The Russian Revolution and the development challenge – Part I: the Russian Revolution and a myriad of global cleavages

SUMMARY

100 years after the Great Russian Revolution it is time to evaluate the impact of this epoch-making event on the politics and development in the Global South. In Part I, some deliberations on its historical and geo-political aspects are provided.

Acknowledgements

This article has benefited tremendously from the inspiration and tireless support by Wolfram Adolphi, Jörg Wiegratz and Leo Zeilig.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Note on contributor

Arndt Hopfmann studied Economics and African Studies at Karl Marx University in Leipzig between 1977 and 1982. He holds a PhD in development economics. After his academic career he took up various positions in the Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung (a political foundation/think tank close to the Left Party in Germany) with which he worked (inter alia) as head of its regional office in Southern Africa (2003–2006). Currently he is researcher and senior advisor on economic and trade issues to the Foundation.

Notes

1. ‘...[daß] wir den Imperialismus nicht liquidieren werden, wenn wir über ihn schreien und Flüche gegen ihn ausstoßen. Für uns besteht der schlimmste oder der beste Fluch, den wir über den Imperialismus … aussprechen können, darin, die Waffen zu ergreifen und zu kämpfen.’ Translated by the author of this debate, Arndt Hopfmann.