Lenin quote on Heroes/Icons ?

[John Lenin]

I'm trying to locate the quote by Lenin where he states something to the effect that the Capitalists will "wash away" the revolutions leaders, and turn them into banal symbols ? etc

Could someone help me out with the exact quote and perhaps a source if you have it ?

Thanks comrades



ps - we need a Lenin smiley

[Incendiarism]

It's at the beginning of State and Revolution.

"What is now happening to Marx's theory has, in the course of history, happened repeatedly to the theories of revolutionary thinkers and leaders of oppressed classes fighting for emancipation. During the lifetime of great revolutionaries, the oppressing classes constantly hounded them, received their theories with the most savage malice, the most furious hatred and the most unscrupulous campaigns of lies and slander. After their death, attempts are made to convert them into harmless icons, to canonize them, so to say, and to hallow their names to a certain extent for the “consolation” of the oppressed classes and with the object of duping the latter, while at the same time robbing the revolutionary theory of its substance, blunting its revolutionary edge and vulgarizing it. Today, the bourgeoisie and the opportunists within the labor movement concur in this doctoring of Marxism. They omit, obscure, or distort the revolutionary side of this theory, its revolutionary soul. They push to the foreground and extol what is or seems acceptable to the bourgeoisie. All the social-chauvinists are now “Marxists” (don't laugh!). And more and more frequently German bourgeois scholars, only yesterday specialists in the annihilation of Marxism, are speaking of the “national-German” Marx, who, they claim, educated the labor unions which are so splendidly organized for the purpose of waging a predatory war!"

Unless you're referring to something else.

[John Lenin]

Thank you very much.

Powerful statement.

Exactly what I was looking for.

[John Lenin]

"After their death, attempts are made to convert them (revolutionaries) into harmless icons, to canonize them, so to say, and to hallow their names to a certain extent for the “consolation” of the oppressed classes and with the object of duping the latter, while at the same time robbing the revolutionary theory of its substance, blunting its revolutionary edge and vulgarizing it." ~ LENIN


http://whiskydelta.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/che-guevara-t-shirt.jpg http://www.goodorient.com/images/T/GCM1007_100.jpg

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

In Mao's case, this process began when he was alive. Same with Stalin.

[Black Sheep]

In Mao's case, this process began when he was alive. Same with Stalin.


Isn't this a hint to show us that the USSR under stalin was a dictatorship?
Since this worshiping was supported and funded by the state itself

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

^^^Indeed it is. But both of these 'dictators' were merely figureheads of the state system.

[Q]

"After their death, attempts are made to convert them (revolutionaries) into harmless icons, to canonize them, so to say, and to hallow their names to a certain extent for the “consolation” of the oppressed classes and with the object of duping the latter, while at the same time robbing the revolutionary theory of its substance, blunting its revolutionary edge and vulgarizing it." ~ LENIN

Wow, how could Lenin have foreseen what Stalin & co do with him after he died? I'm impressed.

(yes, this is subtle sarcasm)

Edit:
In fact, I just had an interesting thought: if Lenin would have survived and instead Trotsky died in or around 1924. Would the Stalinists have called themselves Marxists-Trotskyists and icepick the Leninists?

Oh yeah, that is going into my sig.

[BIG BROTHER]

woa fricken Lennin, he was one smart comrade.

[Dust Bunnies]

woa fricken Lennin, he was one smart comrade.

Amen brother.