Bolshevism theory and practice

‎

Author's name: Bertrand Russell

In 1920, the British philosopher, logician, and mathematician Bertrand Russell made a short visit to Russia. This trip brought him much frustration and later made him one of the most prominent critics of Bolshevism, or "the Russian experiment in communism." This did not mean that he abandoned his support for socialism as an idea or political approach. In the first section of this book, Russell records his firsthand impressions of that visit, in the form of journalistic observations made by a committed leftist and a first-class philosopher. The second section, devoted to theoretical philosophy, presents his main criticisms of Marxism and Bolshevism; these include criticism of the Marxist philosophy of history and the psychological motives that motivate man according to Marx, criticism of the Bolshevik vision of democracy, and rejection of repeating the Bolshevik experience in the West. Russell presents his ideas to the general reader in a smooth style without abandoning the depth of his treatment. Russell's experience and his relationship with a revolution in which he believed and whose failure he witnessed may inspire many; Because it teaches them that changing the world for the better comes through honesty and criticism, through learning from mistakes, and understanding those who made them with idealism and courage.