Joe Pateman

Abstract

In his revolutionary activities and writings from 1913 to the fourth Comintern Congress in 1922, V. I. Lenin didn’t merely analyze the function of black labor in the process of capitalist development. He also had something to say about the role that black people themselves would play in their own emancipation. His posthumously published article Russians and Negroes is particularly insightful. The guiding motto of the Comintern under the direction of Lenin—“Workers and oppressed peoples of all countries, unite!” fused the destinies of the racially subjugated black communities and working class in their struggles against imperialism. This article argues that Lenin showed a keen interest in what was then called the “Black Question”. It shows that he adopted a non-reductive approach that highlighted the special character of black oppression in comparison to other forms. It concludes that his ideas remain relevant for the black liberation struggle today.

Keywords

Lenin, Black People, Oppression, Working Class, Emancipation

From: Critique 2020 48 (1)

Editor: Wang Yi