Vladimir Lenin, Feminist Visionary
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September 27, 2025
Vladimir Lenin, as a Marxist revolutionary, viewed feminism primarily through the lens of class struggle, emphasizing the liberation of women as part of the broader socialist revolution. He believed that women’s oppression was rooted in the capitalist system and that true emancipation required dismantling class structures. Below are key points summarizing Lenin’s views on feminism, supported by citations from his writings and speeches:
- Women’s Emancipation and Socialism: Lenin argued that women’s liberation could only be achieved through socialism, as capitalism perpetuated their economic and social subjugation. In his 1919 speech to the First All-Russia Congress of Working Women, he stated:
“The status of women up to now has been compared to that of a slave; women have been tied to the home, and only socialism can save them from this.”
(Source: Lenin, V.I., “The Tasks of the Working Women’s Movement in the Soviet Republic,” 1919, Collected Works, Vol. 30, p. 43) - Critique of Bourgeois Feminism: Lenin was critical of feminist movements that focused solely on gender equality without addressing class oppression. He saw such “bourgeois feminism” as limited, benefiting only upper-class women while ignoring the plight of working-class women. In a conversation with Clara Zetkin, a German Marxist, he remarked:
“The feminist movement, the real feminist movement, is a mass movement of proletarian women… The bourgeois women’s movement does not want to and cannot take up the fight for the real emancipation of women.”
(Source: Zetkin, Clara, “Lenin on the Women’s Question,” 1920, recalling Lenin’s views) - Practical Measures for Women’s Liberation: Lenin advocated for practical steps to alleviate women’s burdens, such as communal kitchens, nurseries, and legal equality, to enable their participation in socialist society. In his 1920 article, he wrote:
“To effect the complete emancipation of women and to make them really equal with men, we must have a social economy, and the participation of women in general productive labor.”
(Source: Lenin, V.I., “On International Women’s Day,” 1920, Collected Works, Vol. 30, p. 408) - Women’s Role in the Revolution: Lenin emphasized the importance of women in revolutionary work, urging their active involvement in building socialism. In a 1920 message to working women, he said:
“Every working woman must become a conscious fighter for socialism, for only socialism will bring women complete equality and liberation.”
(Source: Lenin, V.I., “To the Working Women,” 1920, Collected Works, Vol. 30, p. 407)
Context and Analysis:
Lenin’s views on feminism were not about gender equality in isolation but about integrating women’s liberation into the broader Marxist framework. He saw capitalism as the root of women’s oppression, with domestic labor and economic dependence reinforcing their subjugation. His focus was on mobilizing women for the socialist cause, encouraging their participation in labor and political life while criticizing feminist movements that did not challenge the class system.
Sources for Further Reading:
- Lenin, V.I., Collected Works, Volumes 30 and 32 (Progress Publishers, Moscow).
- Zetkin, Clara, “Lenin on the Women’s Question,” 1920, available in Marxist archives.
- Lenin’s speeches and writings on women’s issues, accessible via Marxist Internet Archive (marxists.org).