Bolshevism: Promises and Reality by G. Maximov

Description

Introduction

This pamphlet has a unique interest in that it is written by a man who took an active part in the Russian revolution and who also has a profound knowledge of the theoretical side of the various revolutionary movements. It has the advan-tage, therefore, of combining theoretical knowledge with practical experience.

Our comrade G. Maximov as a scholar and a revolutionist, has rendered a distinguished service to the anarchist movement. He is the author of a number of books, pamphlets, and articles interpreting various phases or anarchism and has lectured exten-sively on the subject. A comprehensive work by him on the teachings of Bakunin is soon to be published.

For more than a half century, there have been two main opposing schools of revolutionary thought. Both can agree on the necessity of abolishing capitalism and private property but they are irreconcilable on the matter of structure of the revolu-tionary society.

The followers of Karl Marx believe in centralization and authority, a powerful state which shall guide the revolution and the new social order. The Anarchists of whom Michael Bakunin and Peter Kropotkin have been leading exponents insist that the state as well as capitalism must go. They believe in a free fed-erated society with its members organized in self governing groups, factories, mills, consumers, cooperatives, etc., these groups cooperating by mutual agreement with the maximum possible freedom for all. The Anarchists have always predicted that should the Marxist idea ever prevail it would mean the defeat of economic emancipation and the substitution of So-cialist bureaucrats and politicians for our present masters. In his magnificent work The Great French Revolution Kropotkin showed that the French Revolution was stifled by a party dicta-torship and that the masses were robbed of the benefits they were to achieve.

Nevertheless, in spite of their prediction concerning the dan-gers of Marxism, the Anarchists in every country, with few in-dividual exceptions, whole-heartedly supported the Bolsheviks. This was because the Bolsheviks promised a society in which power should reside in the masses of the people. They used Anarchistic ideas to win the masses and proceeded to repudiate their promises as soon as they had secured power.

In this pamphlet, comrade Maximov sets forth unanswerable proof of the contrast between Bolshevik promises and Bolshevik performance. Being as well grounded in Marxist writings and teachings as in those of his own movement, he is able to support his contention by abundant quotations from Lenin. With apt illustrations from history of what really happened in Russia, he demonstrates the glaring contrast.

I feel that no one could read this pamphlet with an open mind and continue to believe that the Communists in any coun-try represent the true aims and interests of the working class. It is hoped that this clear and accurate statement of the Russian situation will be read by every intelligent man and woman for whom it is written. It is hoped that they will be inspired to strive for a new social order, the Anarchist ideal of a world of work-ers where there are no dictators, where all are genuinely equal and free.

— Dr. Gregory Heiner