WIdealist historians, like many laymen, supported the view that the builders of Rala were great individuals, primarily kings and ministers in positions of authority. They are still supporting it today. When they are opposed by honorable revolutionaries who have risen from the bottom to the top of power, they do not hesitate to say that the genius, energy, tactics and skill of these leaders are the major cause of the revolution.
Marxist historians attribute historical events to large social processes independent of anyone’s will. They explain that these processes ultimately correspond to sudden changes in class struggle, and that the strength of class consent and the goals it seeks to achieve are determined by the role it plays in social production at any given time.
This interpretation leads some to conclude that Marxism denies great individuals any role in history because it does not accept the existence of great individuals.
Read: November 7: 106th Russian Revolution Day | Soviets of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies | Comrade Stalin
The very name of Marxism is derived from the name of a great man. Wouldn’t it be strange, then, if Marxism did not accept the importance of great men?
No, Marxist history, and even better Marxist practice, is very much concerned with the individual. Before appointing any person to a position of even the smallest responsibility, the Central Committee of our Party carefully examines his character from the point of view of his energy and organizational ability.
Marxists do not believe in coincidences. Revolution cannot be artificially created. We know that it should appear automatically. At the same time, we know that revolution can be disorganized, chaotic, or largely directed along a planned path, illuminated by the knowledge of the leaders who organize it, if not by the knowledge of all the participants. In this lies the power of the proletariat as a revolutionary class.
That is, it is better attuned to order, more easily defeating organizers from its midst. It is this power that separates the proletariat from the commoners, for example.
The proletariat is the organizing class. First it had to conquer the country, now it has to reform it…. Such work cannot be accomplished without a head office. The function of this office is to collect and collate the information coming in from all quarters and send mutually consistent orders to all quarters. All the most valuable experiences are accumulated here. The plan to be implemented will be clearly defined here. A more detailed look will inevitably bring this multi-staffed office together for complete formalization
Knowledge and unifying psychology are required. Such knowledge has no legal authority, no authority like that of a king or dictator. But it will have value due to rich experience, self-restraint, and penetrating intelligence.
The people’s revolution brings to the surface the great mass of people’s society which had been separated from the ruling power until then. Among these people it is naturally expected that a certain number of highly intelligent persons will come out on top in the selection process.
And while the revolutionary movement is still latent, those who lead it are of the best process, of invincible courage; If you include those who have risen from the bottom up in the strict school of indirect action and hard struggle, you will have a proper explanation as to why a comprehensive revolution cannot exist without producing great leaders.
Read: November 7: 106th Russian Revolution Day | Comrade Lenin’s Holiday Notes | Comrade Stalin
The world has never seen a revolution that was so extensive and so extensive, so advanced by so long a struggle, as the social revolution in Russia. Therefore, it could be predicted that such a revolution would be led by people of superior political genius and extraordinarily determined nature.
It is no coincidence that a gentleman is the leader of our party. It had to end this way. The pride of his genius and the steadfastness of his will reflect the breadth and scope of our revolution, and especially the unpredictable characteristics of its main driving force, the working class.
A. Lunacharskyi
(Note: A. V. Lunacharskyi (1875 – 1933) – academician, great worker in Soviet culture. Joined the Social-Democratic establishment at the age of 17. In the Bolshevik newspapers ‘Vberyot’ (Manne), ‘Barolitaryi’ (Proletarian) He worked under the leadership of V. E. Lenin and served for several years as People’s Commissar of Education of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic after the victory of the October Revolution.
Lunacharskyi was a great orator and essayist. Russian and West European literary historian. (Writer of several plays and excellent critical works on Soviet literature.)