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ALS: a ipion JOSEPH STALIN ‘2 ‘ LENIN’S CONTRIBUTION TO MARXISM?* ma QUESTION 3. What new principles have Lenin and the Com- munist Party added to Marxism in practice? Would it be correct to say that Lenin believed in “constructive revolution” whereas Marx was more inclined to wait for the culmination of the de- velopment of economic forces? Answer: I think that Lenin “added” no “new principles” to Marxism nor did Lenin abolish any of the “old” principles of Marxism. Lenin was and remained a loyal and consistent pupil of Marx and Engels, and wholly and entirely based himself on the principles of Marxism. But Lenin did not merely carry out the doctrines of Marx and Engels. He developed these doc- trines further. What does that mean? It means that he developed the doctrines of Marx and Engels in accordance with the new conditions of development, with the new phase of capitalism, © with imperialism. This means that in developing further the doctrines of Marx in the new conditions of the class struggle, Lenin contributed to the general treasury of Marxism something new as compared with what was created by Marx and Engels and with what they could create in the pre-imperialist period of capitalism. Moreover, Lenin's contribution to Marxism is based wholly and entirely on the principles laid down by Marx and Engels. In that sense we speak of Leninism as Marxism of the epoch of imperialism and proletarian revolutions. Here are a number of questions in the sphere of which Lenin contributed something new in developing further the doctrines of Marx: First: the question of monopolistic capitalism—of imperialism as the new phase of capitalism. In Capital, Marx and Engels ana- lyzed the basis of capitalism. But Marx and Engels lived in the pre-monopolistic period of capitalism, in the period of the smooth SPRAIN Fea SASS aye & 3. 3 & s Bah. és A @ 4 1 PND = te pant as Sart earth nei te ere ISS *On September 9, 1927 Joseph Stalin received an American Labor Dele- gation. The delegates asked him a oumber of questions, Stalin's answer to the first question is reproduced bere. In view of the fact that the English stenographic report of this interview was'not available, the text was translated. from the Russian, which appeared in Pravde of September t5, 1927.-£d. ie wo! , ie 7 Bee Leal eaters “Yak, er one eet ate