The revolutionary process of the collapse of the world capitalist system and the formation of world socialism and communism, extends over an entire epoch which began by the victory of socialism in the USSR. As the collapse of the world capitalist system progresses, the internal contradictions of capitalism in the countries where it still persists grows more intense, and the process of decay becomes extremely pronounced. This indicates that the capitalist system is in a state of general crisis.
According to Lenin, the period in which the general crisis of capitalism unfolds is characterized by 'worldwide revolutionary crisis', the rise of the 'world socialist revolution', and 'the collapse of capitalism in its entirely and the birth of socialist society: 'It is also marked by the breaking away of an increasing number of countries from the capitalist system and by the growth of the world socialist system.
The crisis of capitalism is evidenced by the number of countries which have become socialist or communist during this century.