Was tun?: Programmatische Schrift aus den Anfängen der russischen Sozialdemokratie - Die Theorie der Avantgarde des Proletariats

The central theme of this influential 1902 work is the collaboration between the educated bourgeoisie and the working class within socialist parties, which leads to the development of the "vanguard of the proletariat" theory. This concept is pivotal in Marxism-Leninism. The title pays homage to Nikolai Chernyshevsky's novel, reflecting Lenin's respect for the author. Lenin, a key figure in the Russian Revolution and a prominent Marxist theorist, played a crucial role in establishing the Communist Party of Russia and the Soviet state.