Revolutionary socialism

Revolutionary socialism seeks to replace capitalism and establish socialist social relations through a rupture with the existing political and economic order, rather than gradual reform.

Social revolution: A rapid, fundamental transformation of a society’s political and social institutions. Revolutionary socialism treats this broad transformation as the route beyond capitalism.
Karl Marx: A German philosopher and political economist whose work founded much of modern communist and socialist theory. His analysis of capitalism and class struggle became a major foundation for revolutionary socialism.
Vladimir Lenin: A Russian revolutionary who led the Bolsheviks and the 1917 October Revolution. His party theory and revolutionary strategy shaped later communist movements.
Democratic socialism: A political tradition that seeks socialism through democratic institutions and popular political participation. Its electoral and constitutional routes differ from revolutionary strategies for replacing capitalism.
October Revolution: The Bolshevik seizure of power in Russia in October 1917 under the Julian calendar. It brought a revolutionary socialist party to state power and reshaped global politics.
Class struggle: Conflict between social classes over economic resources, power, and the organization of society. Marxist revolutionaries understand class conflict as a driving force of systemic change.
Friedrich Engels: A German social theorist and political activist who collaborated with Karl Marx and helped develop Marxism. His writing and organizing helped shape the tradition alongside Marx.
Rosa Luxemburg: A Polish-German Marxist theorist and revolutionary who criticized both reformism and authoritarian centralism. Her work offers a revolutionary alternative centered on mass action and workers’ democracy.
Social democracy: A political tradition that pursues social equality through democratic government, regulation, and welfare policies. It generally seeks to reform capitalism rather than overthrow it.
Russian Civil War: A multifactional conflict fought in the former Russian Empire from 1917 to 1922. The war shaped the institutions and coercive practices of the new Soviet state.

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