The word revolution means a transformation in the activities of people and their organizations that leads to dramatic and global changes. It can occur not only among people, but also in nature and in the scientific field. In social life, a revolution is a quick jump-like transition from one socio-political system to another.
Concept of revolution
This word comes from the Latin revolution, which means "turn", "transformation". A revolution is a sharp leap, characterized by a pronounced gap with the state that immediately preceded it. This phenomenon is inherent in various aspects of both public life and nature as a whole. In the political sphere, a revolution is a radical revolution, the transition from one political system to another.
In nature, there is a geological revolution, in society - demographic, cultural, industrial. There is such a thing as a scientific and technological revolution. It concerns transformations, for example, in computer science, physics, biology, and medicine.
The opposite concept is counter-revolution, which is the restoration of the previous order after the coup. As a rule, it has a regressive orientation, returning the social process to an outdated state.
What is a political revolution
In the sphere of politics, the revolution - a quick jump in transition from one socio-political system to another - is a description that is given in Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary. It says that as a result of revolutionary events, the old system is completely eliminated and a new government is established.
For example, during the bourgeois revolution, the dominance of the monarch and large feudal lords is overthrown, the leadership of the bourgeois elite is asserted, the farmers are freed from serfdom.
And class distinctions are also eliminated, nobility ceases to be synonymous with wealth, since the main productive forces in the form of technology, land and other resources are transferred to the hands of private entrepreneurs. A vivid example of this is the Great French Revolution, which occurred between 1789 and 1794.
Socialist revolution
As a result of the socialist revolution, the capitalist system is being replaced by the power of workers and peasants. The first was accomplished in our country. It was preceded by a bourgeois revolution, which took place in two stages (1905-1907, February 1917).
After the victory of the revolutionary forces in October 1917, the power of the bourgeoisie was overthrown. Land, factories and factories passed into national ownership. The economy became planned, its main goal was to meet the needs of the entire population.
And the socialist ones include: people's democratic revolutions that swept through the countries of Eastern Europe at the end of World War II, the Chinese Revolution of 1949, the Cuban Revolution of 1959, and others. As a result of all these events, life in these countries has changed very quickly and globally.
Thus, in accordance with the interpretation given by Ozhegov, revolution is a quick abrupt transition from one socio-political state to another.
Evolution, Reform, and Coup
Revolution as a qualitatively new dynamic step in development, leading to very large changes, must be distinguished from such a concept as evolution. It means a process where development proceeds slowly, where changes occur gradually.
And also revolutionary events must be distinguished from reforms. The difference between them is that the former involve global changes, while the latter concern only changes in one or several parts of the system, without affecting its fundamental foundations.
Sometimes the concept of revolution is not used correctly enough. This word refers to phenomena, although they are of a socio-political nature, but not a revolution as a quick abrupt transition from one socio-political situation.
These include a coup, an example of which is the activity of the Chinese leader Mao Zedong, during which he eliminated competitors in the structures of the Communist Party. That is, there is a change of power, but not a system.
Economic reasons for social revolutions
To create a revolutionary situation in the country, a number of reasons are necessary, the main of which, as a rule, are the negative material factors that characterize the economic space. The economic causes of the revolutionary spasmodic transition from one system to another, according to Marx's theory, are the following events.
The productive forces of society conflict with production relations. That is, those property relations that exist at a given point in time can no longer provide the vital needs of the overwhelming majority of the country's inhabitants. The lower layers are especially affected, the impoverishment of which is becoming greater than usual.
Then the masses, led by their ideologists, rise to the struggle and sweep away the outdated economic foundations, called the basis, clearing the way for the redistribution of property relations and the emergence of a new superstructure.
Ideological factors
A revolution, characterized by a rapid abrupt transition from one socio-political structure to another, contains several common features that can also serve as its causes.
These include:
- The struggle for power at the top of society, in which the masses are often drawn. They are used to achieve the goals of individual groups.
- Mobilization of the masses, supported by a part of the elites, growing into rebellion. They are caused by both a difficult economic situation and social inequality.
- The ideological motives that often unite the people and the upper layers of society and may have the form of a religious, national liberation movement.
- Related international position. Often, reactionary foreign forces, interfering in the internal politics of another state, support its opposition circles and conduct anti-government propaganda. Sometimes open military intervention takes place.
From all that has been said, it can be concluded that the revolution is a quick, spasmodic transition from one socio-political structure to another, characterized by global changes that break the previous foundations and create new ones. It must be distinguished from evolution, during which changes occur gently and gradually.