Communism: 100 Years On

by Henry Percival

Lenin addresses a crowd in St Petersburg, 1917

Depending on what calendar you follow, this month will mark 100 years since the Provisional Government fell in Russia, and the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin took over (Russia used to use the Julian calendar, as opposed to the Gregorian calendar we use so they were always a month behind. The October revolution took place in November if you follow the Gregorian calendar.) This could perhaps be described as communism’s finest hour. The communist dynasty would last in the USSR until Boxing Day 1991. Throughout these 74 years, it would reach many more countries and start regimes which still exist to this day.

Where does the idea of communism come from? Most ideals and communist beliefs are based on Marxism. This was an ideology conceived by German sociologist Karl Marx in the mid nineteenth century. He believed in collective property and a classless society. These beliefs gained support from many people throughout the European continent, but there were no successful revolutions until the Russian Revolution.

In 1917, there were two revolutions in Russia: the February Revolution, when Tsar Nicholas II abdicated, and the Provisional government took over. The second was the October Revolution, when, as previously mentioned, the Bolsheviks seized power from the Provisional government. This brought an end to Russia’s involvement in the First World War (they signed the Treaty of Brest Litovsk with Germany and lost land to them). But how did the Bolsheviks manage to gather enough support to overthrow the provisional government? 

One reason is their Leader, Vladimir Lenin. In his April Theses he proclaimed “Peace, Land and Bread” and “All Power to the Soviets!” This former is what the people of Russia wanted most. In the 100 years prior, there had been many reforms from various different Tsars, giving the serfs land and then taking it away from them. The Bolsheviks were superbly organised. The Red Guards, organised by the brilliant Trotsky, were well-trained and ruthless. They took over the government almost bloodlessly and almost without anyone noticing. And, finally, the Provisional government was useless. The Russian people wanted to pull out of the war, and the PG did not do this.

This communist dynasty in Russia lasted until Boxing Day 1991 and spread to many countries, particularly in Asia. China, North Korea and Vietnam all fell to communism, as they had revolutionaries who had the same beliefs as their Russian predecessors. The latter two countries that fell led to wars during the Cold War period. From 1950 to 1953, the Korean War was fought. The communist North Korea, supported by USSR and China, were fighting against South Korea, who were supported by the US and with some support from Great Britain. The war ended and the communist north remained communist (and still does to this day, being led by a considerably questionable leader). The next war was the Vietnam War. This war was basically the US trying to keep and contain South Vietnam from falling to communism. The North, led by Ho Chi Minh, was trying to capture the south, which was supported by the US. This conflict lasted 20 years, and in this time the US had 4 presidents: Dwight Eisenhower, John F Kennedy, Lyndon B Johnson and Richard Nixon. The war caused discomfort back in the US as the public did not want to have any involvement with the war, as it was costing them money and the lives of soldiers.

Communism even managed to reach the doorstep of America when it arrived in Cuba. Led by Fidel Castro, his brother Raul and Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara, South American communists managed to overthrow dictator Fulgencio Batista. Batista was backed by the US but near the time of his of premiership, they withdrew their support for him by isolating him and placing an arms embargo on him. Batista fled Cuba on 1 January 1959, with Castro’s forces taking the capital Havana hours later. This all but confirmed one of the USA’s biggest fears. A communist neighbour. A country that had been fighting for some years to defeat communism in Asia had managed to let it on to its doorstep. Communism in Cuba led to the Cuban Missile Crisis. USSR wanted to place nuclear warheads on the tropical island, which the US obviously did not like. The tension nearly brought about a nuclear war between the two superpowers. It didn’t, however, and in the aftermath of the incident, a hotline between the US and USSR was established.

So what about communism today? Well if you have been following recent new, you will know that North Korea led by Rocket Man, Kim Jong Un have been causing problems as they claim to have finally developed a working nuclear missile that can reach the US. Several test launches have taken place, with missiles being fired over Japan and landing in the sea. Obviously this has caused tension between the US and North Korea, with Kim Jong Un threatening to ‘sink’ Japan and reduce US to ‘ashes and darkness’. Trump’s Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, and he are both in agreement with how to deal with this regime, and are both working to avoid escalating the tension.