2min chapter

Quillette Podcast cover image

A Brief History of Communism with Sean McMeekin

Quillette Podcast

CHAPTER

The Vanguard's Illusion: Prophecy and Authority in Marxism

This chapter explores the role of a self-appointed vanguard in Marxist theory, likening its advocates to a priestly class perceived as enlightened leaders guiding the proletariat. It critiques the potential for authoritarianism in the ideology through the insights of early critics like Bakunin, who cautioned against an intellectual elite dominating the true workers.

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