Towards the 100th Anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution
(November 1917 to 2017)

We communists, revolutionaries, proletarians and class conscious workers of the whole world joyfully celebrate the anniversary of the glorious October Socialist Revolution. With greater courage and determination in 2017 we will do this for the 100th anniversary of those historical “Ten Days That Shook the World.”

The Bolshevik revolution was the heroic deed that announced a revolutionary dawn. The guns of the cruiser “Aurora” announced the opening of a new era: the era of the defeat of capitalism and the building of a new society without exploiters or exploited.

With the Great October Revolution, the proletariat seized power, expropriated the exploiters, established its revolutionary dictatorship and created a State of a new type. In the words of Lenin:

“...in Russia the bureaucratic machine has been completely smashed, razed to the ground; the old judges have all been sent packing, the bourgeois parliament has been dispersed – and far more accessible representation has been given to the workers and peasants; their Soviets have replaced the bureaucrats, or their Soviets have been placed in control of the bureaucrats, and their Soviets have been authorized to elect the judges. This fact alone is enough to cause all the oppressed classes to recognize that the Soviet power, i.e., the present form of the dictatorship of the proletariat, is a million times more democratic than the most democratic bourgeois republic.” (The Proletarian Revolution and the Renegade Kautsky)

The Soviet state showed that socialism is a superior social order, as long as it firmly follows its principles and marches towards communism.

“Red October” radically changed the course of world history, it began a new stage of its development, the stage of the general crisis of capitalism and the transition to socialism. It marked an indelible turn in revolutionary strategy and tactics, in the methods of struggle and forms of organization, in the mentality, culture and traditions of the working class and its allies in the struggle against imperialism and capitalism, for the revolution and socialism.

Following the revolution led by the Bolsheviks Lenin and Stalin, a wave of proletarian revolutions broke out in the imperialist and capitalist countries, of popular and democratic revolutions carried out under the leadership of the proletariat and the banners of internationalism in the dependent and colonial countries.

The victory of the October Revolution led to the formation of communist parties worldwide and the establishment of the Communist International, in order to regroup the vanguard of the proletariat and organize the world revolution.

With the creation of the Soviet Union and the building of socialism, the working class, peasants, women and peoples achieved great material and cultural benefits. The workers reached high levels of well-being thanks to the socialist industrialization and the collectivization of the countryside, to economic planning that put an end to capitalist relations of production and the anarchy typical of the old system.

The working class became a technically and ideologically advanced class. Unemployment was eliminated. The process of the emancipation of women and their participation in the leadership of the country progressed as they built socialism.

The furious attacks of the imperialists failed against the iron will of the workers and peoples not to go back to the condition of slaves; they failed because of the political power and unity of the socialist State.

The Socialist Constitution of 1936 and the defeat of the Nazi- fascist beast, which resulted in the liberation of many countries and the establishment of people’s democratic regimes, were great achievements for the peoples of the world.

The October Socialist Revolution was an event of great relevance today, full of valuable lessons for the struggle of the proletariat and other oppressed classes against exploitation and oppression.

It is the practical demonstration that the revolution is not only a popular desire, it is also possible and necessary to overthrow bourgeois rule and build a new society, in which “ those who are nothing now, will be all” and will change the world.

In the years since that great event, the fundamental contradictions and evils endemic of capitalism have worsened, while the revolutionary forces of the working class and peoples have grown objectively and internationally.

The idea of the proletarian revolution is totally relevant given the exploitation and oppression of the vast majority of humanity, the poverty and growing inequality, the wars of plunder, the parasitism of a handful of rich people who are becoming ever richer, the elimination of the social gains won by the workers, the looting and neocolonial domination, the devastation of the environment caused by the capitalist system.

The reasons for the revolution are more relevant than ever and its material premises are more developed. The transition to a better form of organization for human society, to a new and higher social order, is an increasingly urgent demand for the classes that are exploited and oppressed by capital. It is a “problem put forward awaiting a solution” through the struggle of the oppressed and exploited masses.

The disappearance of the USSR and other socialist countries has been a hard blow. Socialism has suffered a temporary defeat that does not invalidate its accomplishments or the need for it. In reality it was not the October Revolution, nor proletarian socialism which failed. What failed was the betrayal, revisionism and opportunism that diverted the workers from their class interests and objectives.

Despite the relentless anti-communist propaganda it is becoming increasingly clear that the barbarous and moribund capitalist-imperialist system can only offer exploitation, misery and war.

We are in a period of political awakening of the working class, the peoples and youth, who no longer want to bear the yoke and baggage that capitalism and imperialism impose.

They are advancing in the rejection and struggle against the consequences of the crisis, against exploitation, inequality, poverty, against the dictates, intervention and aggression of imperialism.

There is growing consciousness’ that things cannot continue the way they are, that there is no salvation under capitalism, that a profound social transformation is necessary in order to put an end to economic, social, moral and ecological ruin, as well as the massacres that humanity is inevitably suffering under the rule of the capitalist monopolies that obey only one law: that of maximum profit.

To carry out this transformation the seizure of state power by the most revolutionary and advanced class in society is essential, the leading force of the transformation at the political, practical, intellectual and moral level: the modern proletariat.

Confronted by the revisionist, reformist and opportunist theses, which have led the proletarian class to painful defeats, the proletarian revolution affirms itself as the only solution to the exploitation and oppression of the peoples.

The latest and profound crisis of capitalism, and the future ones, prove that society under the capitalist system is an obstacle to the development of the productive forces; therefore this dire situation can only be broken through revolution.

The question that arises urgently is: dictatorship of monopoly finance capital or dictatorship of the proletariat?

The victorious October Socialist Revolution showed that the working class can take power and run society without the bourgeoisie and against it; it showed that the communists can and should play a decisive role.

Soviet October teaches us that the communists, the best elements of the proletariat, the revolutionary youth, have to take up these teachings and continue the struggle, clearly breaking with opportunism of all kinds and uniting under the banner of Marxism-Leninism and proletarian internationalism.

Let us celebrate and make contemporary the 100th anniversary of Red October in each country, in a combative and unitary manner, emphasizing its enduring significance, its international importance and the profound relevance of the proletarian revolution in order to radically transform the world.

Let us prepare to celebrate everywhere, in a dignified and unitary manner the 100th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution in 2017, with commemorations, seminars, meetings and other activities.

Let us develop in all countries the mobilization to regroup communists, the revolutionaries, the militant workers, let us explain the need for communism, the only force that can consistently organize and lead the forces of the social revolution in all countries.

Let invite the political, social, trade union, youth, women, peasant and indigenous Parties and Organizations of all countries that share our positions of principle, to join us to carry out in common these activities and build a powerful International Communist and Workers’ Movement.

A century after the victorious “assault on heaven” carried out by the Bolsheviks, let us reaffirm that the only sure alternative to imperialist and capitalist barbarism is the revolution and socialism!

 Long live the Great October Socialist Revolution!
Long live Marxism-Leninism!
Long live proletarian internationalism!
Quito, October 2015
International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations (ICMLPO)

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