Criticisms of Lenin and Leninism

[Nanatsu Yoru]

What are some?

[RadioRaheem84]

Rosa Luxembourg is a good source.

[Zanthorus]

Rosa Luxembourg is a good source.

What is with all the references to Luxemburg's supposed anti-Leninism recently? Anyway, if you're going to read Luxemburg, you might want to check out 'Behind Luxemburg's Anti-Lenin Polemic' by the International Bolshevik Tendency which is in the second chapter (http://www.bolshevik.org/Pamphlets/LeninVanguard/LVP%202.htm) of their pamphlet 'Lenin and the Vanguard Party'.

A lot of criticisms of Leninism are based on a misunderstanding of concepts, particularly the whole vanguard thing. On this score, I think there are problems with the IBT's pamphlet, especially it's perpetuation of the myth of the 'party of a new type' which represented a rupture from revolutionary social-democracy as represented by Karl Kautsky. On this subject, you may want to check out Lars T. Lih's book Lenin Rediscovered: What is to be Done? In Context.

[Paulappaul]

The Lenin Legend - Paul Mattick (http://www.marxists.org/archive/mattick-paul/1935/lenin-legend.htm)

The Masses and the Vanguard - Paul Mattick (http://www.marxists.org/archive/mattick-paul/1938/mass-vanguard.htm)

[RadioRaheem84]

I assumed her criticism was constructive, Zanthorus?

[Zanthorus]

I assumed her criticism was constructive, Zanthorus?

Yes, sorry. I think I'm getting a bit too jumpy at practically every mention of Luxemburg and Lenin.

[Nanatsu Yoru]

I mean like things he did when he was alive, and specific problems with Leninism. For example, The Red Terror: wasn't that Stalin's idea?