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In October 1917, in the midst of the slaughter of World War I, the Russian working class, acting under the leadership of the Bolshevik Party led by Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky, overthrew the capitalist provisional government headed by Alexander Kerensky and established the first workers’ state in world history. Less than nine months earlier, Russia had been ruled by a monarchical dynasty headed by Tsar Nicholas II. The revolution was the beginning of the end of the imperialist war.

The Russian Revolution marked a new stage in world history. The overthrow of the capitalist Provisional Government proved that an alternative to capitalism was not a utopian dream, but a real possibility that could be achieved through the conscious political struggle of the working class. Despite the ultimately tragic fate of the Soviet Union—which was destroyed by the betrayals and crimes of the Stalinist bureaucracy—no other event in the past century had such a far-reaching impact on the lives of hundreds of millions of people on every part of the planet.

On this page, readers will find many essays and lectures published over more than 20 years on the World Socialist Web Site examining the significance and lessons of the revolution and its impact around the world.

Vladmir Lenin addresses crowds of Petrograd workers in 1919. On the right stands Trotsky. [Photo]
2017 Centenary Lectures: Why Study the Russian Revolution?
Featured essays
Leon Trotsky

Leon Trotsky (1879-1940) led, together with Lenin, the Bolshevik Party and the Russian working class in the 1917 October Revolution. He was the greatest strategist of international socialist revolution of the 20th century. In 1923, he founded the Left Opposition to oppose the growth of a nationalist bureaucracy, headed by Joseph Stalin, as it usurped power in the Soviet Union. In 1933, following the coming to power of the Nazis in Germany, facilitated by the disastrous policies of the Stalinist Comintern that he had opposed, Trotsky called for the founding of the Fourth International.

More on the life of Leon Trotsky
Vladimir Lenin

Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924) was the founder of the Bolshevik Party in Russia, leader of the 1917 Russian Revolution and a towering political and intellectual figure in the 20th century.

With a greater depth and foresight than any other Marxist of his time, Lenin explained the objective significance and political implications of the belittling of Marxist theory for the building of a revolutionary party.

More on the life of Vladimir Lenin
More profiles from the Russian Revolution
Latest articles

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Modernism in Ukraine 1900-1930s: Revolutionary art outshines Ukrainian nationalist narrative

Those featured attended the same art schools as other Soviet artists, rebelled against the old conventions together, co-founded artistic movements, shared studios, debated the future of art and became friends and lovers. Many embraced the Bolshevik Party and its Ukrainization policy based on the principle of self-determination including the right to secession.

Paul Mitchell

On the anniversary of the assassination of Leon Trotsky

Eighty-four years ago today, on August 20, 1940, Leon Trotsky was assassinated by an agent of the Stalinist secret police, the GPU, in his villa in Coyoacan, Mexico, where he spent the final three years of his life as a political exile.

David North

Remarks to meeting of the YGBL on 100th anniversary of Lenin’s death

The enduring power and significance of Lenin’s legacy

These remarks were delivered by Peter Schwarz, secretary of the International Committee of the Fourth International, at a meeting organized by the Young Guard of Bolshevik-Leninists, a Trotskyist youth organization in the former Soviet Union.

Peter Schwarz

Lenin’s place in history

This essay by WSWS International Editorial Board Chairman David North was originally published on April 22, 2020, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Lenin’s birth.

David North

This week in history: January 15-21

This column profiles important historical events which took place during this week, 25 years ago, 50 years ago, 75 years ago and 100 years ago

“One of the most important films made in the 20th century”

Tsar to Lenin now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video

Based on archival footage assembled over more than a decade by the legendary director Herman Axelbank (1900-1979), Tsar to Lenin provides an unparalleled film record of a revolutionary movement, embracing millions, which “shook the world” and changed the course of history.

Part 2: The New Economic Policy and Lenin’s last struggle

Lenin, Trotsky and the Origins of the Left Opposition

This is the second part of a lecture given by David North in November 1993 at the University of Michigan on the origins of the Left Opposition.

David North

Lenin’s last struggle

One hundred years ago, on December 23, 1922, Lenin began writing one of the most politically significant documents in the history of the Soviet Union, which was to go down in history as Lenin’s Testament.

David North

On the 82nd anniversary of the assassination of Leon Trotsky

Eighty-two years ago today, on August 20, 1940, Leon Trotsky was assassinated by an agent of the Stalinist secret police, the GPU, in his villa in Coyoacan, Mexico, where he spent the final three years of his life as a political exile.

David North

David North speaks on the NATO-Russia war on Turkey’s KİTABA DAİR

David North, the Chairman of the International editorial board of the World Socialist Web Site, spoke with Turkey’s KİTABA DAİR on his book, The Russian Revolution and the Unfinished 20th Century, and the rapidly intensifying conflict between Russia and NATO over Ukraine.

New Year statement

2022: Year Three of the pandemic and the emerging global class struggle

The pandemic is both a catastrophe of historic dimensions and a monumental crime. Its impact is the result of decisions made by capitalist governments to deliberately prioritize profits over lives and adopt policies that have allowed the virus to spread wildly throughout the global population.

Joseph Kishore, David North

Part Five

Trotsky’s Last Year

An appraisal, on the occasion of the eightieth anniversary of Trotsky’s assassination, of the work of the great theoretician and strategist of World Socialist Revolution during the final year of his life.

David North

One Hundred and Fifty Years Since the Birth of Lenin

Today marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov in the Russian city of Simbirsk on April 22, 1870. Known in history under the name of Lenin, he was the founder of the Bolshevik Party, leader of the 1917 October Revolution and, undoubtedly, a towering figure in the political and intellectual history of the twentieth century.

David North