p A conflict between the new productive forces and the obsolete production relations which have become an obstacle to further development of the productive forces and, at the same time, to social progress, is the economic basis of social revolution. It is this conflict that, in the final analysis, drives the progressive forces of society into a fight for the transformation of the social system and production relations which develops into a revolution at a definite stage. This conflict alone is not, however, sufficient for a revolution to be accomplished, since the contradiction between the productive forces and production relations does not automatically generate a revolution. For a social revolution to begin it 414 is necessary for this contradiction to create a revolutionary situation, which is an objective precondition for a social revolution.

p Lenin considered the following factors as attributes of a revolutionary situation: (1) a state of affairs when not only the lower classes are unwilling to live in the old way, but also when the upper classes are unable to live as before; (2) a more than usually acute aggravation of the suffering and want of the oppressed classes; (3)^ considerable increase in the activity of the masses who allowed themselves to be robbed in peacetime, but who resolutely voice their demands in turbulent times.  [414•1 

p The situation which developed in Russia prior to the Revolution of 1905 may serve as a case in point. A country-wide crisis preceded this revolution. The tsarist government was entangled in contradictions and proved incapable of solving the tasks necessitated by the development of capitalist relations in the country. It well realised, however, that the situation could no longer remain unchanged and that something had to be done. The lower classes, suffering from hardships, did not want to live in the old way either.

p Thus, a revolutionary situation is needed for a revolution to occur, but this alone is not yet sufficient for a revolution to unfold, and not every revolutionary situation engenders a revolution. A revolution can only begin when, in addition, the 415 objective preconditions listed above merge with a definite subjective factor, namely, the ability of a revolutionary class to undertake mass-scale and sufficiently powerful revolutionary actions, in order to crush (or undermine) the old government which would never, even during crises, “fall” without being “toppled”, and the presence of a revolutionary political party, capable of taking thejeadership over these actions.

Though a revolutionary situation develops spontaneously, it is always a result of the intensifying class struggle and an interplay of the various factors that come to the surface during a crisis in a given social formation.