Bolshevism: The Road to Revolution

by Alan Woods

There have been many books and potted histories of the Russian Revolution, either written from an anti-Bolshevik perspective, or its Stalinist mirror image, which paint a false account of the rise of Bolshevism. For them, Bolshevism is either a historical "accident" or "tragedy." Or it is portrayed erroneously as the work of one great man (Lenin) who marched single-minded toward the October Revolution. Author Alan Woods* reveals the real evolution of Bolshevism as a living struggle of various class forces, tendencies and individuals.

Using a wealth of primary sources, Woods uncovers the fascinating growth and development of Bolshevism in pre-revolutionary Russia up to the seizure of power in October 1917. This is the first U.S. publication of this monumental work. It comes at an important time, as the world economic crisis calls for a thorough study of working class history in order to educate a new generation of revolutionaries.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics, Russian Revolution, Russian History, Soviet Union, Russia

636 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1999

About the author

Alan Woods is a Trotskyist political theorist. He is one of the leading members of the British group Socialist Appeal as well as its parent group, the International Marxist Tendency (IMT). He is political editor of the IMT's In Defence of Marxism website.

Woods supported the Militant tendency within the UK Labour Party until the early 1990s, when he and Ted Grant were expelled from the tendency and founded the Committee for a Marxist International (soon renamed International Marxist Tendency) in 1992. They continued with the policy of entryism into the Labour Party.

Woods has been particularly vocal in his support for the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela, and has repeatedly met with the socialist Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, leading to speculation he was a close political adviser.

Reviews

[G Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute must read for any revolutionary.
Nowhere else will you find such detailed analysis of the history of Bolshevism. This book provides vital lessons that must be absorbed by the working class movement today.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having recently read the three volumes of The History of the Russian Revolution by Trotsky, I was not sure I was going to get a lot out of this book. That said, I did not mind the repetition, considering how much I enjoy Alan Woods’ writing. To my surprise, the whole process was approached from a completely different angle, focusing specifically on the history of the Bolshevik Party itself — the internal debates, the organizational work being carried out, and the concrete methods employed. This was incredibly enlightening.

What might seem on the surface to be merely a history book about the Bolshevik Party really isn’t. This is a manual, a guide, a blueprint for building a revolutionary party — not for a hundred years ago, but for today. In the burning fire of the recent revolutionary wave in Sri Lanka, Kenya, Indonesia, Nepal, and elsewhere, we can all see what is lacking. These movements experienced their February revolutions, but there was no October — precisely because there was no party like the Bolsheviks capable of playing that role. That is the ultimate lesson of this book.

The biggest lesson I personally took from reading this book is the importance, when reading Lenin and other revolutionary leaders, of taking the time to make a proper distinction regarding who a text is addressed to. Is it addressed to the broader masses of workers, peasants, and soldiers? Is it addressed to the party? To another faction? Or even more narrowly, to the leadership of the party? This distinction is absolutely decisive if one wants to understand Lenin in context — and therefore to grasp revolutionary policy and tactics at a much deeper level.

This is especially clear during the period of revolutionary defeatism, when Lenin appears to be saying two seemingly contradictory things at the same time. In reality, he was addressing different layers for tactical reasons, deliberately bending the stick far enough in one direction in order to make a sharp point to the cadres:

"Even the defeat of Russia was a lesser evil than support for the Russian bourgeoisie and its predatory war. It was necessary to instil this idea into the minds of the cadres, to inoculate them against the disease of chauvinism. On the other hand, Lenin was too much of a realist not to understand that it is a fatal error to confuse the way revolutionaries see things with the confused and contradictory consciousness of the masses."

And yet, at the same time:

"We are prepared to fight against the German imperialists," he explained. "We are not pacifists. But we have no confidence in the bourgeois Provisional Government. We demand that the Menshevik and SR leaders break with the bourgeoisie and take power. Then we can wage a revolutionary war against German imperialism, calling on the German workers to follow our example."

Written beautifully, as always. I cannot recommend this book enough to anyone genuinely interested in revolutionary politics and organization.

[Mazen · Rating 5 out of 5]

مجهود تأريخي ممتاز لواحدة من أهم الثورات في التاريخ و هي الثورة البلشفية في الإمبراطورية الروسية، يؤرخ الكاتب تكون الحزب البلشفي داخل الحركة العمالية و يرصد بدقة و تفنيد شديدين و مناطق الخلاف مع المناشفة و الإصلاحيين داخل الدوما. الثورة البلشفية لم تكن نزهة او وحي نزل علي لينين و أتباعه، و انما صراع و كفاح حقيقي راح ضحيته عشرات الالاف و حرب أهلية اشتركت فيها جيوش العالم كلها تقريبًا لتفكيك روسيا، و كانت الثورة المضادة خطوة بخطوة للانقضاض علي الثورة و تصفيتها فور ولادتها. ما أدهشني هو كما الأخطاء و التغييرات التي حدثت أثناء بناء الحزب و كم النضال و التضحيات و التفاني في العمل و انكار من عمالقة مثل لينين و تروتسكي في تلك المرحلة. الكتاب يشبه مشاهدة فيلم وثائقي طويل و أنصح به بشدة.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much information

[Francis Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's do this shit.

[Sam Lovesey · Rating 5 out of 5]

fascinating history of the evolution of bolshevism through constant struggle. many lessons for today

[Sasha Boucher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot express how enlightening this book is for all serious revolutionaries. There are few things as often (correctly) romanticized and feared as revolution and yet equally as often completely misunderstood. It lays bare the non-linear and dialectical nature of revolutionary socialist organizing within and against class society, something which is essential for all socialists to understand. Accompanying this book with Trotsky's 3 volume History of the Russian Revolution as well as the History of the Russian Revolution to Brest-Litovsk has proven to give a very well-rounded grasp of the greatest even ever to have occured in human history...so far.

[Manu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally.....

[Olivier Turbide · Rating 5 out of 5]

LA meilleure histoire du parti bolchévique. Alan Woods s'appuie sur des sources diverses, des archives soviétiques jusqu'au historiens libéraux, pour faire un récit incroyablement riche du parti politique qui a probablement eu la plus grande influence sur l'histoire moderne.

Il présente un récit réaliste, qui montre les difficultés, les erreurs et les contradictions des bolchéviques, tout en défendant sans compromis l'héritage et les traditions qu'ils nous ont légué pour aujourd'hui.

Un livre essentiel, non seulement pour les révolutionnaires, mais aussi pour n'importe qui voudrait comprendre la révolution russe sans tomber dans les préjugés anti-communistes des libéraux, ou dans les glorifications simplistes des staliniens.

[Balloonhands · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the most important book you could read on the process of revolution that does an amazing job of not just debunking lies and misconceptions but also deglamorizes revolution

This book is fantastic at laying out the playing field at any moment in history and the in fighting, faction relations, logistic problems, and the absolute will to power it takes for some of these political leaders to succeed. Fantastic experience even if it was a tiny bit overzealous at moments but I think it’s necessary to leave no stone unturned in a book like this

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely useful historical retelling of the years leading up to the October Revolution and the development of Russian Marxism out of Narodnism. As usual, Woods manages to retell what many may consider to be obscure, ancient history in a very vibrant way, allowing the reader to make organic connections between this distant period and the present day.

My version has the cool yellow cover, which is by far the best one.

[Tarek · Rating 5 out of 5]

قرأت الترجمة العربية التي نشرها موقع marxy.com وللاسف لم يتم نشرها بعد على صيغة ورقية.

على العموم الكتاب رائع، فبالرغم من كثرة الكتابات عن تاريخ الثورة الروسية وحول احداثها، الا ان الكتابات بخصوص تاريخ الحزب البلشفي منذ الحلقات الماركسية في نهاية القرن 19 الى عشية الثورة البلشفية، غير متوفرة خاصة في المكتبة العربية. وبالتالي فإن كتاب آلان وودز هو اضافة مهمة في المكتبة الماركسية.

[Vasiliki Mazis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling read

Thrilling, informative, insightful, this book takes us to the very beginnings of Marxism in Russia all the way to the forging of the Bolshevik Party which led the democratic revolution in Russia.
This is a must read

[Debol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvelous research!

Favorite Trotsky quote:

On behalf of the Military Revolutionary Committee, I declare that the Provisional Government no longer exists! Long live the Military Revolutionary Committee!

[Diarmuid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very accessible account of all the factors that went into the Russian Revolution. Essential reading.

[Andrew Feist · Rating 5 out of 5]

must read.

[Damiano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book!

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely phenomenal

[Grant Klausen · Rating 5 out of 5]

You become a different person