Georgi Plekhanov
1856 – 1918 Russian The father of Russian Marxism
The founding theorist of Russian Marxism who broke with Lenin.
- Religion
- Russian Orthodox background; an atheist and Marxist materialist.
- Affiliations
- Founder of Russian Marxism; leader of the Menshevik wing after the party split; opposed the Bolshevik seizure of power.
Plekhanov introduced Marxism to Russia and taught a generation of revolutionaries, including the young Lenin. When the Social Democrats split in 1903 he sided with the Mensheviks and rejected Lenin's drive for a tight, insurrectionary party. He condemned the October Revolution as premature and died soon after.
Connections
- ally of Julius Martov — Fellow Menshevik after the 1903 party split.
- ally of Julius Martov — Fellow Menshevik leader.
- mentor of Vladimir Lenin — An early mentor to Lenin who later became his opponent.
- student of Vladimir Lenin — Learned Marxism from Plekhanov before breaking with him.