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Leninism as ideological current within Marxism emerged after Lenin's death. [[Leon Trotsky]] coined 'Bolshevik-Leninism' to emphasise continuity between his theories and thoughts and Lenin. Leninism thus branched off into [[Marxism-Leninism]] (which would later develop into [[Stalinism]] by the 1970s) and "Bolshevik-Leninism" (or [[Trotskyism]]).
{{Leninism sidebar}}
'''Leninism''' is a current within [[Marxism]] which was formulated from the positions of [[V. I. Lenin]] after his death in 1924. [[Leon Trotsky]] coined 'Bolshevik-Leninism' to emphasise continuity between his own theories and those and Lenin. Leninism thus branched off into [[Marxism–Leninism]] (which would later develop into [[Stalinism]] by the 1970s) and "Bolshevik-Leninism" (or [[Trotskyism]]).


==Leninist Theory==
==Leninist Theory==
[[Lenin]]'s political theory included the use of a vanguard party and the notion of 'trade union consciousness', democratic centralism, and imperialism as the highest stage of capitalism.
[[Lenin]]'s political theory included the use of a [[vanguard party]] and the concepts of 'trade union consciousness', [[democratic centralism]], and [[imperialism as the highest stage of capitalism]].
 
In his unfinished ''[[The State and Revolution]]'', Lenin popularized what [[Marx]] named 'the first phase of communism' being called 'socialism'. As its name implies, in this work, Lenin describes how a [[proletarian]] [[social revolution]] is to occur, arguing against the [[revisionism]] of Marxism by [[Bernstein]] and others, as well as how the [[dictatorship of the proletariat]] should operate, drawing on the experience of the [[Paris Commune]].<ref>{{cite web | last=Lenin | first=Vladimir | title=The State and Revolution - Chapter 3 | website=Marxists Internet Archive | url=https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1917/staterev/ch03.htm | access-date=30 Jul 2023}}</ref>


In his unfinished The State and Revolution, Lenin popularized what Marx named 'the first phase of communism' being called 'socialism'. As its name implies, in this work, Lenin describes how a proletarian Social revolution is to occur, arguing against Revisionism of Marxism by Bernstein and others, as well as how the Dictatorship of the Proletariat should operate, drawing on the experience of the Paris Commune.<ref>https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1917/staterev/ch03.htm</ref>
==Leninism as a distinct political current==
==Leninism as a distinct political current==
It is much debated in Marxist circles as to what extend "Leninism" is truly Marxist or even based on Lenin. Some Marxists consider themselves pro-lenin but not "pro-leninist," in that they feel that Leninism is merely a distortion of what Lenin actually stood for (which they believe to be Orthodox Marxism that was determined by the circumstances of the Russian Revolution), based on soon-outdated texts such as "What is to be Done?" This work, these Marxists argue, was meant to be placed only in the context of 1905 Russia, and not to be applied to all socialist revolutions. The book that helped popularize this view was Lars T. Lih's Lenin Rediscovered: What is to be Done? In Context.
Not all leftists consider the ideas of what is now known as Leninism to be compatible with Marxism. Some Marxists consider themselves pro-Lenin but not "pro-Leninist," in that they feel that Leninism is merely a distortion of what Lenin actually stood for (which they argue was a form of [[orthodox Marxism]] shaped to the specific conditions of the [[Russian Revolution]]), based on soon-outdated texts such as [[What is to be Done?|''What is to be Done?'']] This work, these Marxists argue, was meant to be placed only in the context of [[Russian Revolution of 1905|1905 Russia]], and not to be applied to all socialist revolutions. The book that helped popularize this view was [[Lars T. Lih]]'s ''Lenin Rediscovered: What is to be Done? In Context''.{{cn}} "Leninism," therefore, did not emerge until after his death with the Trotsky-Stalin split in the party, coming into being as a doctrine with Stalin's text [[Foundations of Leninism|''Foundations of Leninism'']].<ref>{{cite web | last=Stalin | first=J.V. | title=The Foundations of Leninism | website=Marxists Internet Archive | url=https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/works/1924/foundations-leninism/ | access-date=30 Jul 2023}}</ref> However, Marxist-Leninists and Trotskyists consider Leninism merely an extension of Marxism into the age of [[imperialism]].<ref>http://socialistappeal.org/resources/49-marxism-faq/1623-marxism-basics.html#WhatareMarxismLeninismandTrotskyism{{failed verification|reason=Socialist Appeal seems to have moved to https://socialist.net. Is this the correct site? Can you find a similar page on this website?}}{{404}}</ref>
==Main works in Leninism==
Works by Vladimir Lenin
* ''[[Karl Marx (work by Vladmir Lenin)|Karl Marx]]''
* ''[[The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism]]''
* ''[[What Is To Be Done?]]''
* ''[[One Step Forward, Two Steps Back]]''
* ''[[The Right of Nations to Self-Determination]]''
* ''[[Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism]]''
* ''[[The April Theses]]''
* ''[[The State and Revolution]]''
* ''[[The Proletarian Revolution and the Renegade Kautsky]]''
* ''[[Economics And Politics In The Era Of The Dictatorship Of The Proletariat]]''
* ''[[“Left-Wing” Communism: an Infantile Disorder]]''
* ''[[The Tax in Kind]]''


"Leninism," therefore, did not emerge until after his death with the Trotsky-Stalin split in the party, coming into being as a doctrine with Stalin's text Foundations of Leninism.<ref>https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/works/1924/foundations-leninism/</ref>
Works by [[Joseph Stalin]]
* ''[[The Foundations of Leninism]]''
* ''[[Trotskyism or Leninism?]]''
* ''[[Marxism and the National Question]]''
* ''[[History of the C.P.S.U.(B)]]''
* ''[[Marxism and Problems of Linguistics]]''
* ''[[Economic Problems of Socialism in the USSR]]''
Works by Leon Trotsky
* ''The Revolution Betrayed''


However, Marxist-Leninists and Trotskyists consider Leninism merely an extension of Marxism into the age of imperialism.<ref>http://socialistappeal.org/resources/49-marxism-faq/1623-marxism-basics.html#WhatareMarxismLeninismandTrotskyism</ref>
== See also ==
==Main works in Leninism==


Works by Vladimir Lenin
* [[Bolshevism]]
* Karl Marx
* [[Vanguardism]]
* The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism
* What Is To Be Done?
* One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
* The Right of Nations to Self-Determination
* Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism
* The April Theses
* The State and Revolution
* The Proletarian Revolution and the Renegade Kautsky
* Economics And Politics In The Era Of The Dictatorship Of The Proletariat
* “Left-Wing” Communism: an Infantile Disorder
* The Tax in Kind


Works by Joseph Stalin
* The Foundations of Leninism
* Trotskyism or Leninism?
* Marxism and the National Question
* History of the C.P.S.U.(B)
* Marxism and Problems of Linguistics
* Economic Problems of Socialism in the USSR
Works by Leon Trotsky
* The Revolution Betrayed
==External links==
==External links==
[https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/ Lenin Internet Archive]
*[https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/ Lenin Internet Archive]
 
*[https://johnmolyneux.blogspot.com/2012/09/in-defence-of-leninism.html "In Defense of Leninism" by John Molyneux]
[https://johnmolyneux.blogspot.com/2012/09/in-defence-of-leninism.html "In Defense of Leninism" by John Molyneux]
==References==
==References==
[[category:leninism| ]]
<references />{{Ltbox}}
[[Category:Tendencies]]
[[Category:Tendencies]]
<references />
[[Category:Left-wing ideologies]]

Latest revision as of 14:35, 22 March 2024

Part of a series on
Leninism
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"Without revolutionary theory there can be no revolutionary movement."
Theory
Administrative-command system · Anti-imperialism · Anti-revisionism ·  · Central planning · Collectivization · Democratic centralism · Dialectical materialism · Historical materialism · Labor aristocracy · Marxist economics · Proletarian internationalism · Self-criticism · Socialism in one country · Socialist state · Vanguardism
Variants
Marxism–Leninism · Mao Zedong Thought · Ho Chi Minh Thought · Kimilsungism · Stalinism (Hoxhaism) · Guevarism
Adherents and theorists
Joseph Stalin  · Vladimir Lenin · Maurice Thorez · Palmiro Togliatti · Ho Chi Minh · Võ Nguyên Giáp · William Z. Foster · Georgi Dimitrov · Enver Hoxha · Harry Pollitt · Samora Machel · Thomas Sankara
Major works

What Is to Be Done? · Materialism and Empirio-criticism · Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism · The State and Revolution · Foundations of Leninism · Economic Problems of Socialism in the USSR

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Leninism is a current within Marxism which was formulated from the positions of V. I. Lenin after his death in 1924. Leon Trotsky coined 'Bolshevik-Leninism' to emphasise continuity between his own theories and those and Lenin. Leninism thus branched off into Marxism–Leninism (which would later develop into Stalinism by the 1970s) and "Bolshevik-Leninism" (or Trotskyism).

Leninist Theory

Lenin's political theory included the use of a vanguard party and the concepts of 'trade union consciousness', democratic centralism, and imperialism as the highest stage of capitalism.

In his unfinished The State and Revolution, Lenin popularized what Marx named 'the first phase of communism' being called 'socialism'. As its name implies, in this work, Lenin describes how a proletarian social revolution is to occur, arguing against the revisionism of Marxism by Bernstein and others, as well as how the dictatorship of the proletariat should operate, drawing on the experience of the Paris Commune.[1]

Leninism as a distinct political current

Not all leftists consider the ideas of what is now known as Leninism to be compatible with Marxism. Some Marxists consider themselves pro-Lenin but not "pro-Leninist," in that they feel that Leninism is merely a distortion of what Lenin actually stood for (which they argue was a form of orthodox Marxism shaped to the specific conditions of the Russian Revolution), based on soon-outdated texts such as What is to be Done? This work, these Marxists argue, was meant to be placed only in the context of 1905 Russia, and not to be applied to all socialist revolutions. The book that helped popularize this view was Lars T. Lih's Lenin Rediscovered: What is to be Done? In Context.[citation needed] "Leninism," therefore, did not emerge until after his death with the Trotsky-Stalin split in the party, coming into being as a doctrine with Stalin's text Foundations of Leninism.[2] However, Marxist-Leninists and Trotskyists consider Leninism merely an extension of Marxism into the age of imperialism.[3]

Main works in Leninism

Works by Vladimir Lenin

Works by Joseph Stalin

Works by Leon Trotsky

  • The Revolution Betrayed

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ Lenin, Vladimir. "The State and Revolution - Chapter 3". Marxists Internet Archive. Retrieved 30 Jul 2023.
  2. ↑ Stalin, J.V. "The Foundations of Leninism". Marxists Internet Archive. Retrieved 30 Jul 2023.
  3. ↑ http://socialistappeal.org/resources/49-marxism-faq/1623-marxism-basics.html#WhatareMarxismLeninismandTrotskyism[failed verification][dead link]
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