successful communist revolution can be achieved solely through the efforts of an organized vanguard party, regardless of broader worker support.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Marxists contend that while class struggle is key, the entire working class must be deeply involved and equally committed for a proletarian revolution to succeed.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdullah al-Sallal — Historical peer (Born in 1917) (1917): Yemeni military officer and revolutionary who led the North Yemeni Revolution of 1962.
• Adolf von Baeyer — Historical peer (Died in 1917) (1917): Pioneering German chemist known for indigo synthesis and IUPAC nomenclature.
• Aaron Spelling — Historical peer (Born in 1923) (1923): Pioneering American producer of hit TV series like Dynasty and Beverly Hills, 90210.
• Ahmet Ertegun — Historical peer (Born in 1923) (1923): Pioneering Turkish-American music executive, co-founder of Atlantic Records.

Frequently Asked Questions about Communist revolution