Red October

by Vijay Prashad

The first socialist state in history lasted only seventy years. This is a very small period of time in the scope of world history. Its achievements have been pilloried - its demise being the greatest argument against its achievements. But merely because it disappeared does not mean that it was without merit. It provides us with the assurance that a workers and peasants' state can exist, that it can create policies to benefit the vast masses of the people rather than merely the rich, that it can heal and educate rather than merely starve and kill. Red October is an invitation to rediscover the importance of the Russian Revolution, to explore how it faltered and to nudge us to consider the ghosts of that revolution in our own movements today. Prakash Karat, Prabir Purkayastha, Irfan Habib, Prabhat Patnaik, Amar Farooqui, B. T. Ranadive, Sitaram Yechury, Jodi Dean, Shahrzad Mojab

Genres: Soviet Union, History

230 pages, Paperback

First published September 4, 2017

About the author

Vijay Prashad is the executive director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He is the author or editor of several books, including The Darker Nations: A Biography of the Short-Lived Third World and The Poorer Nations: A Possible History of the Global South. His most recent book is Red Star Over the Third World. He writes regularly for Frontline, The Hindu, Alternet and BirGun.

Reviews

[Carlos Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compilation of essays, primarily by Indian Marxists, published to mark the centenary of the Russian Revolution. Quite a broad range of sub-topics are included, but there's a strong focus on the legacy of the Revolution in India and the 'third world' generally - an important topic that doesn't get enough coverage. Some articles are better than others, but Red October is definitely worth a read for those interested in this area of history.

[saman · Rating 4 out of 5]

took a lonnnngggg time to finish. fascinating book of essays.

[James Konkol · Rating 3 out of 5]

At its best, it utilizes rational logic and theory to derive cause and effect from the era and legacy of the Soviet Union.

At its worse it befalls to ideology and unsubstantiated claims.