Bourgeois revolution
A bourgeois revolution is a type of revolution which involves the overthrow of the aristocracy and abolition of the feudalism by the bourgeoisie, who replace the system of absolute monarchy with bourgeois democracy and fully realize the capitalist mode of production. Bourgeois revolutions occur when the relations of production develop and the capitalist class grows in influence to where it conflicts with the feudal sociopolitical system, which become restrictive to further industrial development.[1]
Although historically progressive relative to feudalism, the bourgeois revolution and state ultimately replaces one group of exploiters with another, and the focus of the capitalists quickly becomes redirected towards the suppression and continued exploitation of the nascent proletariat. This subsequent period of class struggle brings about socialist revolution, of which, overthrows all exploiting strata and the capitalist system in general.
Historical examples of bourgeois revolutions include the French Revolution, English Revolution, Dutch Revolt, Revolutions of 1848, and Xinhai Revolution.
See also
Reference
- ↑ Joseph Stalin (1926). Concerning Questions of Leninism. Available on the Marxists Internet Archive.
"1) The bourgeois revolution usually begins when there already exist more or less ready-made forms belonging to the capitalist order, forms which have grown and matured within the womb of feudal society prior to the open revolution, whereas the proletarian revolution begins when ready-made forms belonging to the socialist order are either absent, or almost absent.
2) The main task of the bourgeois revolution consists in seizing power and making it conform to the already existing bourgeois economy, whereas the main task of the proletarian revolution consists, after seizing power, in building a new, socialist economy.
3) The bourgeois revolution is usually consummated with the seizure of power, whereas in the proletarian revolution the seizure of power is only the beginning, and power is used as a lever for transforming the old economy and organizing the new one.
4) The bourgeois revolution limits itself to replacing one group of exploiters in power by another group of exploiters, in view of which it need not smash the old state machine; whereas the proletarian revolution removes all exploiting groups from power and places in power the leader of all the toilers and exploited, the class of proletarians, in view of which it cannot manage without smashing the old state machine and substituting a now one for it.
5) The bourgeois revolution cannot rally the millions of the toiling and exploited masses around the bourgeoisie for any length of time, for the very reason that they are toilers and exploited; whereas the proletarian revolution can and must link them, precisely as toilers and exploited, in a durable alliance with the proletariat, if it wishes to carry out its main task of consolidating the power of the proletariat and building a new, socialist economy."