By Dr. Sawraj Singh
One hundred years have passed since the Russian Revolution. Marxism has almost disappeared from its birthplace, Western Europe. Marxism has three major components: British economy, German philosophy and French socialism. Each major Western European country has contributed toward evolution of Marxism. Therefore, it can be concluded that Marxism is primarily a Western European philosophy. Even though Marxism is perceived as a universal philosophy, yet the fact remains that it has not fully integrated the Eastern philosophical concepts. Marxism could not completely save itself from being affected by the dominant trends in Europe at that time.
What were the dominant trends in Europe in the nineteenth century? Absolutism and economism were the main trends at that time. Absolutism was promoted by the newly developing science which felt that it had discovered absolute laws of nature. However, claims that we have completely understood laws of nature were an indicator of our ignorance rather than our knowledge. Our understanding of nature will always be relative than absolute. Nature is too complex and vast to be fully comprehended by man. Therefore, the best man can do is to keep learning more, rather than feel that he has learnt everything.
Many claims made by earlier science to be absolutely true were proved wrong by later developments in science. Einstein’s theory of relativity and quantum physics are few such examples. Science, in general, seems to be moving closer to eastern relativism and away from western absolutism. However, same cannot be said of philosophy and politics, where absolutism still prevails. Western exceptionalism, particularly American exceptionalism, still is the dominant trend in politics.
Economism is the other side of the coin of absolutism. It sees the role of economics as the dominant and almost exclusive role in human society. It underestimates the role played by civilization in evolution of society. As opposed to the west, the east always emphasized relativism and role of culture and civilization in human progress.
Marx tried to balance economism of western capitalism with humanism of east. He was very pained by dehumanization brought by western capitalism. Alienation and degeneration of human relations were very big concerns for him. However, because of the prevailing atmosphere at that time, Marx’s emphasis on humanism did not get the same attention as his economic theory got. Marxists tried to present him as an economist rather than humanist, even though motivation for his economic theory was primarily his humanitarian concern.
Russian revolution consolidated the economic tilt among the Marxists. Lenin reinforced their belief that role of revolution is primarily limited to change the economic conditions, rather than change people’s attitude and create a higher level of civilization than capitalism, which has led to human degeneration and cultural decline. Lenin could be justified by the peculiar conditions of the Soviet Union at that time. The western imperialist powers had encircled the Soviet Union and were trying to suffocate and finish it. Lenin’s policies might be intended as temporary tactics for survival, rather than long-term strategy.
Somehow this distinction between tactics and strategy was lost. What was intended to be a temporary policy only, became a permanent trend. Role of the Russian civilization was almost completely denied or suppressed. Strict economic policies were implemented at the cost of human concerns and Russian traditions and civilization. Russia ended up paying a tremendous price not only in terms of loss of human lives, but also in the form of loss of traditions, values and culture.
Not only the Russian Marxists and revolutionaries, but Marxists and revolutionaries all over the world were inspired and influenced by the Russian Revolution. They also developed a tendency which encouraged a mechanical and economist approach, and which downplayed the role of human spirit and civilization in revolutions and change. This eventually led to Marxism becoming like a second-rated, inefficient and bureaucratic capitalism. This became the main reason for the collapse of the Soviet Union and the East European communist societies.
Putin has tried to revive Russian civilization and rebuild Russia. China never followed leadership of the Soviet Communist Party, and it always wanted to modify Marxism according to the Chinese conditions and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics. Chinese communists always tried to uphold Chinese traditions, values and civilization. They deeply studied Chinese history and tried to draw lessons from it. They seem to have much more success in standing up to Western-centrism and western domination.
Revolutionaries and Marxists all over the world should try to learn from both positive and negative experiences of the Russian Revolution. They should try to liberate Marxism from Western-centrism. In a new multipolar world order, there can also be no one center of Marxism or revolution. Each country and each civilization has to evolve their own strategy and adopt Marxism according to their own conditions.
Dr. Sawraj Singh, MD F.I.C.S. is the Chairman of the Washington State Network for Human Rights and Chairman of the Central Washington Coalition for Social Justice. He can be reached at [email protected].
