Georgi Dimitrov 1948

The October Socialist Revolution Opened for Mankind the Road to Real Democracy and Socialism


Written: By Georgi Dimitrov, 1948;
Source: For a Lasting Peace, for a People's Democracy! Vol. 2, no. 21; November 1, 1948;
Transcribed: David Adams, March 2022.


The Great October Socialist Revolution opened up for mankind the road to true democracy and Socialism, to the elimination of the exploitation of man by man. During the thirty-one years of Soviet power, the Soviet Union, led by Lenin and Stalin, has become the most progressive and mighty Socialist power, steadily advancing to Communism.

By destroying the Hitler war machine, the heroic Soviet Army not only defended the freedom and independence of the Socialist fatherland but also saved mankind from fascist, Teutonic barbarism.

Marching at the head of the democratic anti-imperialist camp, the Soviet Union today is the sure bulwark of peace, democracy and progress against the warmongers and the new pretenders to world domination the American imperialists.

On this 31st Anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution, millions of peoples throughout the world will answer the malignant slanders of the imperialists by demonstrating their love and devotion to the land of Socialism, which is selflessly and wisely fighting for a stable, democratic peace. They will demonstrate their determination to advance shoulder to shoulder with the Soviet people and to stop the war the imperialists are now preparing against the Soviet Union.

The peoples of the whole world well remember the words of the great Stalin that there is a wide gulf between the imperialist desire to unleash a new world war and the possibility of such a war. Isn’t it because they are not really prepared for it that the Anglo-American imperialists are clamouring about a new war? They realise as well as we do, where such an adventure would bring them in the end. For World War One ended in victory for the working people on one-sixth of the earth. After World War Two, the new democracies dropped out of the imperialist orbit. These imperialist gentlemen can rest assured that if the Wall Street bosses embark on a new war it can only bring them an even greater and possibly final defeat—the complete destruction of the capitalist system.

The imperialists, who are living their last days, are aware of this. But despite this, they are still crying from the roof tops about the imminent danger of war.

While the Soviet Union is making every effort to maintain and strengthen the peace and to settle international disputes peaceably, while she has suggested that the five great powers should ban atomic weapons and reduce their armaments, as well as putting forward other measures to guarantee the peace and security of the peoples, the ranting American imperialists in their animal fear at the growing forces of peace, democracy and Socialism are, together with their satellites, systematically conducting war propaganda. They are preparing for war and are threatening the peoples with the atom bomb. Like international gangsters they cynically boast that with their atom bomb they can wipe out millions of peaceful people who refuse to be subjugated to their will.

Obviously the imperialists have to keep up this war hysteria, to stir up the storm and, as the saying goes, to “go fishing in troubled waters” in the interests of the monopolists, the armament kings and financial bosses.

But they will not be able to trouble the waters of peace for very long because there exists the great Soviet Union, the new democracies and the ever-growing international camp of peace and democracy, The future of the world depends upon the unity of world democratic, anti-imperialist forces upon their determination to fight for peace and security, for genuine democracy and Socialism. The working class and the working people of the world, who are rallying more and more closely round the Soviet Union, can frustrate the crafty designs and machinations of the warmongers and prevent a new slaughter.

The growing might and the international prestige of the Soviet Union is the guarantee of peace and freedom for the peoples. Never was it so clear as today, after World War Two, that without the Soviet Union there is not, and cannot be freedom and independence of the people.

Only deliberate betrayers of the peoples interests, the irresponsible adventures and blind careerists, can try to divert their people from the only possible path of developing peoples, democracy and building Socialism—the path of genuine, unshakable friendship with the Soviet Union, of close solidarity with the international camp of peace, democracy and Socialism—which the Soviet Union heads.

Celebrating the 31st Anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution, the working people of the new democracies and honest people throughout the world look with the deepest gratitude toward the great Party of Lenin and Stalin which secured the victory of the October Socialist Revolution, the building of the powerful Soviet State and Socialist society on one-sixth of the earth, and which built the glorious Soviet Army which liberated a number of peoples of Europe from the fascist yoke thus making it possible for them to build a new life and set out firmly on the path of democratic development toward the building of socialist society.

The people of Bulgaria who, thirty-one years ago, enthusiastically welcomed the October Socialist Revolution, are today more than ever aware that their destiny is closely linked with that of the great fraternal-Soviet Union.

Without the Soviet Union the people of Bulgaria would still have been in the clutches of the German imperialists and of their agents, the Bulgarian fascists.

Without the support of the Soviet Union, Bulgaria would have fallen into the stronghold of imperialists no less insolently aggressive and crafty than the Hitler bandits.

Without the help of the Soviet people, our people, would have died of starvation during the difficult years of draught, and our economy would now be in a state of decline and chaos. Without the Soviet Union, there would be no freedom or independence for the peoples of South-Eastern Europe nor the prosperity of peoples democracy advancing along the path to Socialism.

Building a new life under the leadership of the working class and its Communist vanguard, the people of Bulgaria are gratefully learning from the heroic Soviet people and the great Bolshevik Party how to combat and defeat their enemies, how to overcome the numerous difficulties and dangers in their defence of freedom and independence, in the socialist construction of their country. They are firmly convinced that the more they learn from the rich experience of the struggle to build a Socialist society in the Soviet Union, the quicker and more successfully will they build a free, cultured and happy life.

Glory to the Great October Socialist Revolution which resulted in the creation of the first Socialist State in the world, the guiding star and inspiration for the whole of progressive mankind.

Glory to the great Party of Lenin, and Stalin, the surest teacher and example for Communists and all peoples fighting for lasting peace, for real democracy and Socialism.

Warm greetings, to the brilliant leader and teacher, J. V. Stalin!