Marxism-Leninism Flashcards
Who is Lenin?
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was the leader of Russia’s Bolshevik party prior to the Bolshevik revolution
What year was the bolshevik revolution?
1917
What was the main difference in Marx and Lenin’s thinking?
They had different opinions on how a communist state should arise.
What was Lenin’s concern with Marx’s ideas about the coming about of communism?
Lenin was concerned that Marx thought that revolution could only occur in societies with well developed capitalism, part of his historic materialism.
What did Lenin think Marx was implying with his historic materialism?
That less developed countries would have to endure many more decades of oppressive rule, as well as the horrors of developing capitalism, for them to reach socialist salvation.
What was Lenin’s alternative to historic materialism?
Accelerated revolutionary socialism, designed to ensure that socialism, and eventually communism, could prevail-met the development of capitalism.
What was Lenin’s key work?
What Is To Be Done - 1902
What did Lenin argue in his key work?
Revolution should be the cause and not the effect of socialist ideas developing
What did Lenin believe was the benefit of accelerated Revolutionary Socialism?
It would prevent the masses from developing any sympathy for capitalism, which would be a further obstacle to socialism.
What was sympathy for capitalism known as?
False consciousness.
What did Lenin stress the importance of when it came to a revolution?
The Vanguard, or revolutionary elite.
What 4 tasks would the Vanguard perform?
-Planning revolution
-Inciting revolution
-Educating the masses into socialist virtues
-Forming a communist party following it.
What is democratic centralism?
Only one party (the Vanguard) with open discussion it it. decisions could be reached which embody the will of the people, making further debate disrespectful. Used to justify the atrocities committed by several communist leaders.
Which two states and leaders embodied Marxism-Leninism?
USSR - Joseph Stalin
China - Mae Tse-tung
What did Stalin do with Lenin’s ideals?
Created a very brutal regime, collectivising agriculture and creating an industrial state over it, leading to the revolution or murder of an entire peasant class in the process.
What idea did Stalin promote?
Socialism in one country
What is socialism in one country?
When a country isolates itself from the outside world and promotes a form of socialist nationalism.
What did Mao Tse-tung do with Lenin’s ideals?
Created the idea of cultural revolution, which became a campaign of persecution against any aspect of traditional Chinese culture.
What was included in Mao’s cultural revolution?
The discouragement of religion, misogyny and the elderly? Millions died in the process.
Where did Luxemborg stand on accelerated revolutionary socialism?
She endorsed it, but only to the extent of economically under-developed countries.
What concern did Luxembourg have with Lenin’s thoughts on the arising of socialism?
She admired his impatience, but thought that his ideas could make socialism irrelevant to the already institutionalise capitalist systems, such as in Germany.
Where did Luxembourg stand on socialism in one country?
She thought it abhorrent.
What was Luxemurg’s key work?
Reform or Revolution - 1900
What did Luxemburg argue in her key work?
-Capitalism is against socialism belief
-Only revolution could bring about socialism
-Didn’t agree with historic materialism
What about Lenin’s thinking did Luxemborg reject?
The idea of a vanguard.
What was Luxemborg’s alternative to Lenin’s ideas?
A spontaneous revolution following the natural development of class consciousness
What steps would lead to a spontaneous revolution according to Luxemborg?
Mass strike action.
What else did Luxemborg not agree with in terms of the vanguard?
Dictatorship of the proletariat
What was Luxemborg’s alternative to teh dictatorship of the proliterait
Construction of a new democracy
What would underpin Luxemborg’s new socialist democracy?
Common Ownership
open debate
freeelections
Where did Luxemborg stand on nationalism?
She hated it
She upheld Marx’s internationalism by dismissing Lenin’s interest in social nationalism, claiming that he overlooked the way nationalism was imbedded into a capitalist state.
