Related to a benevolent revolutionary (7)
I believe the answer is:
kindred
'related' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)
'benevolent revolutionary' is the wordplay.
'benevolent' becomes 'kind' (similar in meaning).
'revolutionary' becomes 'red' (informal term for communist).
'kind'+'red'='KINDRED'
'to a' is the link.
(Other definitions for kindred that I've seen before include "Relationship by blood" , "Closely related" , "Related (people)" , "Similarity in character" , "Related; similar in kind" .)