The Russian Revolution

The Comintern - organising to fight for a global revolution

Revolutionaries formed the Comintern 100 years ago. Simon Basketter says this was a world-shaping event and that its activities still hold lessons for socialists today

A tradition of global solidarity

Some on the left argue that defending the EU is about the values of cooperation. But the history of international working class struggle is very different

The revolution didn’t have to lead to a new ruling class

The victory of Joseph Stalin’s counter revolution and the rise of a bureaucracy that exploited workers was not inevitable

Civil War laid the basis for the end of the Russian Revolution

The bloodshed of the civil war shows that the ruling class will do anything to stop revolution

Workers needed to seize power in 1917 or risk defeat

Some critics argue that the Russian Revolution was ‘premature’—but there was no time to lose

Posters and photos reignite the visions of Russia’s revolt in Red Star Over Russia

A new design exhibition in London gives a graphic illustration of the impact of revolution and counter-revolution in Russia after 1917, writes?Nadia Sayed

Celebrating the 1917 Russian Revolution - and debating the lessons for today

07 November 2017
Hundreds of people marked the centenary of the Russian Revolution at the Celebrating 1917 conference in central London last Saturday.

1917 - when workers shook the world

31 October 2017
The Russian Revolution of October 1917 is the most important event in human history. For centuries ordinary people had dreamed of a world without the rule of emperors, kings, generals and the rich. Some gave their lives fighting for such change.

How workers won in 1917

31 October 2017
The Provisional Government assembled in the Winter Palace at 9pm on 25 October to “work out methods for the resolute and final liquidation of the Bolsheviks”.

The revolution was defeated - but it didn't have to be

31 October 2017
Within a decade of the revolution a regime was taking shape in Russia that pushed back everything revolutionaries had fought for.

Billionaires are getting even richer

29 October 2017
“It has been a good week for billionaires,” wrote the editor-in-chief of MoneyWeek in the Financial Times on Saturday.

The Russian Revolution was democratic. Holding it back was not

02 October 2017
The October uprising had broad support from workers—unlike the parliamentary efforts to hold it back

Was there a parliamentary alternative to revolution?

26 September 2017
Workers in revolt lost faith in the capitalist parliament—and looked towards a better system

Trotsky—the leader who armed the workers’ movement

19 September 2017
Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky was at the forefront of the 1917 Revolution

Workers in revolt needed newspapers of their own

12 September 2017
Workers’ councils and political parties set up newspapers to counter the lies of the rich—and to organise the struggle against them in the Russian Revolution of 1917