Leninism is the theory and tactics of the proletarian revolution. Leninism is an extension of Marxism. Where Marxism diagnosed the ills of capitalism and proclaimed that socialism was the cure, Leninism is the medicine; it is the more practical counterpart of Marxism that seeks to realise socialism.

The Vanguard

Leninism promotes the use of a vanguard party, i.e., a force consisting of the most advanced class-conscious elements of the working class. The purpose of the vanguard party is to lead the revolution and then later the Dictatorship of the proletariat. ‘The Dictatorship of the Proletariat’ is a state in which the Proletariat has political power. This ‘Dictatorship’ implies working people own the means of production. This means production will be planned, to be used for social needs, like public property, instead of being made for profit. As social classes would still exist, this Dictatorship also implies the use of the State to suppress a bourgeois counter-revolution.

“Socialism means the abolition of classes. The dictatorship of the proletariat has done all it could to abolish classes. But classes cannot be abolished at one stroke.

And classes still remain and will remain in the era of the dictatorship of the proletariat. The dictatorship will become unnecessary when classes disappear. Without the dictatorship of the proletariat, they will not disappear.”

Lenin, V.I., (1919) Economics and Politics in the era of Dictatorship of the Proletariat

However, for this revolution to succeed in the first case, the vanguard party needs to gain popular support, or rather build a mass movement. Some argue that we do not need a vanguard, instead stating that a spontaneous grass-roots movement would succeed. However, as history has shown mass movements without leadership are extremely unlikely to succeed. Furthermore, when these movements do succeed but lack a clear leadership they fizzle out once they achieve a singular goal. In other cases, these movements become the very thing the claimed to oppose. Hence, there are three things a vanguard party offers a mass movement. Firstly, there is clear leadership; people know who to turn to and ask for advice. Secondly, there are clear political goals; those who join know what they are fighting for rather than being part of a confused, self-contradictory movement. Thirdly, and most important, there is a direction; the mass movement needs to know how to progress forward when it succeeds, thus they need someone with a long term aim to direct them.

Spontaneous movements are good but they are not enough. The vanguard, as a predetermined movement with clear leadership, goals, and direction, can build a mass movement over time. Hence, the Leninism not only teaches that a vanguard is necessary but that its purpose is to teach others. Lenin once said the tasks of all young communists can be summed up in a word: learn. Learning is perhaps the most important singular task as when we learn of the theory, history, and achievements of socialism it helps others too. When we talk to friends we can correct them if they are mistaken; when work colleagues are reluctant about joining a trade union we can help change their mind; when a drunken relative proclaims ‘communism is terror’ at a dinner table, we know they are wrong. Additionally, the vanguard party encourages those who have learned to organise into a single group – the only group suitable for those most active communists. Unlike a trade union, the Party’s has long term revolutionary aims. Unlike a bourgeois political party the Party’s goals cannot be achieved until capitalism, i.e., the system of private business-owners and multiple price-setters is abolished. However, it is not enough to be educated and organised – the party must act. Hence, the Party must always be a force that agitates the capitalist system, a proverbial thorn in the rich capitalist’s side. The Party must do this in whatever way appropriate, be that organising protests and running in elections when the capitalists have majority support, or organising mass strikes and calling for the overthrow of the government when capitalists have minority support.

The purpose of the vanguard before a revolution can be neatly summed up as: educate, agitate, and organise.

Democratic Centralism

There is a misconception that communism is an anti-democratic ideology. This is, in fact, incorrect. Democracy under the Dictatorship of the Proletariat (in Marxist-Leninist nations) is still present but takes a different form to bourgeois democracy. Firstly, many are quick to criticise the institution of a single party state. Even some socialist groups criticise the democracy, or alleged lack of, in Marxist-Leninist nations, such as USSR, Cuba, DDR, etc. However, these people are mistaken. Democracy takes a different form under socialism. The foundation of democracy under socialism is democratic centralism. Democratic centralism encourages debate and criticism within the vanguard party but once a decision has been reached that is final. Unlike bourgeois parties, democratic centralism imposes complete unity in action meaning that going against the party whip can lead to expulsion. To ensure this unity in action a single party, with no external opposition, exists to carry out actions as swiftly as possible. As a result, Marxist states are more efficient, insofar as motions are not needlessly stalled by opposition in parliament once the Party has come to an agreement. Hence, democratic centralism can be summarised as “freedom of discussion and unity of action”.

Furthermore, there is no tolerance of internal factions within the party. All members of the Party must uphold the Party line. Leninism rejects factionalism within the Party. “Factionalism in practice…” says Lenin “inevitably leads to the weakening of teamwork” and leads to an opportunity “for enemies to use… for counter-revolutionary purposes”.

Secondly, many do not believe in the democratic character of Marxist states because there is only one party. This too is an error of judgment. Multiparty elections are somewhat redundant in a socialist state, as through democratic centralism, the working class has a singular representative. Since the purpose of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat is to prevent counter-revolution and the re-emergence of capitalism, capitalist parties are forbidden from taking power. However, just because there is a single party does not mean they are the only representatives in parliament. In most Marxist states the parliament has consisted of the communist party, women’s councils, the trade unionist delegation, and youth councils. In some cases, like the DDR and Cuba, there have been other political parties, such as Catholic parties and small business-owner parties.

While there is a single party, elections serve a useful purpose. Elections in Marxist states are typically held every five years. The people are free to vote for or against the party. This means that elections serve as a gauge of the popularity of the Party. This keeps the Party in line with the wishes of the proletariat.

Furthermore, most Marxist countries have referendums for any and all changes to the constitution. As a result, people always have a say in the most central document of their state.

Socialism in one country

There are those who believe that socialism must prevail worldwide in order for “real socialism” to thrive. These people argue that without other socialist countries, a Marxist nation will wither into capitalism. Leninism rejects such a claim.

“I know that there are, of course, sages who think they are very clever and even call themselves Socialists, who assert that power should not have been seized until the revolution had broken out in all countries. They do not suspect that by speaking in this way they are deserting the revolution and going over to the side of the bourgeoisie. To wait until the toiling classes bring about a revolution on an international scale means that everybody should stand stock-still in expectation. That is nonsense.”

Lenin, V.I., Collected Works Vol.23, p.9

For Leninism, “the victory of socialism is possible first in several or even in one capitalist country”. The revolution must first build a socialist base and protect the gains of the proletariat there before seeking to build socialism worldwide. It is far easier to build a singular house than build many at the same time. As history has shown, the USSR prevailed as a single socialist country for more than 25 years. Additionally, Cuba and DPRK have protected their socialist economies with heavy sanctions and almost no trade partners for more than 25 years. Thus, it is counterfactual to assert socialism cannot survive in one country at a time.

All this is not to say that it is not still the aim of Leninism to overthrow the bourgeoisie worldwide, rather the victory of socialism must be first consolidated and guaranteed in a base country. As Lenin said the task of the revolution and the vanguard is to do “the utmost possible in one country for the development, support, and awakening of the revolution in all countries“.

Imperialism

Leninism asserts that imperialism is the final stage of capitalism, i.e., when capitalist countries must expand their markets and exploitation to other countries instead of just wage-labourers, capitalism has reached a logical end point. Leninism does not view imperialism so narrowly as a military invasion of another nation, rather Leninism sets out a fivefold criteria of imperialism.

“Imperialism is capitalism at that stage of development at which the dominance of monopolies and finance capital is established; in which the export of capital has acquired pronounced importance; in which the division of the world among the international trusts has begun, in which the division of all territories of the globe among the biggest capitalist powers has been completed.”

Lenin

Hence, for Leninism, the creation and the domination of groups, such as IMF and WTO, in international affairs was fully anticipated. More importantly, the assertion that the biggest capitalist powers, EU, US, Saudi Arabia, etc., would carve up the world for financial control is central to Leninism. Leninism outlines that all capitalist states will be either the perpetrators of imperialism or the victims to some degree. The nature of imperialism is not merely military occupation or political control of another nation, but rather economic control. Hence, to be free of imperialism in all its forms and for a nation to gain sovereignty, a nation must abolish capitalism. Only a socialist state can be truly free from imperialism.

Leninism rejects imperialism in all its forms. Hence, Leninism not only seeks the liberation of the working class but the liberation of all oppressed people. Leninism supports the struggle of national sovereignty, even that of bourgeois nations, for imperialism is the greatest of all scourges. However, Leninism will not always support bourgeois national liberation movements, only those which will not further serve the interests of imperialism.

So far much of the attention has been on how to organise for revolution but a crucial question remains – Where will the revolution begin? There are some who believe that revolution will begin in the most developed countries, as only they have the infrastructure to establish socialism. These people believe that socialism could not happen in a third world country.

This is the antithesis of Leninism. Leninism asserts that socialism will succeed where capitalism is weakest, where imperialism is breaking apart. As history has shown, Leninism has been consistently correct in this regard. Revolution has always taken place where imperialism is weakest. Leninism was correct when Tsarist Russia was losing the First World War; when China defeated Imperial Japan; when Cuba defeated US-backed Batista; when Vietnam defeated France, Japan, US, Thailand, and China; when Eastern Europe defeated Nazi Germany.

Conclusion

Leninism can be summarised in several basic theses:

Leninism is the theory of the vanguard party. This party seeks to establish a dictatorship of the proletariat that will allow the working class and socialism to flourish in a Marxist nation. Leninism rejects theories of spontaneity, as these theories lack a clear focus of their aims. Leninism asserts that a single party with an internal debate of issues shall replace a plurality of parties that debate single issues. Leninism transforms elections from a process where workers desperately try to find a party to represent them with the election of a party that must only represent workers. Leninism rejects factionalism. Leninism argues that socialism must be achieved in one country at a time. Leninism rejects theories that socialism can only be achieved worldwide. Leninism instead seeks to first protect a base socialist country that provides aid to other countries. Leninism seeks the abolition of imperialism in all its forms. Leninism supports the right of self-determination of nations. However, Leninism rejects those national struggles that will only serve imperialism.