Socialism Today

100 years ago, Russians overthrew the czar and the autocratic regime in the middle of WWI. In a nation comprised primarily of peasants, the working class led a democratic revolution that dramatically raised living standards for millions. Here we talk about this revolution's relevance today. Part 1: What happened in 1917 in Russia and what can we learn from it today? Part 2: Why did this break from capitalism happen in Russia? And how was the bureaucracy able to take over under Stalin? Music selections (in order of appearance) Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 2 in B major, Op. 14, “October”, II. Chorus (1927) Moscow State Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra Kiril Kondrashin, conductor Arseny Avraamov: Simfoniya gudkov ("Symphony of factory sirens”) (1922) Vincent Youmans: Tea for Two (arranged by Dmitri Shostakovich) (1927) Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Riccardo Chailly, conductor Dmitri Shostakovich: Suite for Variety Orchestra, VII. Waltz 2 (1956) Russian State Symphony Orchestra Dimitry Yablonsky, conduct