If Socialism can only be realized when the intellectual development of all the people permits it, then we shall not see Socialism for at least five hundred years.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Communism, Socialism
They capitalists will furnish credits which will serve us for the support of the Communist Party in their countries and, by supplying us materials and technical equipment which we lack, will restore our military industry necessary for our future attacks against our suppliers. To put it in other words, they will work on the preparation of their own suicide.
—Vladimir Lenin
Literature must become party literature. Down with unpartisan litterateurs! Down with the superman of literature! Literature must become a part of the general cause of the proletariat.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Literature, Books
When one makes a Revolution, one cannot mark time; one must always go forward—or go back. He who now talks about the “freedom of the press” goes backward, and halts our headlong course towards Socialism.
—Vladimir Lenin
It is necessary to be able to withstand all this, to agree to any and every sacrifice, and evenif need beto resort to all sorts of stratagems, manoeuvres and illegal methods, to evasion and subterfuges in order to penetrate the trade unions, to remain in them, and to carry on Communist work in them at all costs.
—Vladimir Lenin
It is true that liberty is precious. So precious that it must be rationed.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Freedom
The most important thing in illness is never to lose heart.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Health, Cancer
All our lives we fought against exalting the individual, against the elevation of the single person, and long ago we were over and done with the business of a hero, and here it comes up again: the glorification of one personality. This is not good at all. I am just like everybody else.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Heroism, Heroes/Heroism, Heroes
No amount of political freedom will satisfy the hungry masses.
—Vladimir Lenin
Fascism is capitalism in decay.
—Vladimir Lenin
I am a bad, wicked man, but I am practicing moral self-purification; I don’t eat meat any more, I now eat rice cutlets.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Self-improvement, Progress
The history of all countries shows that the working class exclusively by its own effort is able to develop only trade-union consciousness.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Class
Despair is typical of those who do not understand the causes of evil, see no way out, and are incapable of struggle. The modern industrial proletariat does not belong to the category of such classes.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Despair
If it were necessary to give the briefest possible definition of imperialism, we should have to say that imperialism is the monopoly stage of capitalism.
—Vladimir Lenin
A revolution is impossible without a revolutionary situation; furthermore, not every revolutionary situation leads to revolution.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Revolution
To rely upon conviction, devotion, and other excellent spiritual qualities—that is not to be taken seriously in politics.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Politicians, Politics
Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Children
The most important thing when ill, is to never lose heart.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Disease, Sickness
Communism is Soviet power plus the electrification of the whole country.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Socialism, Communism
Give us the child for 8 years and it will be a Bolshevik forever.
—Vladimir Lenin
Any cook should be able to run the country.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Government
A lie told often enough becomes truth.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Truth
You all know that even when women have full rights, they still remain fatally downtrodden because all housework is left to them. In most cases housework is the most unproductive, the most barbarous and the most arduous work a woman can do. It is exceptionally petty and does not include anything that would in any way promote the development of the woman.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Housework
Our power does not know liberty or justice. It is established on the destruction of the individual will.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Communism
Under socialism all will govern in turn and will soon become accustomed to no one governing.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Communism, Socialism
Whenever the cause of the people is entrusted to professors, it is lost.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Intelligence, Intellectuals
Capitalists are no more capable of self-sacrifice than a man is capable of lifting himself up by his own bootstraps.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Capitalism
Communists have become bureaucrats. If anything will destroy us, it is this.
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: Communism
While the State exists there can be no freedom; when there is freedom there will be no State.
—Vladimir Lenin
Crime is a product of social excess
—Vladimir Lenin
Topics: One liners, Crime
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
Karl Marx German Philosopher, Economist
Guy Debord French Philosopher
Mikhail Bakunin Russian Anarchist
Friedrich Engels German Socialist Political Philosopher
Leon Trotsky Russian Revolutionary
Joseph Stalin Soviet Leader
Mao Zedong Chinese Statesman
Ayn Rand Russian-born American Novelist
Frantz Fanon Algerian Political Theorist
Che Guevara Argentine-Cuban Revolutionary