On 21 January 1924, Vladimir Illich Ulyanov, better known as Lenin, the leader of the October Revolution and the founding head of state of the Soviet Union, died in Gorki aged 53. Remembered as one of the most pivotal political thinkers of the 20th century, Lenin led the world’s first socialist revolution in 1917 in Russia, and made the greatest contributions to the theory and practice of scientific socialism after Marx and Engels.
A singular contribution of Lenin to scientific socialist theory was to develop and concretise the understanding of imperialism. Based on this, he developed a revolutionary strategy that encompassed the industrial proletariat and the peoples of the colonies and oppressed countries. Another aspect of Lenin’s revolutionary strategy was the concept of worker- peasant unity. In the sphere of revolutionary practice, he pioneered the role of a revolutionary party organisation as the vanguard of the working class.
Comrade Lenin continues to be a beacon of guidance and inspiration to the revolutionary movements across the world. A vast majority of people’s liberation movements across the the third world were inspired directly or indirectly by the revolutionary theory and practise laid down by Lenin. On this day, let us read and remember Lenin.
Progressive Students' Forum TISS 