Leninism

Marxism of the epoch of imperialism and proletarian revolution. The word “Leninism” was first used after the Second Congress of the Russian Social-Democratic Labor Party in 1903. In 1924, Stalin systematically discussed Leninism in his book The Foundations of Leninism and defined it as “Leninism is Marxism of the era of imperialism and the proletarian revolution”. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, capitalism entered the stage of monopoly (imperialism). Lenin applied basic principles of Marxism to the concrete practice of the Russian revolution under the new historical conditions and creatively developed Marxism in the struggle against the Second International’s revisionism and opportunism. Lenin studied new materials and phenomena on economic and political development of capitalist countries and founded Marxist theories of imperialism. Based on the rule of the unbalanced economic and political development during transitioning from capitalism to imperialism, he proposed the new assertion that socialism can be victorious first in one country. He summed up the experience of the inner-party struggle in Russia and the experience of revolutionary movements in other countries and advocated establishing a new type of proletarian party. He defended and developed the Marxist theory of the dictatorship of the proletariat in the struggle against opportunism in the Second International, clarified the essence and task of the dictatorship of the proletariat, and revealed the fundamental difference between proletarian and bourgeois democracy. The victory of the October Revolution under the guidance of Leninism turned socialism from theory into reality and opened a new era in human history. Lenin summed up the experience of Russian revolution and construction, enriched and developed the scientific socialist theory, revealed ways and methods of transitioning from capitalism to socialism, expounded the diversity of countries’ approaches to socialism and the national liberation movements in colonial and semi-colonial countries, and put forward the important thought that economically backward countries need to go through some special stages of development or intermediate links before becoming socialist countries. He stressed that after overthrowing the rule of the exploiting classes, socialist economic construction must be put at the top of all tasks, social productive forces must be vigorously developed, and the material foundation of socialism must be strengthened. Lenin’s series of thoughts and judgments pushed Marxism to a new stage—Leninism.