The Russian Revolution: Some Neglected Aspects

History is seldom just to failure. The rapid rise of the Bolsheviks to power in Russia thirty-four years ago, their more surprising retention of power, the industrial and military achievements of the Soviet state— all these events have tended to create the belief that the Bolshevik dictatorship was the necessary and the only way for Russia. Now that opinion in the West has woken up, somewhat belatedly, to the nature of that dictatorship, it is interesting to turn back to the history of the early years of the Russian Revolution and to consider not so much those who succeeded, as those who failed. Were they merely rival aspirants to dictatorship, “supporters of a bankrupt order”, swept from the field by the stronger team? Or did they try to guide the new Russia along a path which would avoid the horrors and inhumanity which are now found side by side with the material achievements?