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Leon Trotsky

How Lenin Studied Marx(1936)

Written:1936.Source:Fourth International [New York], Vol.11 No.4, July-Auu!t 19"#, $$.1%6-1%&.Online Version:'ar(i!t! Internet Ar)hi*e, %##3.Transcribed/HTML Markup:+a*i alter!in %##3.Copyleft:eon /rot!ky Internet Ar)hi*e www.0ar(.or %##3. 2er0i!!ion i! rante to )o$y anori!triute thi! o)u0ent uner the ter0! o5 the N7 Free +o)u0entation i)en!e.

Leon Trotsky devoted many years to the writing of a biography of Lenin, awork he was unfortunately never able to complete. He did, however, finishthose chapters which deal with Lenins youth; these were published in1!" in #rance. The section on how Lenin pursued his $ar%ist studiescomes from one of the chapters/he 8tae! o5 +e*elo$0ent of thisvolume dealing with Lenins youth. :itor! o5 Fourth International

7n5ortunately, no one ha! tol u! how enin $ur!ue hi! 'ar(i!t!tuie!. Nothin ha! )o0e own to u! e()e$t a 5ew !u$er5i)ial an*ery li0ite o!er*ation!. ;

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work i! to lay are the !keletal 5ra0ework o5 it! loi), !tri$$in awaythe $roo5!, the illu!tration! ari the ire!!ion!. Joyou!ly an 5er*entlyVlai0ir a*an)e alon thi! i55i)ult roa, !u00ariCin ea)h )ha$ter,!o0eti0e! a !inle $ae, a! he rea an thouht an *eri5ie theloi)al !tru)ture, the iale)ti)al tran!ition!, the ter0inoloy. /akin

$o!!e!!ion o5 the re!ult!, he a!!i0ilate the 0etho.

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the e!ination ;!)ienti5i)> e()e$t the one whi)h lea*e! inta)t hi! rihtto kee$ on *a)illatin. /o e !ure, uliano*, a! Voo!o*o* hi0!el5te!ti5ie!, ;wa! ee$ly intere!te in all the o=e)tion! rai!e aain!t'ar(i!0 an re5le)te u$on the0>G ut he i !o ;not 5or the !ake o5!eekin out the truth,> ut !i0$ly to un)o*er in the!e o=e)tion! !o0e

error ;o5 who!e e(i!ten)e he wa! alreay )on*in)e in a*an)e.>/here i! an ele0ent o5 truth in thi! )hara)teriCation, na0elyB uliano*ha a))e$te 'ar(i!0 a! the ri$e!t $rou)t o5 the entire $re*iou!e*olution o5 hu0an thouhtG he ha no e!ire, a5ter attainin thi! hihle*el, to e!)en to a lower oneG he e5ene with ino0itale enerytho!e iea! o*er whi)h he ha een $onerin an whi)h he wa!*eri5yin e*ery ay o5 hi! li5eG an he reare with $re)on)ei*e0i!tru!t the atte0$t! o5 )on)eite inora0u!e! an eruite0eio)ritie! to !u!titute a 0ore ;a))e$tale> theory 5or 'ar(i!0.

hen it )o0e! to !u)h 5iel! a! te)hnoloy or 0ei)ine, routini!0,ilettanti!0 an 0ei)ine, 0an 0u0o-=u0o are hel in =u!ti5iale0i!tru!t. Eut in the 5iel o5 !o)ioloy the!e )o0e to the 5ore in e*eryin!tan)e in the ui!e o5 a 5ree !)ienti5i) !$irit. /ho!e 5or who0 theory i!0erely a 0ental toy, 5lit ea!ily 5ro0 one re*elation to another or 0oreo5ten !till re0ain )ontent with an alo0eration o5 )ru0! 5ro0 thei55erent re*elation!. In5initely 0ore e(a)tin, riorou! an well-alan)e i! he who *iew! theory a! a uie to a)tion. A rawin roo0!ke$ti) 0ay !)o55 at 0ei)ine with i0$unity, ut a !ureon )annot li*e

in an at0o!$here o5 !)ienti5i) un)ertainty. /he reater i! there*olutioni!t?! nee 5or theory a! a uie to a)tion, all the 0oreintran!ieant i! he in uarin it. Vlai0ir uliano* 0i!tru!teilettanti!0 an ete!te ua)k!. hat he *alue ao*e a5l el!e in'ar(i!0 wa! the !e*ere i!)i$line an authority o5 it! 0etho.

In 1&93 a$$eare the la!t ook! o5 V. Voront!o* HV.V. an N. +aniel!onHNikolaion. /he!e two 2o$uli!t e)ono0i!t! arue with en*ialetena)ity that )a$itali!t e*elo$0ent in Du!!ia wa! i0$o!!ile, =u!t at ati0e when Du!!ian )a$itali!0 wa! $re$arin to take an e!$e)ially

*iorou! lea$ 5orwar. It i! i0$roale that the 5ain 2o$uli!t! o5 thatay rea the tary re*elation! o5 their theoreti)ian! a! attenti*ely a!i the youn 'ar(i!t at 8a0ara. uliano* ha to know hi! a*er!arie!not only in orer to e ale to re5ute their writin!.

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twenty-!e*en *olu0e! o5 $ole0i)al writin!. o5 Du!!ia?! )a$itali!t e*elo$0ent i! it!el5 an e(e)rale

)ari)ature o5 'ar(i!0. /he e)ono0i) $ro)e!! oe! not 5in it!re5le)tion in ;$ure> )on!)iou!ne!! in all it! nati*e inoran)eG it 5in! it!e($re!!ion in the hi!tori) )on!)iou!ne!!, enri)he y all the $a!t)onue!t! o5 0ankin. It wa! $o!!ile 5or the )la!! !trule in)a$itali!t !o)iety to lea to 'ar(i!0 in the 0ile o5 the Nineteenth@entury only e)au!e the iale)ti)al 0etho wa! then alreay at han,a! the a)hie*e0ent o5 er0an )la!!i)al $hilo!o$hyG only e)au!e o5the $oliti)al e)ono0y o5 Aa0 80ith an +a*i Di)aro in :nlanGonly e)au!e o5 the re*olutionary an !o)iali!t o)trine! o5 Fran)e

whi)h ro!e out o5 the reat De*olution. /he internationali!t )hara)tero5 'ar(i!0 inhere!, there5ore, in the *ery oriin! o5 it! own irth. /herowth o5 the $ower o5 well-to-o $ea!ant! Hkulak! on the Vola anthe e*elo$0ent o5 0etallury in the 7ral! were utterly inaeuate torin aout ine$enently the !el5!a0e !)ienti5i) re!ult!. It i! not 0ere)oin)ien)e that the :0an)i$ation o5 aor rou$ )a0e to e ornaroaB Du!!ian 'ar(i!0 5ir!t !aw the liht o5 ay not a! an auto0ati)$rou)t o5 Du!!ian )a$itali!0 like !uar-eet )ro$! an the $oor )otton)loth H5or the 0anu5a)ture o5 whi)h, 0oreo*er, 0a)hine! ha to ei0$orte, ut a! a )o0$le( o5 the entire e($erien)e o5 the Du!!ian

re*olutionary !trule )ou$le with the theory o5 !)ienti5i) !o)iali!0oriinatin in the e!t. /he 'ar(i!t eneration o5 the Ninetie! ro!e onthe 5ounation! lai y 2lekhano*.

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Ho# Spiritual $aupers %&'alt( Lenin

/o a$$re)iate enin?! hi!tori) )ontriution there i! no nee whate*er totry to !how that 5ro0 hi! early year! he wa! olie to reak the *irin!oil with a $low o5 hi! own. ;/here were al0o!t no )o0$rehen!i*ework! a*ailale,> write! :li!aro*a $arrotin a0ene* an other!. ;It

wa! ne)e!!ary 5or hi0 to !tuy the oriinal !our)e! an raw 5ro0the0 hi! own eu)tion!.> Nothin )oul e 0ore o55en!i*e to enin?!own riorou! !)ienti5i) !)ru$ulou!ne!! than thi! )lai0 that he took noa))ount o5 hi! $ree)e!!or! an tea)her!. Nor i! it true that in theearly Ninetie! Du!!ian 'ar(i!0 $o!!e!!e no )o0$rehen!i*e work!.

/he $uli)ation! o5 the :0an)i$ation o5 aor rou$ alreay)on!titute at the ti0e an arie en)y)lo$eia o5 the new tenen)y.A5ter !i( year! o5 rilliant an heroi) !trule aain!t the $re=ui)e! o5the Du!!ian intellient!ia, 2lekhano* $ro)lai0e in 1&&9 at the

8o)iali!t orl @onre!! in 2ari!, ;/he re*olutionary 0o*e0ent inDu!!ia )an triu0$h only a! the re*olutionary workin-)la!! 0o*e0ent.

/here i! an there )an e no other way out 5or u!.> /he!e wor!!u00e u$ the 0o!t i0$ortant eneral )on)lu!ion 5ro0 the entire$re)ein e$o)h an it wa! on, the a!i! o5 thi! eneraliCation o5 an;0ir> that Vlai0ir $ur!ue hi! eu)ation on the Vola.

Voo*o!o* write! in hi! 0e0oir!, ;enin u!e to !$eak o5 2lekhano*with $ro5oun 5eelin, e!$e)ially aout H2lekhano*?! ook ur+i55eren)e!.> enin 0u!t ha*e inee e($re!!e hi! 5eelin! *ery

*i*ily 5or Voo*o!o* to e ale to re)all the0 a5ter a la$!e o5 0orethan thirty year!. /he 0ain !trenth o5 ur +i55eren)e! lie! in it!treat0ent o5 re*olutionary $oli)y a! ini!!oluly linke with the0ateriali!t )on)e$tion o5 hi!tory an with the analy!i! o5 Du!!ia?!e)ono0i) e*elo$0ent. uliano*?! 5ir!t $ronoun)e0ent! at 8a0araaain!t the 2o$uli!t! are thu! )lo!ely a!!o)iate with hi! war0a$$re)iation o5 the work o5 the 5ouner o5 the Du!!ian 8o)ial+e0o)ra)y. Ne(t to 'ar( an :nel!, Vlai0ir wa! 0o!t inete, to2lekhano*.

/owar the en o5 19%%, while re5errin in $a!!in to the early Ninetie!,enin wroteB ;8oon a5ter thi! 'ar(i!0, a! a tenen)y, ean toroaen, 0o*in in the 8o)ial-+e0o)rati) ire)tion $ro)lai0e 0u)hearlier in e!tern :uro$e y the :0an)i$ation o5 aor rou$.> /he!eline!, whi)h !u0 u$ the hi!tory o5 the e*elo$0ent o5 an entireeneration, al!o )ontain a $art o5 enin?! own autoiora$hy. 8tartinout in the 'ar(i!t tenen)y with an e)ono0i) an hi!tori)al o)trine,he e)a0e a 8o)ial +e0o)rat uner the in5luen)e o5 the iea! o5 the

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:0an)i$ation o5 aor rou$ whi)h 5ar out!tri$$e the e*elo$0ent o5the Du!!ian intellient!ia. nly !$iritual $au$er! )an i0aine that theye(alt enin y attriutin to hi! natural 5ather, the 8tate @oun)illoruliano*, re*olutionary o$inion! whi)h he ne*er hel, while at the!a0e ti0e 0ini0iCin the re*olutionary role o5 the 0ir 2lekhano*,

who0 enin hi0!el5 )on!iere a! hi! !$iritual 5ather.At aCan, 8a0ara an Alakaye*ka, Vlai0ir thouht o5 hi0!el5 a!$u$il. Eut =u!t a! reat $ainter! in their youth i!$lay their ownine$enent ru!h !troke e*en while )o$yin $i)ture! y ol 0a!ter!,

=u!t !o Vlai0ir uliano* rouht to hi! a$$renti)e!hi$ !u)h *ior o5thouht an initiati*e that it i! i55i)ult to raw a line o5 e0ar)ationetween what he a!!i0ilate 5ro0 other! an what he elaoratehi0!el5. +urin the 5inal $re$aratory year at 8a0ara, thi! line o5e0ar)ation e)a0e e5initi*ely oliterateB the a$$renti)e e)o0e!

an ine$enent in*e!tiator.

) Historic Contro!ersy

/he )ontro*er!y with the 2o$uli!t! $a!!e naturally to the 5iel o5)urrent e*elo$0ent!, o5 e*aluatin whether or not )a$itali!0 wa!)ontinuin to row in Du!!ia. +iara0! re$re!entin the nu0er o55a)tory )hi0ney! an o5 inu!trial worker! a! well a! tho!e !howinthe i55erentiation a0on the $ea!antry took on a !$e)ial 0eanin. /o

eter0ine the yna0i)! o5 the $ro)e!! it wa! ne)e!!ary to )o0$aretoay?! 5iure! with tho!e o5 ye!teray. :)ono0i) !tati!ti)! thu!e)a0e the !)ien)e o5 !)ien)e!. @olu0n! o5 5iure! hel the key to the0y!tery o5 Du!!ia?! e!tiny an that o5 it! intellient!ia an o5 it!re*olution. :*en the )en!u! o5 hor!e! taken $erioi)ally y the 0ilitarya0ini!tration wa! )alle u$on to i*e an an!wer to the ue!tionB howa! the !troner, arl 'ar( or the Du!!ian *illae )o00uneK

/he !tati!ti)al 0aterial in 2lekhano*?! early work! )oul not ha*e een*ery ri)hB the !tati!ti)! o5 the Le0!t*o!, o5 e()e$tional *alue 5or the

!tuy o5 *illae e)ono0y, e)a0e e*elo$e only urin the :ihtie!G0oreo*er, the $uli)ation! )ontainin the!e !tati!ti)! were rarelya))e!!ile to an e0ire who wa! al0o!t )o0$letely i!olate 5ro0Du!!ia urin tho!e year!. Ne*erthele!!, 2lekhano* ini)ate with)o0$lete a))ura)y the eneral ire)tion o5 !)ienti5i) work to eunertaken on the a!i! o5 !tati!ti)al ata. /he early !tati!ti)ian! o5the new !)hool 5ollowe thi! roa. '.A.

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the Du!!ian *illae whi)h Vlai0ir uliano* *alue hihly an whi)h heu!e a! 0oel!. enin ne*er let !li$ an o$$ortunity to i*e re)onitionto the work! o5 hi! $ree)e!!or!.