INTERLINKS OF FAMINES, DISASTER, MASS UNREST AND
INTERRUPTION
TO GOVERNMENT
KEY NOTE
The 1917 October Socialist Revolution of Russia faced with the problems, in its practical forms, in the transition from capitalist to socialist economic development. This was the first time in world history, a socialist government was forming in to communism, with strategic battling, since the lack of experience. The Socialist Government of Russia in between 1917 - 1924 faced with impended catastrophes in three dimensions. One was famine, after long persisted civil wars, shortage of food, endangering the food security of thousands of working class populace. The Russian government happened to regulate food distribution by food ration system. The second threat was from the anti revolutionary movements of the thousands and thousands of upper class, land lords, bankers and company holders, and this anti revolutionary movements coincided with the widespread civil unrest and civil wars. More calamities were risen in the social organizations with the patronage of such upper strata of the society. The third disaster was emerged and created with in the coalition government itself. In the government abode [coalition] political parties had no clear idea of transforming the economic system in communist reforms, specially a rivalry was battling with the "Mensheviks", as they were appeared for the upper class category, and were attempting to retard the progress in transition to socialist system. In general way, they were laggards of without, of any meaningful vision. V.I. Lenin's these writings are more useful for the government of the Third World Countries. I think, this may be more useful to Ministers in our new government in Sri Lanka. [V.I. Lenin, "QUESTIONS OF THE SOCIALIST ORGANIZATION OF THE ECONOMY" -articles and speeches- Progress Publishers, Moscow] We have to be careful about the high rank trade union leaders, who have been the partners of the inefficiency and lost of public sector enterprises/business in the third world. In this book Lenin has highly made declaration that, " some short of "dictatorship" is necessary at initiation of new economic order". Don't forget this.
1.
Preamble
In
the history of politics, there are adequate incidences of interlinks between the
states of famines, disaster, anti-government movements, civil unrest and
interruption to governance. If one could
read the writings of V.I. Lenin published during 1917-1926, on the issues
interrelated with the governance of Soviet Russia after revolutionary movements in
1905, February, 1917, and October, 1917.
Lenin had clearly grasped the issues interconnected with the questions of socialist organization of the economy, as he had identified combatting three issues, such as: i. counter revolutionary movement of descending capitalist systems, effects of vicious impacts of the World War 1, as it had made huge destruction in the Russian economic and social systems, and the incidental civil wars; ii. Chaos of landlords, capitalist organizations and bourgeois, and related sabotage activists; and iii. Catastrophe such as famine, disasters interfered with food and drinks. V.I. Lenin had identified the two hands of the movements of “revolution” as, i. Democratic Revolution, and ii. Socialist Revolution, and he believed the notion of ‘Dictatorship” after the Socialist Revolution to transformation to socialist organization of the economy.
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| V.I. Lenin |
Lenin had clearly grasped the issues interconnected with the questions of socialist organization of the economy, as he had identified combatting three issues, such as: i. counter revolutionary movement of descending capitalist systems, effects of vicious impacts of the World War 1, as it had made huge destruction in the Russian economic and social systems, and the incidental civil wars; ii. Chaos of landlords, capitalist organizations and bourgeois, and related sabotage activists; and iii. Catastrophe such as famine, disasters interfered with food and drinks. V.I. Lenin had identified the two hands of the movements of “revolution” as, i. Democratic Revolution, and ii. Socialist Revolution, and he believed the notion of ‘Dictatorship” after the Socialist Revolution to transformation to socialist organization of the economy.
2. Anti
Revolutionary Status in 1917
The writings of Lenin are most useful to leaders
of underdeveloped countries to condition their political knowledge to
understand that sources of interruptive movements in their countries that could
be come in to function after democratic revolutions, after establishment of new
governance and attempting to new social and economic order. Specifically, this piece
of knowledge is more important to our new government in Sri Lanka, which is
established in 8th, January, 1915, and in 17th, August
1915 by the people of Sri Lanka, by a radical democratic path. This incidence is very similar to the
revolutions of Russia, one in February, 1917, and the other in October, 1917,
which change the tyrant rule of King Nicholas 11, (1868-1918). The corruptions and inefficiency to manage
disasters of World War, and other civil wars, and the dictatorship and
luxurious life styles of tsar rulers were the rampant issues of rebellions,
specially proletariat armies and mobs, against to specially King Nicholas 11. V. l. Lenin
used media propaganda through Bolshevik leadership to educate proletariat
leadership of the interruptive issues of transformation to new economic order. He
knew, antigovernment media are more vicious and capable of reversing the progressive
movements in transformation. The Lenin
has reported the circumstances faced by the coalition government after
revolution of February, 1917, as the political bourgeois of the parties who
accepted post of ministers were not in one opinion in the government and were controversial
with issues of chaos, specially Mensheviks with the Bolsheviks. Lenin mentioned, they in coalition hold high
post in the government without experience and visions of transformation to
emulation organizations. This is GOOD
LESSION to us.
The threefold questions faced by Lenin rule
in Russia after 1917, with the establishment of socialist government in Russia
can resemble to the conflict faced model illustrated in a Sinhala poem descending
in the ‘Folklore”, the ‘poem’ states
this way:
“
Kele Gingidaya Dutuwoth Vanasaya
Linde
Pannidaya Vatunoth Uoo Kaya
Athakin
Karawaleki Athakin Dandu Beya
Marana
Thunak Athi Minihek Pani Kaya”
English Translation
“Elephant
is in the jungle, if confront, (you) will be thrashed,
Cobra
rests in the deep well bed, if (you) fall in, it will bite to you,
A
snake “Karawala” in one hand, and a comb of honey in other hand,
Overwhelming
in the three deadly risks, a man ate the comb of honey”
Lenin’s
Government (the new governments of February and October, 1917) faced similar
problems as indicated in the “poem”:
1.
The elephant in the jungle resembles to:
the repercussions of the World War 1, and other Civil Wars with
counter-revolutionary movements,
2.
Panninda, a cobra in the well resembles to:
sabotage movements of capitalist organizations, land lords and upper and middle
capital class like “bourgeois”, and
3.
A snake “Karawala” in one hand resembles
to: Catastrophes like, famines, disasters and lack of food and water, and chaos
of the party disunity in the coalition in management basic needs;
4.
Finally, A Honey Comb in other hand
resembles to: Efforts to progress the objectives of the “Revolution”.
V.I.
Lenin ate the Honey Comb”, as Bolsheviks could progress the revolution and
transformation until establishment of Soviet Union.
3. Questions
of the Socialist Organization of the Economy
Lenin has wrote s series of review
articles on the above issues after the revolutions in 1917. “The October socialist revolution in Russia
raised the problems of the transition from capitalist to socialist economic
development in its practical forms for the first time in world history; in the
speeches and writings published in this book Lenin summaries the experience of
the years immediately following the Revolution and indicates the chief ways of
setting economic development on the socialist path, (Progress Publishers in “V.I.
Lenin- questions of the Socialist Organization of the Economy; Progress
publishers, Moscow).
 |
| Famine and Communal Unrest |
Marx and Engels lived in the 19th
century are the founders of the theories of scientific socialism, and this
theoretic arena led to revolution in Russia in 1917. They showed that the capitalist
socio-economic formation was based on the exploitation of man by man, would
generate class structure with in the social system creating uneven living
standards and prestige favorable of capital accumulation of bourgeois class. They thought this system inevitably going to
be perished, and be replaced by the socialist system of the society. This was
the scientifically established fact for transformation of economic system, but
it takes time with experience. Lenin
had identified this phenomenon, and he wrote in 1918,
“we knew this when we took power in
order to set about Socialist reorganization, but we could not know either the forms
the transformation would take or the rate of development of the actual
reorganization. Instruction of a
decisive nature can be evolved only by collective experience, by the experience
of millions, because for our business, the business of socialist construction,
the experience of the hundreds and hundreds of thousands of the upper strata of
society who have hitherto made history in both landowner and capitalist society
is insufficient”, (Ibid). Lenin has
accrued credit by facing to this stage of transformation through his writings,
through experience of millions of people Lenin found profound remedies
solutions to the complicated and most difficult problems of socialist
construction, the applicability and the correctness of his solutions and applications
of systems has been realized in the course of Russian social history by: i. the
higher rate of growth of Soviet economy, ii. the magnificent achievements of
the Soviet people in life, education and economic wellbeing, iii. the achievements
in science and technology, iv. In an overall view, the successful development
of socialist economy in Soviet Union, and v. successful development of general
wellbeing and the socialist economy in other socialist countries.
The
writings and the speeches of V.I. Lenin cover a wide range of problems and
questions confronted in the process of revolutionary transformation of economy,
mainly on:
 |
| Joseph Stalin |
*the
nationalization and management of industry,
*the
scientific basis for the solution of the agrarian problems (this is based on
the famous Decree on the Land),
*systems
for means and ways of socializing farming, and agriculture prospects,
*the
questions and solutions for socialist economic planning,
*the
creation of new labor disciplines and organization of emulation for socialist
competition,
*the
participation of workers and the peasants in the government, and
*workers’,
mainly labor and associated workers, and peasants’ “Inspection-Supervision”
mechanisms/systems.
Abstracts of Selected Writings
4.. The
Impending Catastrophe and How to Combat It
4.1 Famine
is Approaching
In a
document published in October, 1917, Lenin has given serious attention to the famine
and impact of famine. He warned that “…half a year of revolution has elapsed. The catastrophe is still closer. Unemployment has assumed a mass scale. …there is shortage of goods in the country,
the country is perishing from the shortage of food, from a shortage of labour,
although there is a sufficient quantity of grain and raw materials-yet in such
a country, at such a critical movement, there is mass unemployment!” Lenin was warning of impending catastrophe,
and he wrote, “Unavoidable catastrophe is threatening Russia. The railways are incredibly disorganized and
the disorganization is progressing.
..The transport of raw materials and coal to the factories will
cease. The transport of grains will
cease. The capitalists are deliberately
and consistently sabotaging (damaging, stopping, disrupting, hampering) production,
hoping …collapse of the republic and democracy, and of the Soviets and the
proletarian and peasant associations generally, .. thus facilitating the return
to a monarchy and the restoration of the supremacy of the bourgeoisie and
landlords. …the danger of a catastrophe
of unprecedented dimensions and of famine is imminent. All the newspapers have written about this”.
Lenin
highly impressed that the desperate measures are necessary to combat it, as he
stressed that “heroic efforts” are needed as necessary solutions by the people
to avert ruin and perish. Lenin was
vague and vagish of less progress, and
he wrote: “What
better evidence is required to show that after six months of revolution (some
call a great revolution, but, .. be fairer to call a rotten revolution)… with
an abundance of unions, organs and institutions which proudly call themselves “revolutionary
democratic”, absolutely nothing of any importance has been done to avert
catastrophe? We are reaching ruin with
increasing speed, the War will not wait; it is causing increasing dislocation
in every sphere of national life”.
4.2 Complete Government Inactivity
Lenin
accused the systems of government as they disabled to implement measures to
combat catastrophe. Lenin stressed the
necessity to quite, clearly and definitely identify the viable, chief and
principal measures of combating such challenges, catastrophe and famine. These measures included:
*measures
to control, supervision, accounting, regulation by the state to combat and to
avert catastrophe and famine,
*Introduction
of proper distribution of labour power in the production and distribution of
goods,
*
regulating and husbanding of the people’s forces,
*eliminating
of all waste of effort, economy of effort,
*adoption
of control, supervision and accounting.
Lenin
accused the Mensheviks and the Socialist – Revolutionaries, who had majority in
the Soviets during the first six months of the revolution, who took part in the “Coalition Government”
for less progress and allowing the capitalists and landowners to frustrate all
control. Lenin, identified the new coalition
government of Russia after ‘revolution” evenly forming economic emulation in a
womb of the old order’
(V.I.
Lenin Questions of the Socialist
Organization of the Economy, progress Publishers, Moscow).
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| Prosters attacking to a bus in Sri lanka |
LENIN
IDENTIFIED, AFTER RUSSIAN REVOLUTION THE ‘COALITION GOVERNMENT’ FORMED WITH
MENSHEVIKS (BOURGEORIS), SOCIALIST REVOLUTIONARIES, AND BOLSHEVIKS FAILED TO
COMFRON TO CATASTROPHE AND FAMINE AFTER REVOLUTION, BECAUSE MANY OF CONTROL
WERE AFRAID IN FEAR OF UPRISING OF LANDLORDS AND CAPITALIST ORGANIZATIONS. Powerful ex-ministerial gangs of politicians
who pretending they are again coming to power will confuse the mass as well as
the actors in the administrative systems, and that suspect be fearful, can
control over progress and turn back, and let government to stagnate economic
growth, and lead for sabotage of services, as it happened after revolution in
1917, under the new “coalition government of Russia”. To me some ministers in our “Coalition
Government” of Sri Lanka stand in bi-cameral instability, with only hope to be
MINISTER, AND TO CONSUME ALL PREVILEDGES, but, nothing in mind think about poor
mass and tax payers.
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1905 Russian
Revolution
Military
Conflict
“The Russian
Revolution of 1905 was a wave of mass political and social unrest that spread
through vast areas of the Russian Empire, some of which was directed at the
government. It included worker strikes, peasant unrest, and military mutinies”. Wikipedia
The Russian Revolution in 1905
was derived against to the monarchy of tsar, with workers strikes, military
mutinies and mass unrest risen by the capitalist economy. The political resolutions introduced in the
governance were not capable to tackle the rampant issues prevailed in the
social economic system, thus the revolutionary movements did not end, and the struggles
of proletariat strata furthered.
February
Revolution of 1917
“The February
Revolution was the first of two revolutions in Russia in 1917. It was centered
on Petrograd, then the Russian capital, on Women's Day in March. The revolution
was confined to the capital and its vicinity, and lasted less than a week”. Wikipedia
October Revolution
1917
“The October Revolution, officially known in the Soviet
literature as the Great October Socialist Revolution, and commonly referred to
as Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution”, Wikipedia
Russian Revolution of 1917
“By
1917 the bond between the tsar and most of the Russian people had been broken.
Governmental corruption and inefficiency were rampant. The tsar’s reactionary
policies, including the occasional dissolution of the Duma, or Russian
parliament, the chief fruit of the 1905 revolution, had
spread dissatisfaction even to moderate elements. The Russian Empire’s many
ethnic minorities grew increasingly restive under Russian domination”.(Ibid)
 |
| Joseph Stalin |
 |
| Revolutionary Movenment in 1917 |
Note:
Reproduction from Wikipedia.
RUSSIAN REVOLUTIONs:
BACKGROUND
“By 1917, most Russians had
lost faith in the leadership ability of Czar Nicholas II. Government corruption
was rampant, the Russian economy remained backward, and Nicholas repeatedly
dissolved the Duma, the Russian parliament established after the 1905
revolution, when it opposed his will. However, the immediate cause of the
February Revolution–the first phase of the Russian Revolution of 1917–was
Russia’s disastrous involvement in World War I (1914-18). Militarily, imperial Russia
was no match for industrialized Germany, and Russian casualties were greater
than those sustained by any nation in any previous war. Meanwhile, the economy
was hopelessly disrupted by the costly war effort, and moderates joined Russian
radical elements in calling for the overthrow of the czar”.(Ibid)
1917
February Revolution begins
(Note: Reproduction from Wikipedia.
“In Russia, the February Revolution (known as such because of
Russia’s use of the Julian calendar) begins when riots and strikes over the
scarcity of food erupt in Petrograd. One week later, centuries of czarist rule
in Russia ended with the abdication of Nicholas II, and Russia took a dramatic
step closer toward communist revolution”.
“By 1917, most Russians had lost faith in the leadership ability
of the czarist regime. Government corruption was rampant, the Russian economy
remained backward, and Nicholas repeatedly dissolved the Duma, the Russian
parliament established after the Revolution of 1905, when it opposed his will.
However, the immediate cause of the February Revolution–the first phase of the
Russian Revolution of 1917–was Russia’s disastrous involvement in World War I.
Militarily, imperial Russia was no match for industrialized Germany, and
Russian casualties were greater than those sustained by any nation in any
previous war. Meanwhile, the economy was hopelessly disrupted by the costly war
effort, and moderates joined Russian radical elements in calling for the
overthrow of the czar”.
“On March 8, 1917, demonstrators clamoring for bread took to the
streets in the Russian capital of Petrograd (now known as St. Petersburg).
Supported by 90,000 men and women on strike, the protesters clashed with police
but refused to leave the streets. On March 10, the strike spread among all of
Petrograd’s workers, and irate mobs of workers destroyed police stations.
Several factories elected deputies to the Petrograd Soviet, or “council,” of workers’
committees, following the model devised during the Revolution of 1905.”
“On March 11, the troops of the Petrograd army garrison were called
out to quell the uprising. In some encounters, regiments opened fire, killing
demonstrators, but the protesters kept to the streets, and the troops began to
waver. That day, Nicholas again dissolved the Duma. On March 12, the revolution
triumphed when regiment after regiment of the Petrograd garrison defected to
the cause of the demonstrators. The soldiers, some 150,000 men, subsequently
formed committees that elected deputies to the Petrograd Soviet”.
“The imperial government was forced to resign, and the Duma
formed a provisional government that peacefully vied with the Petrograd Soviet
for control of the revolution. On March 14, the Petrograd Soviet issued “Order
No. 1,” which instructed Russian soldiers and sailors to obey only those orders
that did not conflict with the directives of the Soviet. The next day, March
15, Czar Nicholas II abdicated the throne in favor of his brother Michael,
whose refusal of the crown brought an end to the czarist autocracy”.
“The new provincial government, tolerated by the Petrograd
Soviet, hoped to salvage the Russian war effort while ending the food shortage
and many other domestic crises. It would prove a daunting task. Meanwhile,
Vladimir Lenin, leader of the Bolshevik revolutionary party, left his exile in
Switzerland and crossed German enemy lines to return home and take control of
the Russian Revolution”.
“After Czar Nicholas II and
his family were executed by Bolshevik forces in July 1918, the killers hid the
victims’ mutilated bodies. The remains were discovered and exhumed in the late
1970s near Yekaterinburg, Russia, and eventually identified through DNA
testing.”
FEBRUARY REVOLUTION:
1917
“The February Revolution
(known as such because of Russia’s use of the Julian calendar until February
1918) began on March 8, 1917 (or February 23 on the Julian calendar), when
demonstrators clamoring for bread took to the streets in the Russian capital of
Petrograd (now called St. Petersburg). Supported by huge crowds of striking
industrial workers, the protesters clashed with police but refused to leave the
streets. On March 10, the strike spread among all of Petrograd’s workers, and
irate mobs destroyed police stations. Several factories elected deputies to the
Petrograd Soviet, or council, of workers’ committees, following the model
devised during the 1905 revolution”.(Ibid)
“On March 11, the troops of
the Petrograd army garrison were called out to quell the uprising. In some
encounters, regiments opened fire, killing demonstrators, but the protesters
kept to the streets and the troops began to waver. That day, Nicholas again
dissolved the Duma. On March 12, the revolution triumphed when regiment after
regiment of the Petrograd garrison defected to the cause of the demonstrators.
The soldiers subsequently formed committees that elected deputies to the
Petrograd Soviet”.
“The imperial government was forced to resign, and the
Duma formed a provisional government that peacefully vied with the Petrograd
Soviet for control of the revolution. On March 14, the Petrograd Soviet issued
Order No. 1, which instructed Russian soldiers and sailors to obey only those
orders that did not conflict with the directives of the Soviet. The next day,
March 15, Czar Nicholas II abdicated the throne in favor of his brother Michael
(1878-1918), whose refusal of the crown brought an end to the czarist autocracy”.
BOLSHEVIK
REVOLUTION: 1917
“In the aftermath of the
February Revolution, power was shared between the weak provisional government
and the Petrograd Soviet. Then, on November 6 and 7, 1917 (or October 24 and 25
on the Julian calendar, which is why this event is also referred to as the
October Revolution), leftist revolutionaries led by Bolshevik Party leader Vladimir Lenin launched a nearly bloodless coup d’état
against the provisional government. The Bolsheviks and their allies occupied
government buildings and other strategic locations in Petrograd, and soon
formed a new government with Lenin as its head”.
“Lenin
became the virtual dictator of the first Marxist state in the world. His
government made peace with Germany, nationalized industry and distributed land,
but beginning in 1918 had to fight a devastating civil war against
anti-Bolshevik White Army forces. In 1920, the anti-Bolsheviks were defeated,
and in 1922 the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was established”.
___________________________________________________________________________
DR. DHARMADASA TENNAKOON
[B.A; PG DIPLOMA; M.A; Ph.D]
SOCIAL SCIENTIST
[EX. SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW AT HARTI, COLOMBO, SRI LANKA]
ADDRESS: 27/6 MENIK WATTA, KALALGODA, PANNIPITIYA, SRI LANKA
EMAIL: dingiri50@gmail.com Teleohone: +94 72 865 8467
______________________________________________________________________________________
I HAVE COVERED MY HIGHER EDUCATION IN SEVERAL FIELDS OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
*B.A. in Geography, [second class honours], University of Ceylon, 1972;
*Post Graduate Diploma in "Land Settlement and Development", University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, 1977;
*Field Certificate on "Jordan River Valley Development Project", University of Jordan, Jordan, 1986;
* M.A. in Rural Social Development, University of Reading, U.K ,1987;
*Certificate of "Social Science Research Methodology", University of Peradeniya, Sri lanka, 1980;
*Ph.D. in Development Studies, Deakin University, Australia, 1996;
[B.A; PG DIPLOMA; M.A; Ph.D]
SOCIAL SCIENTIST
[EX. SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW AT HARTI, COLOMBO, SRI LANKA]
ADDRESS: 27/6 MENIK WATTA, KALALGODA, PANNIPITIYA, SRI LANKA
EMAIL: dingiri50@gmail.com Teleohone: +94 72 865 8467
______________________________________________________________________________________
I HAVE COVERED MY HIGHER EDUCATION IN SEVERAL FIELDS OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
*B.A. in Geography, [second class honours], University of Ceylon, 1972;
*Post Graduate Diploma in "Land Settlement and Development", University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, 1977;
*Field Certificate on "Jordan River Valley Development Project", University of Jordan, Jordan, 1986;
* M.A. in Rural Social Development, University of Reading, U.K ,1987;
*Certificate of "Social Science Research Methodology", University of Peradeniya, Sri lanka, 1980;
*Ph.D. in Development Studies, Deakin University, Australia, 1996;
I have published a book on " Dimensions of Rural Poverty In Sri Lanka", HARTI, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2000.
At present, I am reading on several fields i.e., Freedom/Liberty, Profiles of Poverty among working class people, Folklore in Sri Lanka, Peace and Order, and Interlinks of Economic Development and Social Change in Developing Countries.
I expect comments of readers of my articles, your kind cooperation may improve the quality of my writing.
Thanks
Dr. Dharmadasa tennakoon
_____________________________________________________________________________
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