Blaquists

[Faceless]

So, as far as I can tell they were a French movement of Communists that believed in a small intelectual elite leading the workers to Utopia with their superior intelligence. What distinguishes them from authoritarian Leninists (apart from the French bit and a state of denial)? Is that what they were or am I in some way wrong? And what of Blanqui?
A question for the intellectually superior members of Che-Lives. :lol:

[Morpheus]

There are two main distinctions between Leninists and Blanquists. The first is that Leninists are Marxists. They believe in the Marxist theory of history, Marxist economics, dialectical materialism, etc. Blanquists don't. Second, the orthodox Blanquist strategy is basically to have a coup led by a secret conspiracy, with little in the way of a popular uprising. Leninists, on the other hand, are not adverse to trying to build a mass movement to overthrow the status quo - although they seek to make that movement subordinate to their party, of course. Louis Blanqui was the founder and leader of this movement. Blanquists played a signifigant role in the Paris Commune. In his later years Blanqui became more open to the idea of a popular rebellion helping the revolution, moving more towards the Leninist position. There's more similarity between Blanquism and Leninism then either would admit.