834707260

ECSTASY AND HANGOVER OF A REVOLUTION

Anłun 2van

Zagreb

Today the development of socialism appears as sonie sort of social cyclothymia: periods of elation and revolutionary enthusiasm have been followed by those of melancholy and depression.

During the first period, following the first seizure of socialist revo-lutions, when these are still striving for the abolition of the old ruling class as an embodiment of social injustice, the revolution - together with its combatan^s and the entire oppressed population - is imbued with a strong feeling of enthusiasm. Inspired by ideas of freedom, social justice and humanity, the revolutionaries »scale the skies« to dethrone the »Gods« and re-establish a humane world. But when the ruling class is abolished, when the revolution- being a »political act« - fulfills its taslc of winning power, when socialism has to reject the »political diguise«, when it ought to develop its »organized activity« and reveal its »self-purpose« (Marx), the revolutionaries appear to give up all the elation and enthusiasm they had been imbued with at the very moment of struggle against the old system. The ideas of freedom, humanity and justice, which used to inspire them in the old days and seemed to them so close and easy to be fulfilled, now appear to lose ground among the people. Coincidentally, society is seized by the feeling of depression. for that which seemed once possible appears now, all of a sudden, aloof and almost impossible. But it may occur that some new, revolutionary goals emerge, their chances for material-ising being smali, and people are, once again, imbued with a new enthusiasm .. .

One can observe such a cyclic alternation of elation and deoression in almost any socialist revolution of our century. The only difference seems to be in the incidence and intensity of these changes.

At the beginning, during the period of armed fights against the ruling class and its institutions, all socialist revolutions - from the October Revolution in Russia onto the Yugoslav, Chinese or Cuban Revolution — revealed one common trait: they were imbued with enthusiasm and ecstasy. But after a certain time, when the old class

475