How did the Marxist view the Russian society, particularly the working class before the 1917
Marxists viewed Russian society, including the working class, before the 1917 Russian Revolution as being heavily oppressed and exploited by the ruling class. They believed that the working class, the proletariat, was being subjected to harsh working conditions, low wages, and lacked political power or representation.
According to Marxist theory, the working class formed the majority of society, providing the labor necessary for the production of goods and services. However, they were seen as being oppressed and alienated from the fruits of their labor. Marxists believed that the capitalist system, which prioritized profits and private ownership of means of production, was responsible for this exploitation.
In pre-revolutionary Russia, the working class faced numerous challenges and hardships. Industrialization led to the growth of factories and urban areas, but the workers were subjected to long working hours, low pay, precarious employment, and unsafe working conditions. They lacked legal protections, unions, and political representation, making it difficult for them to improve their conditions.
Marxists saw the working class as the revolutionary force that could overthrow the capitalist system and establish a socialist society based on collective ownership of the means of production. They believed that the working class, once organized and aware of its exploitation, would rise up against the ruling class and seize political power.
This Marxist perspective on Russian society and the working class ultimately played a significant role in the events leading up to the 1917 Russian Revolution, as it fuelled the revolutionary fervor among workers and led to the establishment of a communist regime under the leadership of the Bolshevik Party.
Marxists viewed Russian society, including the working class, before the 1917 revolution through the lens of their theory of class struggle and historical materialism. According to Marxist analysis, the working class in Russia was seen as the revolutionary class, capable of overthrowing the capitalist system and establishing a socialist society.
Marxists believed that the working class in Russia, primarily comprised of industrial workers in urban areas, was being exploited by the ruling bourgeois class. They saw workers as being alienated from the means of production, forced to sell their labor power in order to survive under exploitative conditions. These conditions included long working hours, low wages, lack of social protections, and poor living conditions.
Furthermore, Marxists argued that the Russian working class had the potential to become a vanguard revolutionary force due to its concentrated nature, increasing organization, and growing class consciousness. They believed that the working class had the power to unite and overthrow the capitalist ruling class, leading to the establishment of a proletarian dictatorship and eventually, a classless society.
Overall, Marxists held a critical perspective on Russian society, particularly emphasizing the struggles and potential revolutionary role of the working class. This analysis played a significant role in shaping the Bolshevik Party's ideology and their eventual success in the 1917 Russian Revolution.