Leninist-Marxist
During the Russian Civil War (1918–1922), Lenin's government deployed the Cheka (secret police), initiated the Red Terror, and banned other parties—very repressive measures. Lenin implemented a command economy, state ownership of major industries, suppression of private enterprise, and central planning of production and distribution. His ideology emphasized class warfare, seeking to eliminate private capitalists (the bourgeoisie) and establish a socialist economy.
What it believes
A disciplined vanguard party must seize the state on behalf of a working class that cannot spontaneously reach revolutionary consciousness — then hold it, by dictatorship of the proletariat, until socialism is secured against enemies within and without.
The appeal
It answers the oldest failure of revolt: uprisings without organization get massacred. The vanguard is a theory of winning — and in 1917 it did win, which gave it a century of prestige no rival on the far left has matched.
Where it breaks
A party that substitutes itself for the class soon substitutes the politburo for the party and one man for the politburo. 'Transitional' dictatorship has never once transitioned; the vanguard's discipline becomes the state's permanent character.
Among its neighbours
Above, the Stalinist-Marxist is this cell's own future, one purge later. Below, the Trotskyist keeps the vanguard but insists the revolution must stay permanent and international. The National Bolshevik beside it welds the same machine to the nation instead of the class.
Figures — real and imagined — who share the Leninist-Marxist base ideology. They differ only on the third axis: from radical to restorationist, each is a different face of a Leninist-Marxist.
The company you keep.
The social axis (progressive ↔ traditional) splits Leninist-Marxist into nine named shades. Take the quiz to find out which one is yours.
- Radical Leninist-Marxist
- Progressive Leninist-Marxist
- Reformist Leninist-Marxist
- Heterodox Leninist-Marxist
- Leninist-Marxist
- Rooted Leninist-Marxist
- Traditional Leninist-Marxist
- Reactionary Leninist-Marxist
- Restorationist Leninist-Marxist