...as another alternative to individualistic capitalism. Unlike socialists or communists, nationalists believed that there was nothing inherently wrong with capitalism. They just thought it should be regulated and made to benefit the nation as a whole in addition to the few individuals who owned the means of production. In either case, political philosophies that emphasized nation and class were responses to a changing world that had uprooted old social beliefs. Communism, which is also described as "Revolutionary Proletarian Socialism" or "Marxism," is both a political and economic philosophy. The Communist Manifesto is widely regarded as the founding documents of modern communism. It provides an analysis of the limitations of capitalism and class struggle, and it presents the main principles of communist ideology in detail. Marx and Engels viewed the capitalist development which had taken hold in England, Belgium and to a certain extent France as revolutionary. It could destroy the old feudal societies which still dominated much of Europe and it could lead to...
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...most significant development in world politics since the Second World War. In immediate terms, it has provoked widespread ideological confusion and demoralisation within the international workers' movement, and on the other side, gloating by the capitalist rulers and their apologists. The latter have used this event to step up their efforts to discredit socialism by identifying it with the bureaucratic dictatorship that has ruled over the Soviet Union since Stalin's rise to power in the 1920s. This, of course, is not something new. The capitalist rulers in the West have always argued that the totalitarian regime created by Stalin and maintained by his heirs was the inevitable consequence of the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. The capitalists were greatly assisted in this task by the Stalinists' claim to represent the tradition of Marx and Lenin. The capitalists cynically accepted the Stalinists' description of their hideous police regimes as representing "socialism" in order to prejudice the workers of the West against socialism by identifying it with the denial of democratic freedoms, and to promote the idea that bourgeois parliamentary democracy is the highest embodiment of human freedom. While this bourgeois propaganda campaign certainly succeeded in discrediting Marxism and Leninism among large sections of working people in the imperialist democracies during the long capitalist boom and the Cold War, there remained a sizable component of the working class and the lower...
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...The English Revolution was a period of armed conflict and political turmoil between 1642 and 1660. This included the execution of the Charles 1st, the rise of the Commonwealth followed by the Protectorate under Cromwell and then the eventual restoration of the Monarchy. Richardson is correct to state that the events that occurred were “inherently controversial… momentous and far reaching” which are still debated today. This debate rages on whether these events can constitute a Revolution. It is dependent on what definition of the word Revolution is enacted. Historians such as Jeff Goodwin provide interpretations of what it means to have a Revolution, which shall be further explored, however what ultimately accounts is how the events and interpretations of the time fit into these interpretations. Ultimately there are two ways to look at Revolution, firstly there is the struggle or initial violent uprisings of the populous against the established state. The other way of looking at a revolution is to also examine the more long term changes or effects in the mind-set of the contemporise. In other words the changes in the way men think. Richardson pushes the idea of the initial struggle constituting a Revolution whereas others such as Hill believe that the long-term effects are more significant. Both arguments both valid against differing definitions of Revolution. Similarities between the French and English Revolutions will also provide a stark comparison of the English situation...
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...What were the causes of the 1905 Revolution? Why did the Revolution fail to overthrow the Tsarist Regime? The Revolution of 1905 was the first time the Tsar had faced open opposition from so many groups in Russian society at the same time. It involved peasant disturbances, strikes, naval mutinies, nationalist uprisings and assassinations. This essay aims to examine the different causes of the Revolution of 1905. Short and long-term causes will be considered, and economic, political, military and social factors will be discussed. The essay will also explain why the Revolution ultimately failed to overthrow the Tsarist regime. A long-term social and economic cause of the 1905 Revolution was the continuing dissatisfaction of both peasants and landowners to the Emancipation Edict of 1861. Although this piece of legislation had brought an end to serfdom, peasants still remained tied to the village commune (mir) and were angry at the redemption payments they were expected to pay in return for the land they had received. They believed more, and better quality, land should have been given to them at no cost. Their anger was made evident during the peasant disturbances of 1902. The landowners were also unhappy with the terms of emancipation. They lost the free labour of their serfs and a large amount of land. As a result many were facing huge debts by 1905. Another long-term cause of the 1905 Revolution was the general disappointment with which many Russian people viewed the...
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...peasant soldiers; a political revolution? Which of these best describes the February revolution, and why did the Tsarist system fall in February 1917? The Russian revolution of February 1917 was a momentous event in the course of Russian history. Its causes, nature and effect are complex and critical in the analysis of twentieth century international history. The revolution began in Petrograd as a workers’ revolt in response to bread shortages, and was aimed at the Tsarist system because it was believed that the government was hoarding the bread in order to drive up prices. However a workers’ revolt, by itself, is very unlikely to result in the abdication of the Tsar, and a critical phase of the revolution was the mutiny of the Petrograd garrison, and the loss of control over Petrograd that the Tsar experienced. Marxist historians have grossly exaggerated the extent of political involvement in the revolution, and it would be fair to say that only at a very late stage of the revolution did socialist political parties become involved. The Tsarist system fell for many reasons: the war against Germany meant that troops could not be deployed in force against the revolutionaries; the Tsar underestimated the extent of the revolts in Petrograd until it was too late; and the Tsar was convinced by his generals that only the Duma could deal with the situation. All of these events were necessary to bring down an autocratic system centuries old, and deeply connected with the mentality of the...
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...Brothers to each other and Fathers to the nation, James Adams, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Benjamin Franklin, and James Madison led the United States to independence over a series of revolutionary events. Joseph Ellis’s Founding Brothers successfully brings to life the issues and personalities of this period in time and is able to characterize these figures beyond their distinguished names, but as characters in a dramatic and remarkable history. Ellis succinctly analyzes six major events in the late 18th century: the Burr-Hamilton duel, the Compromise of 1790, the issue of slavery, Washington’s Farewell Address, the Adams Administration, and the friendship between Adams and Madison. He is able to vividly...
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...The Boxer Uprising (1898-1901), also known as ‘Yi Ho Tuan’ Movement, was a major peasant uprising marked by anti-Manchu and anti-foreign sentiments. In the period after the Opium Wars, the nature of Sino-Western relations had changed, leading to a scramble for concessions. This had exposed the inefficacy of the Manchus. Simultaneously, it had intensified the socio-economic crisis already prevalent in the 19th century. This essay attempts to analyze the causes, nature and impact of the Boxer Movement. Causes 1. A study of the traditional Chinese society and economy is imperative to trace the origins of the Uprising. The Chinese society was strictly compartmentalized by the principles of Confucianism. The society was highly stratified and had a rigid and inflexible hierarchical structure. A unique combination of power, wealth and knowledge defined the gentry or the elite class. The peasantry was the ‘exploited’ class, the taxpayers, who despite the theoretical emphasis on ‘career open to merit’ could rarely attain gentry status. The growing tax burden and exploitation caused discontent among them and though they remained placid, the simmering of discontent was always there. However, peasant uprisings, though a frequent occurrence, were spontaneous and scattered and so easy to suppress. The growing unrest culminated into agitation, and found expression in the Boxer Movement. 2. A series of natural calamities in the late 19th century intensified the discontent...
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...oldest continuously extant civilization, being four thousand years old, but, a mere twenty years later that bastion of civilization was thrown into turmoil and discord by the arrival of western civilizations who brought with them a new ethos and dictum on the structure of society that, would open the eyes of the insular Chinese people and awaken the great sleeping dragon, that would propel them into modernity. A number of factors were present in China at the turn of the century that would led to the gradual establishment of Communist rule under the charismatic, enigmatic Mao Zedong. At the time of the CCP's inception in 1920 China was a deeply divided socially, economically and politically backward country ruled by self-serving, despotic war-lords and encumbered by foreign powers who held unequal treaties which entitled them to special economic and territorial privileges in China, a source of great discontent to the Chinese people. This great social upheaval gave rise to new and more radicalized schools of thought, led by disenchanted intellectuals who strove to unify China and rid her of her many tyrannical overlords.The Nationalist KMT Party were the Communists main contender for power; not only were they the public face of politics in China, they also had the backing of Soviet Russia, but, over time Chiang Kai-Shek and the KMT would come to represent consummate despotism; Siphoning of public funds, their brutality towards the people, their liaisons with the U.S.A, and their...
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...Journal of Moral Education Vol. 34, No. 4, December 2005, pp. 391–398 EDITORIAL Marxism and moral education W. John Morgan* University of Nottingham, UK It is obviously necessary to begin with Karl Marx. According to Vorlander, ‘The ¨ moment anyone started to talk to Marx about morality, he would roar with laughter’ (Vorlander, 1904, p. 22; Lukes, 1985, p. 26). Yet the normative element is central to ¨ Marx’s thinking and the resolution of the paradox is to be found, according to Lukes, in the distinction between a bourgeois morality of law and a revolutionary morality of class emancipation. Marx is interested fundamentally in the moral education of the proletariat through the liberating process that accompanies revolution. It has been argued that in order to explain the motives of the socialist revolutionary, Marx needs such a theory of moral education that is, at the same time, his normative objective. In particular, it is said, ‘he needs an account of how vast numbers of working people acquire a commitment to make a revolution in their common interest’ (Miller, 1998, p. 377). Moreover, this must be powerful enough to break the economic, social and ideological grip of the capitalist system that he has analysed and exposed in such detail. The mode of production is the economic key, as it was for the emergence of capitalism. However, the development of capitalism itself creates a fresh social and psychological context, providing the proletariat with the opportunity...
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...The Battle of the Alamo Abstract This paper is a battle analysis of the Battle of the Alamo, which took place in 1836. It reviews the location and its significance within the war for independence that was taking placing during that time. The actions by the Texas revolutionary forces and Mexicans leading up to and during the battle are listed within the writing. It reveals the issue between the force stationed at the Alamo and their superior, General Sam Houston. The defenders at the Alamo didn’t receive support that was needed in order to provide intelligence of the Mexican force that was on its way. On the other hand, they didn’t listen to the order to vacate the fort. These are a couple of the major problems that took place before and during the battle. Although the battle was essential to inspiring the rest of the Texan forces, it leads me to believe that this important conflict could have turned out differently. The Battle of the Alamo The Battle of the Alamo is the most famous battle of the Texas revolution that took place in the early 1800s. “For many Americans and most Texans, the battle has become a symbol of patriotic sacrifice” (Hardin, 2010). Even though the Texans lost the battle, it contributed to the successful war for independence against Mexico. There were, at least, two decisions that may have altered the consequence of the Battle of the Alamo if more cautiously considered. The defenders at the Alamo didn’t receive support that was needed in order to...
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...Joseph J. Ellis, the author of the historical novel “Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation”, is an American historian, novelist, and professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Ellis was born on July 18, 1943 in Washington, D.C. and is still alive today, living with his wife in Amherst, Massachusetts and is the father of three adult sons. As for his career, he has had some impressive accomplishments in his lifetime and some not so pleasant scandals. Ellis earned his Bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary in 1965. He went on to receive many higher educational degrees from the prestigious Yale University such as the following: a Master of Arts, a Master of Philosophy,...
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...new stage. Mao Tse-tung’s thought is MarxismLeninism of the era in which imperialism is heading for total collapse and socialism is advancing to world-wide victory. It is a powerful ideological weapon for opposing imperialism and for opposing revisionism and dogmatism. Mao Tse-tung’s thought is the guiding principle for all the work of the Party, the army and the country. Therefore, the most fundamental task in our Party’s political and ideological work is at all times to hold high the great red banner of Mao Tse-tung’s thought, to arm the minds of the people throughout the country with it and to persist in using it to command every field of activity. The broad masses of the workers, peasants and soldiers and the broad ranks of the revolutionary cadres and the intellectuals should really master Mao Tse-tung’s thought; they should all study Chairman Mao’s writings, follow his teachings, act according to his instructions and be his good fighters. In studying the works of Chairman Mao, one should have specific problems in mind, study and apply...
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...THE INFLUENCE OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION ON BRITISH ROMANTIC POETS English Literature III Vítor Moura Introduction The French Revolution marks a turning point in world history and it is often said that it changed politics forever. Therefore, it is no surprise that its importance also reached the main literary movement of that time. Although not all of the poets were directly influenced by the Revolution, some of them were affected indirectly by the mood that ran across Europe. In this essay I will show that connection, influence and involvement between those writers and the revolutions; the one that happened in France and the one that could have happened in England. First Generation Romantic Poets First of all, it is essential to understand what the French Revolution was and why it happened. Without going into the details, we can say that it started in 1989 in an attempt to overthrow the monarchy in France and replace it with a republic. After a period of three years of tension and indecision, a republic was proclaimed in 1892 and in the following year King Louis XVI was decapitated. This was followed by the dictatorship of Robespierre and the Jacobins, the Directorate, and culminating in Napoleon Bonaparte’s dictatorship. The Revolution shook Europe all over defying order and everything old; it gave birth to new ideas that inspired European society, from music to philosophy and literature. Meanwhile, on the other side of the English Channel, the empire was being...
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...final Paper Andranik of Armenia Civilizations and societies have constantly changed and evolved throughout time. However, within these constant transformations, there happens to be one common denominator that appears and reappears within all countries and time periods. Social figures are the exception, for they are emphasis of human nature. The leader, the follower, the rebel, the lawbreaker, the bandit are all variety of these social elements present and reoccurring in various regions of the world. Of those, one particularly stands out through its analysis of Eric Hobsbawm. The role of bandits is explored and a redefining of the term emerges. Hobsbawm points out one particular type of personality of the ‘social bandit.’ He defines them as “peasant outlaws who, the lord and state regard as criminals, but who remain within the peasant society and are considered by the people as heroes.” In effect, through this thorough analysis, this does not only apply to western and local individuals but extends much further. In consequence, Armenian guerilla fighter Andranik Ozanian is the ideal example of a social bandit, in the Indo-European region of the world. Andranik Ozanian, also known as Andranik Pasha or General Andranik was born in the town of Shabin Karahissar, part of the Ottoman province of Sivaz, on February 25, 1865. Son of a carpenter, the young hero only achieved an elementary education, after which he followed his father’s example and learned to work alongside him. Unfortunately...
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...it is important to the continued vitality and robustness of the U.S. defense posture for the DoD R&D community to be aware of technology developments that could revolutionize military operations in the future, and for the U.S. military services to be on the lookout for revolutionary ways in which to employ those technologies in warfare. This report examines the history of past RMAs, to see what can be learned from them regarding the challenge confronting the DoD today, when it has set out on a concerted effort to bring about a technology-driven transformation of the U.S. military to achieve the operational goals outlined in Joint Vision 2010. Among its many findings are three of particular note: * RMAs are rarely brought about by dominant players (such as the U.S. military is today). * For a dominant player to bring about an RMA requires a receptive organizational climate, fostering a continually refined vision of how war may change in the future and encouraging vigorous debate regarding the future of the organization; senior officers with traditional credentials willing to sponsor new ways of doing things and able to establish new promotion pathways for junior officers practicing a new way of war; mechanisms for experimentation, to discover, learn, test and demonstrate new ideas; and ways of responding positively to the results of successful experiments, in terms of doctrinal changes, acquisition programs, and force structure...
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