LENIN ON ORGANIZATION
WHY THE PROLETARIAT MUST TRAIN ITS
OWN LEADERS.
Not a single class in history achieved power without
 putting forward its political leaders and spokesmen,
 capable of organizing the movement and
leading it.
(December, 1900, in “Iskra,” No. 1,
article entitled: “The Urgent Tasks
of Our Movement”).
“The material elements” of our movement have
grown enormously since 1898, but the conscious
leaders (Social Democrats) lagged behind this
growth. This is the principal reason for the crisis
which Russian Social Democracy is now experiencing.
 The mass (spontaneous) movement lacks
“ideologists” sufficiently trained theoretically to be
able to withstand all waverings; it lacks leaders
with the wide political outlook, revolutionary energy
and organizing abilities required to establish a fighting
 political Party on the basis of the new movement.

(December 6, 1901, “Iskra,” No. 12.
“A Talk with Advocates of
Economism”),

VIL
(95