I'm Susie Wiseman and this is Jacobin Radio.

Today we switch things around.

I'm the guest, putting on my other hat as a writer and scholar of Soviet politics and history, and the author of a political biography of Victor Serge, with a talk delivered recently in Berkeley on why we should

celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution. Robert Brenner then

puts on my usual hat and interviews me on the significance of that magnificent event

on October 26, 1917, when workers took power with profoundly democratic institutions of popular control from below in the Russian Empire

creating the Soviet Russian word for council union. This is the Russian Revolution 100 years ago when the working class in Russia opened up the possibilities for humanity.

That is the Russian Revolution of October 1917 which opened up a new historical epoch and was

greeted with enthusiasm by workers around the world.

Never before had workers come close to winning power, though many participated in political

life in the social democratic parties of Western Europe.

But now, suddenly in Russia, revolution was an actuality, not simply a hope or a threat,

as a huge country broke from international capitalism.

It's almost impossible for us to imagine today

the intoxicating power of that moment.

Victor Serge described it as one where life is beginning anew, where Mr. are in action. If you haven't seen Reds and I highly recommend it, you should. One of the

witnesses captured the joy of the moment when he described dancing through the streets of New York when he heard the news of the

Revolution's triumph and he goes, ah, revolution in Russia, down with the czar.

And workers

around the world did greet the Russian Revolution

with jubilation because it represented

their broadest aspirations.

...