Identifying Opportunism within Socialist Movements

Lenin's Left-Wing Communism: An Infantile Disorder is a classic text of Marxist polemical theory, sharply critiquing ultra-leftist tendencies emerging after the Bolshevik Revolution. Lenin argues against dogmatic purity and revolutionary impatience, insisting that revolutionaries must strategically engage with existing institutions—such as trade unions, parliaments, and electoral politics—to build mass support and consolidate working-class power. He emphasizes flexibility in tactics, the necessity of strategic compromises, disciplined party organization, and the avoidance of ideological sectarianism. The text serves as a crucial Marxist guidebook, warning against revolutionary adventurism and reinforcing the importance of tactical realism, disciplined unity, and principled yet pragmatic struggle for socialism. Alyson and Breht explain and reflect on the text, and then pull out its core lessons for revolutionaries today.

Left Wing Communism: An Infantile Disorder by V.I. Lenin

Full text here: https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1920/lwc/

The video episode can be found on youtube at: https://youtu.be/Z0hqseu8zVA

------- Please Rate and Review Red Menace on iTunes. This dramatically helps increase our reach.

Support the Show and get access to bonus content on Patreon here:

https://www.patreon.com/TheRedMenace  Follow us on Twitter @The_Red_Menace