( A general review) Leninism is a revised and updated version of Marxism specifically designed for the new Soviet Union. It wasn't put into practice the way Lenin had intended it because of Stalin's totalitarian version of Leninism he called Stalinism. Leninism supports the existence of a division of âVanguard Communistsâ (or the elite forerunners for communism). The vanguard (or in this case the Bolsheviks) is to lead the proletariat to victory against the bourgeoisie and then set up a single party system and a temporary authoritarian system only if there are counter-revolutionaries. Unlike original communism, which argues that all revolutions taking place within an unindustrialized nation is doomed to fail, Lenin argued that unindustrialized nations could potentially reach socialism if one of two things occurs: The unindustrialized nation struggling for socialism is supported by an already industrialized nation ( like the Soviet Union ) that has already achieved socialism. Or the unindustrialized nation has a revolution and other unindustrialized nations have revolutions in rapid succession. Leninism is also an open supporter of democracy. Under a true Leninist state the people would be able to vote on certain issues and the council of Vanguards was expected to openly support the people's opinion.
My opinion: Unlike Marxism, which relies exclusively on the angry proletariat for success, Leninism is more realistic and it seems to be a more organized way of achieving socialism in an industrialized nation. It helps prevent too much power in the hands of a dictator with its council system and Lenin's new way of mixing democracy with socialism. Lenin's theory of socialism spreading around to unindustrialized parts of the world was also proven by history unlike many of Marx's theories about socialism and undeveloped nations. In Latin America people such as Che Guevara supported high profile guerrilla wars across Latin America. A socialist president was even democratically elected but over thrown by a U.S supported coup. Had it not been for the United States, Cuba would not be the only country exorcising some form of Leninism. And in wars across Africa, communist revolutionaries took up arms against existing forms of government and began fighting for years. But the United States under the Truman doctrine was able to suppress most of these efforts to achieve socialism. Leninism is the best way to achieve socialism, communism, and true democracy in the mix. Think of the Roman republicâ¦.now think of a Rome where the slaves are set free and men and women are equal. The system is not perfect, but it isn't any worse than capitalism and itâs certainly better than Stalinism.
@ Communist, the council system is what got Stalin into power in the first place, as he placed all his cronies in there. It's very susceptible to corruption although, probably no more than representative democracy.
Drace if I do recall theri was a tiny struggle between Stalin and Trotsky and they developed their own little versions of Leninism...
Any-Who, i must agree that Stalin was just another bad dictator that happened to hit communism at the worst time. there is no doubt in my mind that the Soviet Union would still be here if someone like Lenin lasted for more than ten years.
The vanguard system was what led to the divisions as those between Trotsky and Stalin. It is just like the "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others" creed from Animal Farm, if not the exact thing Orwell criticized in the first place with that quote.
Orwell surely knew what he was talking about, but I don't think the Vangaurd was "More equal", it's just more interested in communism than the adverage fan.
Although people during the Stalin era only joined the Communist Party to escape the aweful rule Stalin imposed onto the hard working people.
Although people during the Stalin era only joined the Communist Party to escape the aweful rule Stalin imposed onto the hard working people.
Due to Stalin's paranoia he purged many of the people rising through the ranks of the party. Many people were afraid of joining the party for that reason.
Although people during the Stalin era only joined the Communist Party to escape the aweful rule Stalin imposed onto the hard working people.
Due to Stalin's paranoia he purged many of the people rising through the ranks of the party. Many people were afraid of joining the party for that reason.
That may have put a dent on the party's recruitment yes, but all you needed to do was become an absolute Stalinist for-life even if you didn't like Stalin. Too bad Lenin died in 1924.
