Morality and Language of Bolshevism: Revolutionary Discourse and the Ethics of Ideology

DescriptionThis article examines the role of language in shaping the moral and ideological foundations of Bolshevism during the Russian Revolution and early Soviet period. It argues that revolutionary discourse was not only a medium of communication but also a tool for legitimizing violence, restructuring values, and consolidating political authority. Drawing on primary sources such as decrees, propaganda slogans, and tribunal transcripts, alongside Leon Trotsky’s Their Morals and Ours, the paper explores how Bolshevik rhetoric fused morality with ideology. The analysis situates Bolshevik discourse within broader philosophical debates, contrasting class-based morality with Kantian ethics and Russian religious thought. By highlighting how language functioned as a vehicle for moral transformation, the study demonstrates the power of discourse in both justifying revolutionary action and shaping cultural memory. Keywords: Bolshevism, revolutionary language, morality, Trotsky, Soviet history, ethics, ideology, Russian Revolution