p The Leninist stage in the development of philosophy covers a period from the end of the 19th century to the present day.

p Lenin made a great contribution to philosophy by upholding and further developing dialectical and historical materialism in the new historical conditions. His theoretical work was directly connected with the revolutionary struggle of the proletariat and socialist construction in the USSR. He not only enriched Marxist philosophy but applied its principles in practice. Lenin founded the Communist Party, a party of a new, revolutionary type, under whose leadership Russia’s workers and peasants destroyed capitalism and built the world’s first socialist state. He drew up the plan for socialist and communist construction and to his last days stood at the head of the people and the party which are translating this plan into reality.

p In the new historical epoch it was up to the working class and its Marxist party to transform society along revolutionary lines, destroy capitalism and build socialism. Consequently, Lenin devoted special attention to analysing the patterns of social development, and above all, to ascertaining the essence of capitalism and determining the ways of establishing and consolidating the new society. Taking account of the changed historical conditions, he further developed the Marxist theory of socialist revolution and produced arguments proving that socialism could be built first 35 in several or even in one country. His theory of socialist revolution had an enormous impact on the course of social development.

p Lenin also enriched the Marxist teaching on classes and the class struggle, the dictatorship of the proletariat and its forms, the role played by the masses in his’tory, the role played by the party of the working class, by progressive ideas, etc.

p He made a major contribution to the elaboration of problems of dialectics. In the struggle against metaphysicians of all hues he upheld and further developed the Marxist theory of the laws and categories of materialist dialectics, devoting particular attention to the nucleus of dialectics—the law of unity and the conflict of opposites.

p Lenin evolved the dialectical-materialist theory of knowledge. He searchingly analysed the crisis which occurred in natural science at the turn of the century as a result of scientific discoveries and showed that only materialist dialectics could resolve it.

p He fought consistently against bourgeois ideology, revisionism and dogmatism. By exposing the essential features of revisionism and dogmatism and the trends of their development, he armed the Marxists for the struggle against revisionists and dogmatists.

p Lenin’s contribution to Marxist philosophy will be examined in greater detail in the ensuing chapters.

p After Lenin, the philosophy of Marxism has been developed by his associates and pupils, prominent leaders of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the fraternal communist and workers’ parties.

p Marxist-Leninist philosophy has been further developed in the decisions of Congresses, Conferences and Central Committee Plenary Meetings of the CPSU and other Marxist parties and in the resolutions of international meetings of Communists. By developing Marxist philosophy these documents attest to the correct application of its propositions and conclusions in analysing the historical situation, in the revolutionary struggle and in socialist and communist construction. The creative development of the scientific theory of Marxism-Leninism, Marxist-Leninist philosophy, its organic combination with the revolutionary struggle of the working people, and with socialist and communist 36 construction are the most powerful and the most notable aspect of the entire historical activity of the CPSU. It is stated in the Report of the CPSU Central Committee to the 25th Congress of the Party which was delivered by General Secretary of the CC CPSU Leonid Brezhnev that the Party bases its whole revolutionary activity on the sound foundation of Marxist-Leninist theory. “Marxism-Leninism derives its power from its constant and creative development. That is what Marx taught. That is what Lenin taught.”  [36•*  As it develops Marxist theory, the CPSU conducts an offensive against the ideology of anti-communism and various bourgeois and revisionist conceptions.

p Marxist-Leninist philosophy develops in a bitter struggle chiefly against reactionary bourgeois ideology. The age-long history of philosophy has not put an end to the division of philosophers into two opposing camps—materialists and idealists. And today the battle between these two trends is a reflection of the struggle between progressive and reactionary classes.

p Being the world outlook of the revolutionary proletariat and all the working people, Marxist-Leninist materialist philosophy is a formidable weapon in the struggle against imperialist reaction, for socialism and progress. It is opposed by the idealist philosophy of the reactionary, moribund imperialist bourgeoisie. This philosophy plays a reactionary role because it endeavours to save the capitalist system, keep millions of workers in the grip of idealism, refute Marxism-Leninism and prevent the ideas of materialism and dialectics from influencing broad sections of the people.

p There are many trends and schools in contemporary bourgeois philosophy, but the distinctions between them are inessential. In the main thing—their idealist substance, anti-Marxist trend and service to imperialist reaction—they are all alike. Some of these trends overtly advocate idealism, mysticism and hatred for science. Others do this in a more refined way; they try to use the latest achievements of science for this purpose and to adapt themselves to the requirements of social development. Still others openly 37 revive medieval scholasticism and glorify religious dogmas.

p But try as they might the ideologists of contemporary imperialist bourgeoisie will neither disprove Marxist-Leninist theory, nor stem the growth of its influence. More and more convincingly history demonstrates the triumph of MarxismLeninism and its materialist philosophy.

DIALECTICAL MATERIALISM