Day School on the Russian Revolution (September 29)

(Exact Location and Times TBA)

The day school would be in two parts, one session on how the revolution was won, and secondly, a session on the Stalinist counter-revolution.

The Russian Revolution (of 1917) remains a key question for the Left.

The Bolshevik-led October insurrection put the world’s first workers’ government in power. As such it represents the highpoint of international workers struggle.

However, the gains of the revolution were destroyed. The revolutionaries of 1917—like Leon Trotsky—were eventually hounded, arrested and murdered, and an oppressive regime took power in Russia.

Readings:

Part I: The 1917 Russian Revolution

“80 Years Since the Russian Revolution,” by Ahmed Shawki, from Russia: From Workers State to State Capitalism (available from Haymarket Books), also online:
http://www.isreview.org/issues/03/russian_revolution.shtml

Further Reading:

Pages 9-62 from Revolution and Counterrevolution: Class Struggle in a Moscow Metal Factory, by Kevin Murphy, (available from Haymarket Books)

Lessons of October, by Leon Trotsky, 1924, online:
http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1924/lessons/index.htm

Part II: How the Revolution Was Lost

“How the Revolution was lost,” Chris Harman, from Russia: From Workers State to State Capitalism (available from Haymarket Books), also online:
http://www.marxists.de/statecap/harman/revlost.htm

“The nature of Stalinist Russia and the Eastern Block” Chris Harman, from Russia: From Workers State to State Capitalism (available from Haymarket Books)

Further Reading:

Pages 62-121, 155-223, from Revolution and Counterrevolution: Class Struggle in a Moscow Metal Factory, by Kevin Murphy (available from Haymarket Books)