Skip to main content

Primary sourceBook1901 (published 1902)

What Is to Be Done?

Vladimir Lenin · 1901 (published 1902)

Lenin's 1902 pamphlet arguing for a disciplined vanguard party of revolutionaries to lead the working class.

Lenin wrote this foundational pamphlet laying out his theory of the revolutionary party.

Ask Vladimir Lenin about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
Cover of the 1902 Stuttgart edition of Lenin's book 'What Is to Be Done?' on tan paper. Large Russian title 'Что делать?', subtitle 'Наболевшие вопросы нашего движения', author 'Н. ЛЕНИНА', a quotation from Lassalle's letter to Marx, price 'Цена 1 руб.' and 'Preis 2 Mark = 2.50 Francs', publisher 'Verlag von J. H. W. Dietz Nachf. (G.m.b.H.)' and 'STUTTGART 1902' at the bottom.
Vladimir Lenin, What Is to Be Done?, Stuttgart edition, 1902.

About this source

What it is

This pamphlet was written by Vladimir Lenin in 1901 and published in March 1902 under the name N. Lenin. Its title borrows from an 1863 novel by Nikolai Chernyshevsky. The cover shown is from the 1902 Stuttgart edition.

Why it matters

Lenin argued that workers would not become politically conscious simply through economic struggles like strikes; instead, a party of dedicated revolutionaries was needed to bring Marxist ideas to them. These ideas are closely tied to the 1903 split of the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party into Bolshevik and Menshevik factions, a split that shaped the future of Russian revolutionary politics. Even Lenin later said the pamphlet's ideas were sometimes exaggerated by others.

Look closer

  • Why might Lenin have thought ordinary economic struggles were not enough to create political change?
  • What does the cover's price in rubles, marks, and francs tell you about how this pamphlet circulated?
  • How might supporters and critics of Lenin read this pamphlet differently?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Vladimir Lenin on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More Vladimir Lenin sources

Meet the AI Vladimir Lenin →
Handwritten manuscript in Russian on lined paper, titled with a heading at the top, containing numbered points written in pencil or ink with crossings-out and marginal notes. This is an early draft of the April Theses by Lenin.Document

Primary source

April Theses

Vladimir Lenin · 3/16 April 1917

Black and white photograph of a large crowd of people in winter coats and hats gathered outside a columned building with balconies. Dark flags are visible at right, and a speaker stands among the crowd. Snow covers the ground and bare trees stand at left.Photograph

Primary source

Georgi Dimitrov at Lenin's Funeral

January 1924

Handwritten Russian letter on lined paper, headed 'Строго секретно' (Strictly confidential) and titled 'Письмо к съезду' (Letter to the Congress). The text is in cursive and discusses party reforms and the Central Committee.Letter

Primary source

Lenin's Testament

Vladimir Lenin · late 1922 – early 1923

Scanned page of the Russian printed 'Decree on Peace' from 26 October 1917, with a large bold heading, a subtitle about its adoption by the All-Russian Congress of Soviets, dense body text in columns of Russian, and a library or archive stamp and handwritten number at the bottom.Document

Primary source

Decree on Peace

Vladimir Lenin · 8 November 1917 (26 October O.S.)

Document

Primary source

Decree on Land

Vladimir Lenin · 8 November 1917

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Vladimir Lenin now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions