POL SCI 140L Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Constitutional Democratic Party, Tsarist Autocracy, Leninism
9 Feb 2018
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Lenin thought general approach to making history would lose any chance of revolution in russia. Tsarist secret police hung vladimir ulyanov (aka lenin)"s brother for plotting assassination. Lenin saw the mensheviks as having self-defeating democratic ideals. Paralized by their belief in the inevitable. Lenin wrote what is there to be done? to accelerate and lead revolution in russia. He wanted to create a party that was: Anti-liberal : organizational weapon instead of one seeking votes or advocacy. Staffed by full-time professional revolutionaries , not part-time activists. This was to create revolutionary spirit and foundation. Self-criticism reinforces commitment and avoids confusion on strategy. New emphasis on elitism and leading role of a party as a charismatic organization. Consciousness must be brought to the working class from without from the cadres of the party. Trade unions mean political enslavement of the working class by the bourgeoisie. Working class will not , elitist ruling class cannot continue in the same way.
