"...one of the basic conditions for the victory of socialism is the arming of the workers (Communist) and the disarming of the bourgeoisie (the middle class)."
by:
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin [Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov] (1870 - 1924), First Leader of the Soviet Union
The middle class is often working class. Middle class is not a communist class. He mean that.
But it is a good quote by Lenin -- LeftyHenry, New York
...in the U.S. socialism is arming government agents (BATFE, FBI, police, etc.) and disarming other citizens (middle class, poor, black, women, etc.). The rich don't require arms because they are able to hire body guards and extra police, which the rest of us cannot afford. I can afford arms (a handgun or six, rifle, shotgun), but no body guards. Lefty, I think Lenin meant what he said, arm the loyal party members, disarm the average citizens. -- Joe, Rochester, MI
Disarming one and arming another, taking from one and giving to another, stripping one man of his life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness because he may have more than his neighbor-- yeah, socialism certainly creates "equality". Is the man receiving the legalized plunder or constituted privilege any less a slave than the man being stolen from? -- Logan, Memphis, TN
Those chanting for gun control should be reminded that Hitler, Lenin, and Mao first disarmed the citizenry before killing off millions of their own people. -- E Archer, NYC
Where is A, Reston drooling over the words of his hero and mentor? -- helorat, Milton
-- Ken, Allyn, WA
First, the term "middle class", as used by Lenin is not the same as we think of that term in the U.S. today. It does not mean middle income but, rather, those who own the means of production, as opposed to the landed aristocracy of earlier periods. Within Lenin's use of the term, one who works for somone else is not middle-class - no matter how big her/his paycheck is.
Second, Lenin, as do all Marxists, saw the struggle between classes as a war. What sane leader in any war would not have his side fully armed with the best weapons and the other side without the means to fight. One of the conditions for victory in any war is the disarming of the vanquished.
Finally, do not confuse liberal Democrats with class-conscious workers. No class-conscious worker wants their fellow workers disarmed - quite the contrary. Arm the masses! -- Tovarishch, Pgh., PA
-- Anonymous
-- Anonymous
Since when is "the bourgeois" the "middle class"???? It is absolutely 100% certain that Great Comrade Lenin never uttered such nonsense! -- Reyter, Stockholm
-- LeftyHenry, New York
-- Tovarishch, Pgh., PA
-- Anonymous
