“Power to the NEW Soviets”

In 1917 Lenin published a speech that coined a popular saying in Russia and really led to the communist take over of that country. Lenin said “Power to the Soviets” and this saying was the battle cry of revolution. The Soviets were workers’ councils that controlled major parts of the economy. For example, the Soviets (workers) controlled the transportation system and other national industrial resources. The power to control parts of the economy allowed the Soviets to bring down a  weak provisional government and sweep Vladimir Lenin into power.

“By the end of 1917, Petrograd was in turmoil. Workers were taking over factories and Lenin’s slogan, ‘Power to the Soviets’, was becoming reality. Together with Leon Trotsky, head of the Petrograd Soviet, Lenin…hurriedly planned for an armed uprising.”

Here is what the history student should learn when studying this story.

1. The Russian “Bourgeoisie” in 1917 was the middle class not just the super rich (Tsar and his family) of society.
2. The Bolsheviks not only believed in the redistribution of wealth but it was one of their core values.
3. Lenin’s lie was that he wanted the poor uneducated workers (the majority) to run the country. But in fact only a well-organized political party (Lenin’s Bolsheviks) could do that. So Lenin would act as a vanguard for the people and secure their interests.
4. Russian Communism (Marxism-Leninism) is a Political Dictatorship that seizes power at the behest of the poor people (workers) but only retains power by totalitarianism. They never intend for the poor to acquire the promise of true societal equality. 

Here is the point, many of the same ideas and presuppositions found in Lenin’s revolution are found in the "hope and change" of the Obama administration (the NEW Soviet). I leave it to you to make the connections. Having said that, here is what Lenin said in his speech of 1917. I have shortened the speech because of space and the unimportant items. I am sure you can find the whole speech on the internet if you desire.

Vladimir Lenin:

“The key question of every revolution is undoubtedly the question of state power. Which class holds the power decides everything…The question of power cannot be evaded or brushed aside, because it is the key question determining everything in a revolution’s development, and in its foreign and domestic policies…Only if power is based, obviously and unconditionally, on a majority of the population can it be stable during a popular revolution, i.e., a revolution which rouses the people, the majority of the workers and peasants, to action. Up to now state power in Russia has virtually remained in the hands of the Bourgeoisie (middle class), who are compelled to make only particular concessions (only to begin withdrawing them the following day), to handout promises (only to fail to carry them out), to search for all sorts of excuses to cover their domination (only to fool the people by a show of honest coalition), etc., etc. In words it claims to be popular, democratic, revolutionary government, but in deeds it is an anti-popular, undemocratic, counter-revolutionary, bourgeois government…Power to the Soviets means radically reshaping the entire old state apparatus, that bureaucratic apparatus which hampers everything democratic. It means removing this apparatus and substituting for it a new, popular one, i.e., a truly democratic apparatus of Soviets, i.e., the organized and armed majority of people-the workers, soldiers and peasants. It means allowing the majority of the people initiative and independence not only in the election of deputies, but also in the state administration, in effecting reforms and various other changes…Only the dictatorship of the proletariat (workers) and the poor peasants is capable of smashing the resistance of the capitalists, of displaying truly supreme courage and determination in the exercise of power, and of securing the enthusiastic, selfless and truly heroic support of the masses both in the army and among the peasants. Power to the Soviets-this is the only way to make further progress gradual, peaceful and smooth, keeping perfect pace with political awareness and resolve of the majority of the people and with their own experience. Power to the Soviets means the complete transfer of the country’s administration and economic control into the hands of the workers and peasants, to whom nobody would dare offer resistance and who, through practice, through their own experience, would soon learn how to distribute the land, products and grain properly.”

It also seems that "The NEW Soviet" would like to have free healthcare!

(The secret of America was its middle class)