This October marks the 100-year anniversary of the 1917 Russian Revolution that led to the creation of the first communist state. The corporate media has been awfully silent in remembering communist history, as well as in condemning violent communist rioters.
The effects Marxism and communism have had on global society over the last century have been devastating and unmistakable, which is why it is incredibly important to remind ourselves of the destruction and atrocities that can take place under the guise of democracy, prosperity, and altruism.
The Russian Revolution consisted of two revolutions taking place in February and October of 1917 that led to the creation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The first revolution took place when riots broke out over food scarcity. When a garrison of soldiers joined the riots, Tsar Nicholas II was forced to give up the throne. This ended over 300 years of rule by the Romanov dynasty.
A temporary government was created by the Russian legislative assembly, but it would soon prove weaker than the Petrograd (St. Petersburg) Soviet of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies, a representative body of the city’s workers and soldiers.
On March 1 the Soviet issued its Order No. 1, which instructed the military to only obey the Soviet. The only thing stopping the Soviet from declaring itself the government was fear of a conservative coup attempt. The ensuing months would feature the Soviet increasing its connection with the sentiments of the people, gaining sweeping popularity, attempting but failing at a coup, and increasing its control over the legislature.
On October 24-25 the Bolsheviks and the Left Socialist Revolutionaries stormed government buildings, occupied telegraph stations, and took control of other strategic locations. With that coup came the creation of the USSR, which would be a one-party dictatorship for most of its existence.
Communism killed nearly 100 million people in the 20th century, making it the leading ideological killer in those 100 years. This came mostly as a result of starvation caused by communal farming and the nationalization of essentially all industry, but also due to the brutally violent governments required to enforce communist economic and social planning.
It is important that we remember the victims of communism, that we understand precisely what communism is and why it is inherently set to fail, and that we learn from history so we do not repeat it.