The October Revolution remains a seismic moment in the history of the world: WPI

The Workers Party of Ireland, together with our comrades across the world, celebrates the 108th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution led by Lenin and the Bolshevik Party, on 25 October (7 November) 1917. The October Revolution remains a seismic moment in the history of the world. For the first time in human history, workers proved their ability to overthrow the capitalist order and establish a workers’ state.

By establishing the world’s first socialist state, the Bolsheviks set the stage for the creation of the Soviet Union, an event that would profoundly shape the future and lay the basis for the political, social and economic liberation of humankind by creating a new social system which abolished private ownership of the means of production, rejected the barbarism of capital and created the conditions for the establishment of a new type of civilization where the working class were masters of their own destiny.

Life expectancy and literacy levels were increased, the living conditions and material well-being of the people were improved and the health and education of citizens was secured. The October Revolution created the basis for material and social advancement, for the transfer of power to the working people, the creators of wealth, and provided the workers with the opportunity, through their labour and struggle, to build the social, political, economic and cultural conditions which offered the prospect of a free and fulfilled life.

The Great October Socialist Revolution transformed the world. For the first time in history the revolutionary ideas of Marx and Engels were translated into practice vindicating the principles of Marxism-Leninism through the establishment of a workers’ state. It commenced a new stage in international solidarity and encouraged and inspired the international revolutionary movement.

The lessons of the October Revolution remain valid. As capitalism continues to generate war, poverty and catastrophic climate change, workers can build a world free of inequality, exploitation and oppression. The October Revolution has shown that socialism can be made a reality. Through revolutionary struggle the world can be changed and workers have a new socialist world to win.

Workers Party of Ireland