Social Sciences
This excerpt comes from Leon Trotsky’s article, “In Defense of the Russian Revolution.” He was one of the
leaders of the Russian October Revolution, second only to Vladimir Lenin.
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Human society is a historically
originated collaboration in the struggle for
existence and the assurance of the
maintenance of the generations. The
character of a society is determined by the
character - of its economy. The character of
its economy is determined by its means of
productive labor. For every great epoch in
the development of the productive forces
there is a definite corresponding social
regime. Every social regime until now has
secured enormous advantages to the ruling
class. It is clear, therefore, that social
regimes are not eternal. They arise
historically, and then become fetters on
further progress. "All that arises deserves to
be destroyed." But no ruling class has ever
voluntarily and peacefully abdicated. In
questions of life and death, arguments based
on reason have never replaced the arguments
of force. This may be sad, but it is so. It is
not we that have made this world. We can
do nothing but take it as it is.
Revolution means a change of the
social order. It transfers the power from the
hands of a class which has exhausted itself
into those of another class, which is in the
ascendant. Insurrection constitutes the
sharpest and most critical moment in the
struggle for power of two classes...The
insurrection can lead to the real victory of
the Revolution and to the establishment of a
new order only when it is based on a
progressive class, which is able to rally
around the overwhelming majority of the
people. As distinguished from the processes
of nature, a revolution is made by human
beings and through human beings. But in the
course of revolution, too, men act under the
influence of social conditions which are not
freely chosen by them but are handed down
from the past and imperatively point out the
road which they must follow. For this
reason, and only for this reason, a revolution
follows
certain
laws.
But
human
consciousness does not merely passively
50 reflect its objective conditions. It is
accustomed to react actively to them. At
certain times this reaction assumes a tense,
passionate, mass character. The barriers of
right and might are overthrown. The active
55 intervention of the masses in historical
events is in fact the most indispensable
element of a revolution. But even the
stormiest activity can remain in the stage of
demonstration or rebellion, without rising to
60 the height of a revolution. The uprising of
the masses must lead to the overthrow of the
domination of one class and to the
establishment of the domination of another.
Only then have we achieved a revolution. A
65 mass uprising is no isolated undertaking,
which can be conjured up any time one
pleases. It represents an objectivelyconditioned element in the development of a
revolution, just as a revolution represents an
70 objectively-conditioned process in the
development of society. But if the necessary
conditions for the uprising exist, one must
not simply wait passively, with open mouth;
as Shakespeare says: "There is a tide in the
75 affairs of men which taken at the flood,
leads on to fortune."
1. Which of the following conclusions is
drawn by the passage?
I. People who are hoping for a revolution
are most likely responding to their living
conditions
II. People in a society that is involved in a
revolution are rejecting society’s structure,
which was already put in place by a past
generation.
III. Revolutions are complete rejections of
the laws already in place
a. I only
b. II and III only
c. I and II only
d. All of the above.
2. In lines 17-18, when the author states
“But no ruling class has ever voluntarily and
peacefully abdicated.,” he most nearly
means…
f. When the masses decide to create an
uprising, they normally abduct the ruling
class’ leaders
g. The masses are always violent when
beginning a revolution
h. Reason and logic, in a revolution,
are often replaced with force, and
removing the ruling class is not an
easy task.
j. The removal of a ruling class is a long
process, and revolutions always take
years to accomplish.
3. In lines 56-59, the author states that “The
active intervention of the masses in
historical events is in fact the most
indispensable element of a revolution.”
What does the word indispensable most
nearly mean?
a. Unnecessary
b. Ineffectual
c. Crucial
d. Important
4. In the second paragraph, who does the
author most hold responsible for a
revolution?
f. The ruling class
g. Each individual
h. The masses
j. Nature
5. Which of the following is NOT presented
as a fact in the passage?
a. A revolution is a fundamental
change in power or organizational
structures that takes place in a
relatively short period of time
b. A revolution, in most cases, stems
from economic issues.
c. Revolutions consist of a turn around;
power is transferred to one group of
people to another.
d. A rebellion can exist without turning
into a revolution, as a revolution has
certain requirements to be considered
as such.
6. The author asserts that “A mass uprising
is no isolated undertaking, which can be
conjured up any time one pleases. It
represents an objectively-conditioned
element in the development of a revolution,
just as a revolution represents an
objectively-conditioned process in the
development of society” because
f. Revolutions are most often slow but
sweeping transformations of the entire
society that take several generations to
bring about
g. Revolutions are always recognized as
having transformed in society, culture,
philosophy and technology much more
than politcal systems.
h. First, in the development of a
revolution, some change results in the
present situation being different from
the past; second, the new situation
creates an opportunity for a
revolution to occur.
j. A revolution is an effort to transform
the political institutions and the
justifications for political authority in
society
7. The main purpose of this passage is…
a. To show the differences between a
rebellion and a revolution.
b. To take a look at the meaning of a
revolution
c. To convince readers to begin a
revolution
d. To scare readers off from
revolutions, as they are all violent in
nature.
8. According to the author, what is another
name for a mass uprising?
f. Rebellion
g. Epoch
h. Insurrection
j. Domination
9. The author most likely included the final
quote by Shakespeare, "There is a tide in the
affairs of men which taken at the flood,
leads on to fortune" because…
a. He sees the value in comparing
nature to uprisings
b. He believes it accurately portrays
the nature of a revolution, and
deems human beings as the
creators of a revolution.
c. He thought it presented a reference
to a previous revolution.
d. Shakespeare accurately places the
responsibility of a revolution on both
men and nature.