The Bolsheviks within a period of one year issued a number of decrees abolishing class distinctions and estab­lished equality. It laid the foundations of a new type of society in which the church ceased to be an important political factor. Private property, ownership of land and wealth of every other kind were abolished. The means of production and most of those of distribution were taken over by the state.

The state assumed responsibility for trading of all commodities. Every peasant was given as much land as was sufficient to support his family. The management of the factories was entrusted to a council of the workers which worked under the supervision of the national labour organization. No person was to be given food till he had earned it through his labour.

The capitalists were deprived of their arms and were entitled to vote only if they worked. Better educational facilities were made avail­able and military education was made compulsory. Education which was so far under the care of the church, was nationalized. A department of education was set up which looked after the education. The wards of peasants and workers were permitted to receive free education. All the treaties concluded by the autocratic government of Russia were abrogated. Even the loans contacted by the former governments were cancelled.

The new government tried to build up a technologically advanced economy through the instrument of economic planning. In the nineteenth century the industrial development of Europe took place chiefly as a result of the initiative of the individual capitalists.

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In USSR for the first time the state played a leading role in the industrialization of the country through Five Year Plans. The entire resources of the economy were mobilized to attain an accelerated rate of economic development with a view to achieve social and economic equality. The unprecedented rate of development which USSR achieved fully demonstrated the effectiveness of planning as a means of progress.

Another notable impact of the Russian Revolution was that the policy of discrimination towards non-Russian nationalities which was a charac­teristic feature of the Czarist regime was abandoned and equality of all the nationalities was accepted.

Provisions in this regard were incorporated in the Constitution of 1924 as well as 1935. All the nationalities were assured equal representation in one of the two chambers of the USSR legislature. The republic formed by these nationalism were given considerable autonomy. They were given freedom to develop their languages and culture.

On the negative side, the Bolshevik Revolution led to institution of censorship of press, speech and assembly, far rigorous than the one which existed before the revolution. The Bolsheviks outlawed all the middle class political parties as well as other Socialist parties. It also marked the beginning of the establishment of first secret political police.

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In the International sphere also the Russian Revolution left a profound influence. The successful accomplishment of revolution in accordance with the ideas of Marx, provided an impetus to similar revolutions in other parts of the world. The Russian leaders organized the Comintern and tried to promote revolutions on an international scale.

They encouraged the formation of the Communist parties in different countries which were affiliated to the Comintern. Thus the Comintern became a common forum where question of policies were discussed and common policies posited for worldwide acceptance.

As a result of all these measures socialist became one of the most widely held ideologies within a few decades of its emergence. It would not be wrong to say that the growing influence of the socialist movement in the post-World War I period was to a larger extent due to the success of the Russian Revolution.

The Socialist ideology also had its impact on democracies working on capitalist pattern. They realized that for a genuine democracy political equality was not enough and it must try to ensure social and economic equality as well. They also came to accept the idea of economic planning by state with a view to improve the conditions of the people.

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The spread of socialist ideas greatly contributed to the growth of inter­nationalism. The nations of the world came to realize that they must not merely try to promote their own narrow interests and must look at prob­lems in the broader world context.

This outlook was totally opposed to the policy of imperialism and greatly contributed to its liquidation. According to Marx a nation which enslaves another can never be free.

Therefore, the socialists all over the world organized campaigns to put an end to imperialism and extended support to the colonial people to their struggle for independence. The new Soviet State came to be looked upon as a friend of the colonial people because it openly supported the colonial people in their struggle against foreign rule.

Finally, the Russian Revolution also sponsored a great ideological con­flict in the international sphere. It struck a terror in the minds of the ruling classes of capitalist state. The establishment of the Third Interna­tional confirmed their suspicion that the revolution was not going to con­fine itself within its national boundaries. This greatly contributed to the intensification of the class struggle in these countries and created serious problems for the rulers.

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In short, it can be said that the Russian Revolution left a deep impact on Soviet Union as well as international sphere. According to Dr. Swain, “Certainly nothing has left loose such a deluge of condemnation and eulogy and nothing has so completely challenged orthodox theories since the French revolutionist overthrew the Burbons. The Russians in a few years have set up standards for a new way of living and thinking.”