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Socialism in one country

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Socialism in one country proposes that it is possible to build socialism in a single country (including a country in the imperial periphery), developing the productive forces before then aiding revolutionary movements in other countries. Trotskyists believe that socialism is only possible in the imperial core and must be established in multiple countries at once.[1] However, Lenin believed socialism was possible in one country.[2][3]

Common Misconceptions[edit | edit source]

Internationalism[edit | edit source]

Based on only the name Socialism in one country, it could be misinterpreted as a revisionist and bourgeois nationalist proposal, that the concept claims the final victory of socialism is achieved through it's establishment in a single country.[citation needed] Both Lenin and Stalin however wrote on the necessity of internationalism, and because of the Soviet Union was being surrounded by imperialist nations at the time, it cannot be described as the final victory of socialism.[4][5]

Revisionism[edit | edit source]

Trotskyists, along with many others who advocate for deviations of Marxism who may advocate for Permanent revolution, claim that Stalin revised Marxism with socialism in one country. However, Lenin had written previously on building socialism in one country, and his writings on the New Economic Policy discuss hypothetical socialist countries as well.[6] Lenin argued that a socialist state needs to be formed first in order to lead a world revolution.[7]

Lenin also criticised the concept of Trotsky's Permanent revolution as Lenin sees this theory as absurd and not connected with the situation in Russia at the time.[8]


References[edit | edit source]

  1. TheFinnishBolshevik (2017-05-25). "Socialism in One Country: What it really means" ML-Theory. Archived from the original on 2022-06-22. Retrieved 2022-08-07.
  2. “Uneven economic and political development is an absolute law of capitalism. Hence, the victory of socialism is possible first in several or even in one capitalist country alone.”

    Vladimir Lenin (1915). On the Slogan for a United States of Europe. [MIA]
  3. Vladimir Lenin (1918). Third All-Russia Congress of Soviets (p. 470). [PDF]
  4. Joseph Stalin (1938). On the Final Victory of Socialism in the U.S.S.R.. [MIA]
  5. “The final victory of Socialism, in the sense of full guarantee against the restoration of bourgeois relations, is possible only on an international scale”

    Joseph Stalin (1925). The Results of the Work of the Fourteenth Conference of the R.C.P.(B.). [MIA]
  6. Vladimir Lenin (1921). The New Economic Policy. [MIA]
  7. “We have now learned to make a concerted effort. The revolution that has just been accomplished is evidence of this. We possess the strength of mass organisation, which will overcome everything and lead the proletariat to the world revolution.

    We must now set about building a proletarian socialist state in Russia”

    Vladimir Lenin (1917). Meeting Of The Petrograd Soviet Of Workers' And Soldiers' Deputies. [MIA]
  8. “Trotsky was an ardent Iskrist in 1901—03, and Ryazanov described his role at the Congress of 1903 as “Lenin’s cudgel”. At the end of 1903, Trotsky was an ardent Menshevik, i. e., he deserted from the Iskrists to the Economists. He said that “between the old Iskra and the new lies a gulf”. In 1904—05, he deserted the Mensheviks and occupied a vacillating position, now co-operating with Martynov (the Economist), now proclaiming his absurdly Left “permanent revolution” theory. In 1906—07, he approached the Bolsheviks, and in the spring of 1907 he declared that he was in agreement with Rosa Luxemburg.”

    Vladimir Lenin (1914). Disruption of Unity Under Cover of Outcries for Unity. [MIA]