23.4.25

Socialism


Speeches, newspapers. Out of it all, unfamiliar concepts and words. Little white books in the windows. Burevestnik. About the same thing. I bought them all. Got up at six in the morning. Read voraciously. First, "Down with the Social-Democrats", second, "Chats on Economics". I was impressed for the rest of my life by the socialists’ ability to disentangle facts and systematize the world. What Should We Read? — by Rubakin, apparently. Read what was recommended. Didn’t understand much of it. Asked questions. Was introduced to a Marxist circle. Ended up with the Erfurt Programme. Middle. About the "lumpenproletariat". I began considering myself a Social-Democrat: took my father’s rifles to the social-democratic committee.

Vladimir Maiakovski
1893 - 1930