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REVOLUTIONARY SOCIALISM
Revolutionary socialism is a term used on the left to differentiate from parliamentary socialism (ie what is now called social democracy) in favour of overturning capitalism through revolution. Historically, the phrase was used by members of the left wing tendency of the Second International such as Lenin and Rosa Luxemburg to identify themselves in opposition to evolutionary socialists such as Eduard Bernstein. This tendency would became widely known as Communism following the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the split of leftists from the Second International to create the Third International.
Following the rise of Stalinism within the Third International dissident tendencies such as Trotskyism and Left Communism would often use the term revolutionary socialism (or revolutionary communism) as a means of asserting that they were revolutionary as opposed to Stalinists who, in their view, were not. Conversely, Stalinists would assert that they were the revolutionary socialists as opposed to their rivals. Some revolutionaries outside of the Marxist tradition such as libertarian socialists or anarchists have also described themselves as revolutionary socialists.
Today, the phrase "revolutionary socialism" is used much in the manner it was used in the 19th and early 20th century - by the far left to distinguish themselves from parliamentary socialists, particularly in countries where the social democratic party uses the name Socialist Party or refer to themselves from socialists, or by rival far left groups who assert that they are "revolutionary" as opposed to other socialist groups who merely claim to be so.
See also
for lists of parties carrying these names.
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