There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.
Freedom in capitalist society always remains about the same as it was in ancient Greek republics: Freedom for slave owners.
The goal of socialism is Communism.
There are no morals in politics; there is only expedience. A scoundrel may be of use to us just because he is a scoundrel.
Capitalists are no more capable of self-sacrifice than a man is capable of lifting himself up by his own bootstraps.
Sometimes - history needs a push.
A revolution is impossible without a revolutionary situation; furthermore, not every revolutionary situation leads to revolution.
The best way to control the opposition is to lead it ourselves.
Give me just one generation of youth, and I'll transform the whole world.
Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted.
In the history of modern socialism this is a phenomenon, that the strife of the various trends within the socialist movement has from national become international.
The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation.
Give us the child for 8 years and it will be a Bolshevik forever.
He who now talks about the "freedom of the press" goes backward, and halts our headlong course towards Socialism.
No amount of political freedom will satisfy the hungry masses.
It is true that liberty is precious; so precious that it must be carefully rationed.
The history of all countries shows that the working class exclusively by its own effort is able to develop only trade-union consciousness.
Crime is a product of social excess.
One of the basic conditions for the victory of socialism is the arming of the workers and the disarming of the bourgeoisie (the middle class).
War cannot be abolished unless classes are abolished and Socialism is created.
Can a nation be free if it oppresses other nations? It cannot.
Politics begin where the masses are, not where there are thousands, but where there are millions, that is where serious politics begin.
A lie told often enough becomes the truth.
The best way to destroy the capitalist system is to debauch the currency.
Fascism is capitalism in decay.
Communism is Soviet power plus the electrification of the whole country.
One man with a gun can control 100 without one.... Make mass searches and hold executions for found arms.
It is impossible to predict the time and progress of revolution. It is governed by its own more or less mysterious laws.
It is more pleasant and useful to go through the 'experience of the revolution' than to write about it.
If it were necessary to give the briefest possible definition of imperialism, we should have to say that imperialism is the monopoly stage of capitalism.
Whenever the cause of the people is entrusted to professors, it is lost.
One would like to stroke and caress human beings, but one dares not do so, because they bite. -- Vladimir Il'ich Lenin</p>
I have the honour to inform you, Mr. Ambassador, that the All-Russian Congress of Soviets... on November 8th constituted a new Government of the Russian Republic, in the form of the Council of People’s Commissars. The President of this Government is Vladimir Ilyitch Lenin. The direction of Foreign Affairs has been entrusted to me, People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs....