RUSSIA 1917-1967
A Socialist Analysis

Preface
In 1948 we published a pamphlet ‘Russia Since 1917: Socialist Views of Bolshevik Policy’, consisting of a reprint of articles from our journal THE SOCIALIST STANDARD during the years 1915-48.

The following note appeared in the Preface:

“In the articles themselves, no attempt has been made to interfere with the original text. The articles stand just as they are written.
We have nothing to fear from letting our original words stand. There are, it is true, passages in some of the earlier articles which, were we writing them today in the light of information now available, we would phrase differently; but these are points of detail. In essentials, the articles stand as overwhelmingly testimony to the soundness of the Marxist position – the position of the Socialist Party of Great Britain.”

When the pamphlet was sold out and the question arose of issuing a new edition, it was decided not to repeat the old form – reprinted articles – but to have it as a new pamphlet covering the same ground along with developments since 1948; with the same purpose as before, to show the soundness of the attitude adopted by the Socialist Party of Great Britain from the outset. The reader may ask why we think it important to understand the theories and actions of those who came to power in Russia in 1917 and those who have governed for half a century.


Now that Russia is a great world power does it matter what deceptions and self-deceptions marked the course of development? It matters vitally to the workers of all countries because the same wrong theories are still impeding the achievement of Socialism.

 The urgent need of our time is the replacement of capitalism by a world-wide socialist system of society. This requires clear understanding of the socialist objective and of the means by which alone it can be reached. In particular it requires appreciation of the reasons why Socialism was impossible in Russia in 1917 – as was pointed out by the Socialist Party of Great Britain at the time – and of the deception practised by the so-called Communist governments in Russia, China and elsewhere of describing as ‘socialist’ the State Capitalism that in fact is their prevailing system. They have not introduced Socialism, nor are they trying to introduce Socialism.

The reader is reminded that we consistently use the term Socialism for the kind of classless social system described in our Object and Declaration of Principles. Some writers have used Communism in the same sense, as is shown in Chapters 2, 3 and 6. Much confusion is caused by the misuse of one or other of these terms to apply to nationalisation or the social system in Russia, for both of which the proper description is State capitalism. It is the purpose of this pamphlet to clear away confusion and help forward the victory of the socialist movement.

Executive Committee
SOCIALIST PARTY OF GREAT BRITAIN
March, 1967




Introduction


    THE SOCIALIST PARTY OF GREAT BRITAIN has always held that the system of society known as Socialism becomes possible only at a certain stage in the forward march of mankind. It depends firstly on the growth of the powers of production,
transport and communication to the level at which the provision of the necessities and amenities of a full life could, with proper organisation and social planning, be assured for the whole population. Capitalism solved this technical problem long enough ago
through the development of great industrial plants and machinery and the breaking down of the physical barriers which formerly kept people in different parts of the world isolated from each other. It depends secondly on the growth of working class organisation on a world-wide basis united by understanding of socialist ideas, and by agreement on the democratic political action necessary to replace capitalism by Socialism.

 The two conditions interact with each other. The second could not proceed the first and, as experience has shown, the growth of socialist understanding and organisation actually lags far behind the advance of productive capacity.
Since one country can learn from another and the industrially more advanced could help the less advanced, it is not necessary for the latter to go through all the historical phases of capitalism. On the other hand, it is not possible for one country alone to leap forward into Socialism in a predominantly capitalist and hostile world.

 By this token it was not possible for Russia in 1917 to achieve Socialism. Russia lacked both the necessary productive capacity and the necessary acceptance of socialist idea by the population; nor was the small socialist movement in other countries in a position to help by overthrowing capitalism. In that situation nothing could save Russia from having to develop along capitalist lines.The position held by the Socialist Party of Great Britain on this question of the  advance towards Socialism is essentially Marxian.
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