Daily Times

A panel discussion on 100 years of Soviet Revolution was held at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) on Friday. Panelists included feminist activist Nighat Said Khan, labour rights activist Karamat Ali, History professor at LUMS Anoosha Malik and Feminist Collective’s member Sarah Suhail

Karamat Ali said that the impact of soviet union on labour rights was immense. “It was after the Russian revolution that the labourers gathered the strength to revolt and demand relaxations in long working hours. “Women and children had to work 14 to 18 hours a day before the struggle began. The working hours were reduced and the working conditions improved after years of protests”, he said.

He further said that in the 19th century, labourers had to work under horrible working conditions. Children used to work in textile industries. They were made to clean chimneys and got low wages. “The Soviet Revolution’s impact on labour rights can be explained in terms of discussions and deliberations done to make laws for protecting labours. For the first time, International Labour Organisation was formed to work towards improving the working conditions for labourers”, he said.

Karamat further said it was also discussed at various forums post-Soviet Revolution that the working class should be paid an amount which lets them live a respectful life, and added that dignity of the labour was discussed under the conventions formed after formation of International Labour Organisation.

Karamat said the impact of all these reforms on people’s lives was far-reaching.

While talking about women rights during the 1990s, he said women first became sailors during the Soviet Revolution, adding that a number of women left Russia to seek asylum in other countries and became sailors. While commenting on the controversies associated with the revolution, he said a lot of people would disagree to the benefits of the revolution, but overall it yielded positive results and the oppressed classes got the attention of the authorities that previously turned a blind eye to their plight.

“The revolution changed the world for the better. Before the revolution, most countries treated the act of forming trade unions as a crime and conspiracy against the state”, he said.

Karamat added that if it wasn’t for the Soviet Revolution, people of Russia would still  be fighting against the oppression. He said that the war in Russia ended soon after the revolution which proves that its results were positive.

“In 1919, it was accepted at the global level for the first time that labour rights will have to be considered a thing. The uprising made the global community realise that the need to protect labour rights has to be translated to laws”, he said.

While commenting on the progress made by International Labour Oraganiation, he said that soon after its formation the organisation came up with six conventions to protect labour rights. Through these steps, anti-colonial movement was strengthened, he added.

Panelist Anoosha Malik spoke about the legacy of Soviet Revolution and its impact on the 1969 movement against Ayub Khan in Pakistan.

The belief in revolution during the 1969 movement against Ayub Khan was very much there. The belief that there can be a system whereby workers can be a part of the parliament led to a great deal of mobilisation of industrial workers

“The demands put forward by those agitating against Ayub Khan’s government included class-based admission to national and provincial assemblies, which can be termed as a an influence of the Soviet Revolution”, she said.

Anoosha added that the movement of 1969 was spontaneous but the demands of the protesting groups were quite far-reaching.

She said the movement was an effective one because workers took control of factories and in some cases they were seen kicking out their employers.

“It is clear that the belief in revolution was very much there. The belief that there can be a system whereby workers can be a part of the parliament led to a great deal of mobilisation of industrial workers.”

Feminist Collective member Sarah Toor pointed out absence of the actual victims of exploitation from the class referred to as ‘intellectuals’ in Pakistan. She said the struggle such as the ones led by Dalits in India and blacks in America were based on true sentiments of the ordinary people which is why the governments had to accept the demands. “But where are these people in the public and governmental spheres now?”, she asked.

The writer is Assistant Editor at Daily Times. She tweets at @AiliaZehra and can be reached at ailiazehra2012@gmail.com

Published in Daily Times, November 4^th 2017.