The civil war which was started by the Cadet-Kaledin counter-revolutionary revolt against the Soviet authorities, against the workers' and peasants' government, has finally brought the class struggle to a head and has destroyed every chance of setting in a formally democratic way the very acute problems with which history has confronted the peoples of Russia, and in the first place her working class and peasants.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Lenin says the civil war, sparked by counter‑revolutionaries, forced class struggle to a climax and blocked democratic solutions.
- In plain terms
- The civil war intensified class conflict and prevented democratic reforms.
- What can you take from it?
- Violent upheaval can derail democratic attempts at solving social problems.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Can democracy survive amid civil war?
- What alternatives exist to violent class struggle?
Another view
The analysis attributes all outcomes to the war, ignoring other factors.
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