November 7, the day on which the Russian Revolution swept out the
monarchy and the capitalist power of the old Russian empire will again
be celebrated in many countries. Because of the temporary overthrow of
socialism in the former Soviet Union they will be smaller than on
previous occasions and, some might ask, why commemorate something that
has been defeated? That, however, is a very short-term view.

In fact the revolutionary road, its achievements and consequences
continue to echo around the world.

What did it achieve? It showed that it was possible for the working
class together with allies, to overcome and defeat the rule of the
capitalist class. It showed that socialism is capable of building the
economy of a nation at a much faster pace than had been achieved by any
capitalist country. The leadership of the Communist Party and socialist
principles were able to unite the diverse people of the former Soviet
Union which contained within its border as many as 150 ethnic groups
and nationalities.

The Soviet Union, at the time the only socialist state, was the major
force that defeated the Nazi war machine in World War II, which had set
itself the task of destroying the young Soviet Union and
re-establishing capitalism there. The defeat of fascism was one of the
major events of the last century. It was a huge defeat for capitalism
and imperialism that opened the door for the national liberation
movements that virtually destroyed colonialism everywhere. At the end
of World War II there were only 45 nations drawn together in the United
Nations. Today there are over 190 UNO member states.

For a time the revolutionary movements were held up by the Cold War
which was simply the counter-attack of imperialism against the new
world situation created by the existence of the Soviet Union.

When they achieved the break-up of the Soviet Union, imperialism
cheered, believing that they had destroyed communism and socialism.
"Communism is Dead" screamed the banner headline of the Sydney Morning
Herald at the time. How wrong they were!

It has proven impossible to destroy the ideas of the communists and
socialists or silence the demands of the working people for jobs,
education, health services, clean drinking water, land, the
independence and sovereignty of every country and, underlying all,
peace and the abolition of war.

We are now witnessing a new, potentially revolutionary wave in Latin
America, Africa, Asia and in the Middle East.

China has shown once again, that the leadership of the Communist Party
and a socialist economic system can develop the economy of a country
much quicker than has ever been achieved by capitalism in any country.
It is extending its hand to the people of other nations and
implementing in its foreign relations the principles of independence,
non-interference, equality of big and small states, mutual benefit in
relations and trade, the settlement of disputes between nations without
recourse to war.

We see these principles at work in the insistence of China and Russia
in the United Nations, that the Iranian issue and the attacks on North
Korea should be settled without sanctions or war.

The new governments of both Venezuela and Bolivia have proclaimed
socialism to be their economic and social objective. Even in our own
neighbourhood - the South Pacific - we are witnessing a new
determination by countries to be independent and free of the
colonialist ambitions of the Howard government.

It will take many years for this new revolutionary wave to materialise
and involve more countries but nothing will stop it except a world war
or climate change which, if it passes a "tipping" point, could
eventually make the globe uninhabitable for humans and many other
living species.

The disastrous consequences of climate change and war are major issues
of concern to people throughout the world and increasingly being taken
up in struggles and campaigns for a better world.

It is the common people in almost all countries who are on the march as
never before in all history. They want peace, jobs, health care,
education, a home to live in and a world that will continue to sustain
life. They are very modest demands but to achieve them means a change
from capitalism to socialism, the door to which was opened by the
Russian revolution only 90 years ago.