Peace among the peoples
The idea and the reality of communist internationalism
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
It is generally assumed that the October Revolution resulted from the misery suffered by the workers and peasants. In fact, however, it was not so much the social aspect but the national issue that made communism so attractive for hundreds of millions of people during the 20th century. Capitalism was regarded not only as the cause of inequality and exploitation, but also of devastating wars. Lenin had promised to build entirely new relationships between states and peoples. Yet the national federalism and internationalism of the Bolsheviks was nothing more than a tactical manoeuvre. The Stalinist terror, including against entire peoples, discredited communism. The yearning and the search for inner-state and international order, which permits peaceful relations between the peoples, is still alive today.
(Osteuropa 9-10/2017, pp. 117–136)