Marxist-Leninist

A follower of a political ideology that combines the principles of Marxism, which emphasizes the role of class struggle and material conditions in shaping society, with the strategies and tactics of Leninism, which focuses on the need for a vanguard party to lead the working class in the revolutionary overthrow of capitalism and the establishment of a socialist state. Typically associated with various socialist and communist movements, Marxist-Leninism advocates for the role of the state in controlling the means of production and the belief that socialism is a necessary stage that must precede communism.

Marxist-Leninist meaning with examples

In the early 20th century, many intellectuals and labor leaders across Europe adopted Marxist-Leninist ideas, believing that a revolution was inevitable given the oppressive conditions faced by the working class. They saw the philosophy as a guiding force that would empower the proletariat and lay the groundwork for a fairer, more equitable society.
The Soviet Union was perhaps the most significant example of a state operating under Marxist-Leninist ideology, where the Communist Party implemented policies that sought to transform society through collectivization and industrialization. This approach fundamentally altered the social structure of the nation and aimed at creating a classless society.
Marxist-Leninist organizations often contend with internal disputes regarding the interpretation of classic texts. Differences in opinion about the application of Marxist-Leninist theory can lead to factions forming within these groups, each claiming to uphold the true vision of Marx and Lenin in the contemporary world.
Critics of Marxist-Leninist practices argue that the concentration of power in a vanguard party can lead to authoritarianism, straying from the original idea of a workers' revolution. Detractors claim that this deviation results in the suppression of individual freedoms and democratic processes that are inherently part of the revolutionary agenda.

Marxist-Leninist Synonyms

anti-capitalist class-struggle collectivist communist contemporary marxist democratic centralist dialectical ideologue leftist leninist marxian materialist proletarian radical reformist revolutionary socialist soviet-style totalitarian vanguardist

Marxist-Leninist Antonyms

anarchist capitalist centrist classical liberal conservative democratic fascist free-market individualist liberal libertarian moderate neoliberal populist privatist propertarian reactionary reformist right-wing traditionalist