p Because Marxists recognise historical necessity, bourgeois ideologists often accuse them of denying the role of individuals, of great people, of leaders, in history. These accusations are unfounded, for Marxism far from underestimates the role of the individual. Although Marxists maintain that individuals cannot change the objective course of history at will, they admit that the individual plays no small part in social development. “The idea of historical necessity,” Lenin noted, “does not in the least undermine the role of the individual in history: all history is made up of the acticns of individuals, who are undoubtedly active figures.”  [234•*  Only Marxisrn has demonstrated the real 235 importance of the individual in social development and has also indicated the conditions in which the individual can play an important part in history.

An individual makes history by his labour, political activity, will and reason, and the greater is social progress the greater the influence of the individual on society. With the development of history, the deepening and extension of historical tasks, and the progress of science, technology and culture more and more people participate in historical events and each individual plays a mounting role in the historical process and increases his contribution to the treasure-store of material and spiritual culture. The creative activity of the individual is particularly great in socialist society where there are favourable conditions for free labour and activity in various spheres of social life.