The status of a classic text: Lenin's what is to be done? After 1902

History of European Ideas

Volumn 22, Issue 4, 1996, Pages 307-320

  Mayer, Robert ^a  

^a LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO   (United States)

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EID: 0030194842     PISSN: 01916599     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/S0191-6599(96)00009-5     Document Type: Article

References (64)

1. 1. V.I. Lenin, Polnoe sobranie sochinenii, 5th Edn (Moscow: Gosizdat, 1958-1965), Vol. 6, pp. 28-53. Hereafter cited as LPSS.
2. 2. Jerry Hough, How the Soviet Union is Governed (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1979), p. 17.
3. 3. Axel van den Berg, The Immanent Utopia: From Marxism on the State to the State of Marxism (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1988), pp. 125-126, 128.
4. 4. Vladimir Brovkin, 'Workers' Unrest and the Bolsheviks' Response in 1919'. Slavic Review 49 (Fall 1990), p. 373.
5. 5. Jesse Clarkson, 'Lenin', in International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences (New York: Crowell Collier and Macmillan, 1968). Vol. 9, p. 257.
6. 6. Rolf Theen, Lenin: Genesis and Development of a Revolutionary (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1973), p. 103.
7. 7. See his premature announcement of the impending publication of the pamphlet in a May 1901 Iskra article in LPSS, Vol. 5, p. 9.
8. 8. LPSS, Vol. 6, pp. 3-5.
9. 9. B.N. Krichevskii, 'Printsipy, taktika i bor'ba', Rabochee delo 10 (September 1901), p. 18.
10. 10. LPSS, Vol. 5, pp. 271-276.
11. 11. Karl Kautsky, 'Die Revision des Programms der Sozialdemokratie in Oesterreich', Die Neue Zeit 20/1 (October 1901), pp. 68-82.
12. 12. On the process of composition of this pamphlet see Lenin's correspondence in LPSS, Vol. 46, pp. 148-166.
13. 13. LPSS, Vol. 6, p. 5.
14. 14. G.V. Plekhanov, 'Rabochii klass i sotsial-demokraticheskaia intelligentsiia', in Sochineniia (Moscow: Gosizdat, 1922-1927), Vol. 13, pp. 135-137. See also note 25 below.
15. 15. LPSS, Vol. 1. p. 310 (Lenin's emphasis).
16. 16. LPSS, Vol. 2. p. 465.
17. 17. Robert Mayer, 'Plekhanov, Lenin and Working-Class Consciousness', Studies in East European Thought (forthcoming).
18. 18. For the economist critique and an orthodox reply see Plekhanov's Vademecum (1900), a compendium of documents with a critical introduction, in Sochineniia, 12, pp. 3-42, 475-516.
19. 19. Karl Kautsky, Das Erfurter Programm in seinem grundsãtzlichen Theil erlãutert (Stuttgart: Dietz, 1892), pp. 232-242. On Lenin's appropriation of Kautsky's argument see Robert Mayer, 'Lenin, Kautsky and Working-Class Consciousness', History of European Ideas 18 (1994), 673-681.
20. 19. Karl Kautsky, Das Erfurter Programm in seinem grundsãtzlichen Theil erlãutert (Stuttgart: Dietz, 1892), pp. 232-242. On Lenin's appropriation of Kautsky's argument see Robert Mayer, 'Lenin, Kautsky and Working-Class Consciousness', History of European Ideas 18 (1994), 673-681.
21. 20. LPSS, Vol. 4, pp. 189, 244.
22. 21. LPSS, Vol. 4, p. 373.
23. 22. For his recommendation of the Kautsky article to Plekhanov see LPSS. Vol. 46, p. 150.
24. 23. L.M. Kreidlina, 'Rasprostranenie i propaganda knigi V.I. Lenina Chto Delat?', in Kniga V.I. Lenina i mestnye partiinye organizatsii Rossii (Perm: Permskoe Knizhnoe Izdat, 1972), p. 442.
25. 24. On the influence of Lenin's pamphlet see the reports submitted by the local committees to the Second Party Congress in Vtoroi s'ezd RSDRP: protokoly (Moscow: Gosizdat, 1959), pp. 518-519, 548, 603, 612, 677.
26. 25. For evidence of Plekhanov's and Akselrod's dissatisfaction see the March 1902 letters in Perepiska G.V. Plekhanova i P.B. Aksel'roda (Moscow: Izdanie R.M. Plekanovoi, 1925), Vol. 2, pp. 165, 167; the 30 May 1902 letter in Sotsial-demokraticheskoe dvizhenie v Rossii: materialy (Moscow: Gosizdat, 1928), Vol. 1, p. 90; the April 1902 letters in Leninskii sbornik 3 (1925), pp. 400, 408; and the June 1902 letter in Leninskii sbornik 4 (1925), pp. 107-108. After the split with Lenin, Marlov claimed to have been dissatisfied with the pamphlet as well. See his comments in 'Na ocherdi', Iskra 58 (January 1904), p. 3.
27. 25. For evidence of Plekhanov's and Akselrod's dissatisfaction see the March 1902 letters in Perepiska G.V. Plekhanova i P.B. Aksel'roda (Moscow: Izdanie R.M. Plekanovoi, 1925), Vol. 2, pp. 165, 167; the 30 May 1902 letter in Sotsial-demokraticheskoe dvizhenie v Rossii: materialy (Moscow: Gosizdat, 1928), Vol. 1, p. 90; the April 1902 letters in Leninskii sbornik 3 (1925), pp. 400, 408; and the June 1902 letter in Leninskii sbornik 4 (1925), pp. 107-108. After the split with Lenin, Marlov claimed to have been dissatisfied with the pamphlet as well. See his comments in 'Na ocherdi', Iskra 58 (January 1904), p. 3.
28. 25. For evidence of Plekhanov's and Akselrod's dissatisfaction see the March 1902 letters in Perepiska G.V. Plekhanova i P.B. Aksel'roda (Moscow: Izdanie R.M. Plekanovoi, 1925), Vol. 2, pp. 165, 167; the 30 May 1902 letter in Sotsial-demokraticheskoe dvizhenie v Rossii: materialy (Moscow: Gosizdat, 1928), Vol. 1, p. 90; the April 1902 letters in Leninskii sbornik 3 (1925), pp. 400, 408; and the June 1902 letter in Leninskii sbornik 4 (1925), pp. 107-108. After the split with Lenin, Marlov claimed to have been dissatisfied with the pamphlet as well. See his comments in 'Na ocherdi', Iskra 58 (January 1904), p. 3.
29. 25. For evidence of Plekhanov's and Akselrod's dissatisfaction see the March 1902 letters in Perepiska G.V. Plekhanova i P.B. Aksel'roda (Moscow: Izdanie R.M. Plekanovoi, 1925), Vol. 2, pp. 165, 167; the 30 May 1902 letter in Sotsial-demokraticheskoe dvizhenie v Rossii: materialy (Moscow: Gosizdat, 1928), Vol. 1, p. 90; the April 1902 letters in Leninskii sbornik 3 (1925), pp. 400, 408; and the June 1902 letter in Leninskii sbornik 4 (1925), pp. 107-108. After the split with Lenin, Marlov claimed to have been dissatisfied with the pamphlet as well. See his comments in 'Na ocherdi', Iskra 58 (January 1904), p. 3.
30. 25. For evidence of Plekhanov's and Akselrod's dissatisfaction see the March 1902 letters in Perepiska G.V. Plekhanova i P.B. Aksel'roda (Moscow: Izdanie R.M. Plekanovoi, 1925), Vol. 2, pp. 165, 167; the 30 May 1902 letter in Sotsial-demokraticheskoe dvizhenie v Rossii: materialy (Moscow: Gosizdat, 1928), Vol. 1, p. 90; the April 1902 letters in Leninskii sbornik 3 (1925), pp. 400, 408; and the June 1902 letter in Leninskii sbornik 4 (1925), pp. 107-108. After the split with Lenin, Marlov claimed to have been dissatisfied with the pamphlet as well. See his comments in 'Na ocherdi', Iskra 58 (January 1904), p. 3.
31. 26. For Potresov's criticism see the 22 March 1902 letter to Lenin in Leninskii sbornik 2 (1924), p. 286. On the views of Deich and Parvus see N.I. Priimak, 'Kniga V.I. Lenina Chto Delat'? i redaktsiia Iskry', in Kniga V.I. Lenina, pp. 465-466.
32. 26. For Potresov's criticism see the 22 March 1902 letter to Lenin in Leninskii sbornik 2 (1924), p. 286. On the views of Deich and Parvus see N.I. Priimak, 'Kniga V.I. Lenina Chto Delat'? i redaktsiia Iskry', in Kniga V.I. Lenina, pp. 465-466.
33. 27. Zasulich echoed Lenin's pessimism about the working class in an August 1902 Zaria essay entitled 'Elements of Idealism in Socialism'. See V.I. Zasulich, Sbornik statei (St Petersburg: Rutenberg, 1906), Vol. 2, p. 359.
34. 28. See P.A. Garvi, Vospominaniia sotsialdemokrata (New York: Fond Garvi, 1946), pp. 262-263; and Nikolai Valentinov, Encounters with Lenin, trans. P. Rosta and B. Pearce (London: Oxford University Press, 1968), pp. 26-27, 224.
35. 28. See P.A. Garvi, Vospominaniia sotsialdemokrata (New York: Fond Garvi, 1946), pp. 262-263; and Nikolai Valentinov, Encounters with Lenin, trans. P. Rosta and B. Pearce (London: Oxford University Press, 1968), pp. 26-27, 224.
36. 29. Perepiska V.I. Lenina i redaktsii gazety 'Iskra' s sotsial-demokraticheskimi organizatsiiami v Rossii 1900-1903gg (Moscow: Mysl', 1969-1970). Vol. 2, p. 425.
37. 30. See N. Riazanov. Materialy dlia vyrabotki partiinoi programmy (Geneva: Bor'ba. 1903), Vol. 2, pp. 89-100; and N. S. Rusanov (Tarasov), 'Evoliutsiia russkoi sotsialisticheskoi mysli', Vestnik russkoi revoliutsii 3 (March 1903), pp. 1-37.
38. 30. See N. Riazanov. Materialy dlia vyrabotki partiinoi programmy (Geneva: Bor'ba. 1903), Vol. 2, pp. 89-100; and N. S. Rusanov (Tarasov), 'Evoliutsiia russkoi sotsialisticheskoi mysli', Vestnik russkoi revoliutsii 3 (March 1903), pp. 1-37.
39. 31. See Martynov's speech and the ensuing debate in Vtoroi s'ezd, pp. 108-137.
40. 32. Vtoroi s'ezd, pp. 125, 134.
41. 33. Vtoroi s 'ezd, p. 135.
42. 34. LPSS, Vol. 16, pp. 106-107 (emphasis added).
43. 35. LPSS, Vol. 11, pp. 386-387 (Lenin's emphasis). The article by Stalin to which Lenin was referring was 'A Reply to Sotsial-Demokrat' (1905), in Sochineniia (Moscow: Gosizdat, 1946-1951), Vol. 1, pp. 160-172.
44. 35. LPSS, Vol. 11, pp. 386-387 (Lenin's emphasis). The article by Stalin to which Lenin was referring was 'A Reply to Sotsial-Demokrat' (1905), in Sochineniia (Moscow: Gosizdat, 1946-1951), Vol. 1, pp. 160-172.
45. 36. Note that What Is To Be Done? was reissued as a separate pamphlet only in 1923, after Lenin's incapacitation.
46. 37. LPSS, Vol. 12, p. 86.
47. 38. LPSS, Vol. 12, p. 135.
48. 39. LPSS, Vol. 19, 422 (Lenin's emphasis).
49. 40. From Steps (1904) forward Lenin consistently disparaged the intelligentsia as the principal source of opportunism within the movement. He repeatedly portrayed the Bolsheviks as the steadfast proletarian wing of the party and the Mensheviks as its unstable intellectualist wing.
50. 41. See Plekhanov, 'Rabochii klass', in Sochineniia, Vol. 13, p. 137.
51. 42. Plekhanov, Sochineniia, Vol. 12, p. 339.
52. 43. Plekhanov, Sochineniia, Vol. 13, p. 137.
53. 44. See 'Organ bez partii i partiia bez organa', in Galerka and Riadovoi, Nashi nedorazumeniia (Geneva: Izdanie Avtorov, 1904), pp. 84, 86.
54. 45. Galerka, Na novyi put' (Geneva: Koop Tip, 1904), p. 7n.
55. 46. M.S. Ol'minskii, 'Tov. Lenin', Proletarskaia revoliutsiia 3(26) (1924), p. 29.
56. 47. A.A. Bogdanov, Padenie velikago fetishizma (sovremennyi krizis ideologii) (Moscow: Izdanie S. Dorovatovskago & A. Charushnikova, 1910), pp. 193-194.
57. 48. Tretii s'ezd RSDRP: protokly (Moscow: Gosizdat, 1959), p. 262.
58. 49. Tretii s'ezd, pp. 340-341.
59. 50. LPSS, Vol. 38, p. 88.
60. 51. LPSS, Vol. 26, p. 248.
61. 52. LPSS, Vol. 37, pp. 404-405.
62. 53. LPSS, Vol. 41, p. 27.
63. 54. For a detailed analysis see Robert Mayer. 'Lenin, the Proletariat and the Legitimation of Dictatorship'.
64. 55. Stephen Kotkin, 'One Hand Clapping': Russian Workers and 1917', Labor History 32 (Fall 1991) p. 618.