Marx and Engels came up with some very good ideas which they hoped would completely change Russia for the better. But, however unsatisfactory might be the lives of most people, things cannot be changed overnight especially in such a vast country as Russia that had not been affected by an industrial revolution which meant it was very backward and very poor.
The paradox is that people do not like change, neither do they like starving to death. Since everyone is unique and at the same time everyone wants different things, it is very difficult for everyone to agree on what actions should be taken.
The times when bloody revolutions erupt are when things have got very bad because most people have lives hardly worth living. Two good examples are the French and Russian revolutions. When whole countries have suffered so much that a change is necessary, the first thing the sufferers think of is revenge. Most revolutions of this kind end up with the deaths of a vast number of people because the majority are so full of rancour that they cannot think straight and are led by the nose by power-hungry and unsuitable (to put it mildly) leaders.
Hitler’s case was rather different. Although he was a revolutionary, he was legally voted into power as President of the Reichstag, the German government, assisted by the SA, a branch of the army that backed up Hitler but wasn’t entirely under his command. In 1935 Hitler brought into being a new army, the SS, over which he had much more control. The German people were in a bad way economically after World War 1 and Hitler soon began to improve everyday life. Needless to say this made him very popular which was enhanced by his gift of oratory combined with a powerful charisma.
In a very few years Hitler managed to achieve full employment, impressive architecture, good roads and railways. He was also building up armaments under the excuse that Germany needed protection and more space.
Many people in Great Britain admired him. He kept very quiet about his plans for the holocaust of the Jews. Most of the German people knew nothing about it until the end of the war.
When I was a teacher for five years when my sons were small, I noticed how much importance the children gave to fairness. They loved to do things for me, such as cleaning the blackboard. I had to make sure that I asked for a different pupil every time. If I accidentally asked the same pupil who had done this small task the week before, a great outcry would ensue:”Miss, ‘snot fair. She (or he) did it last week!” Children would put up with anything, as long as it was fair. I realised soon why this was so important to them. Everyone needed to be recognised and no-one wanted to be left out.
For some reason this reminds me of the French Revolution and their cry “Liberty, Fraternity and Equality” Why these three? That will be my next article.