The slogan of self-criticism must not be regarded as something temporary and transient. Self-criticism is a specific method, a Bolshevik method, of training the forces of the Party and of the working class generally in the spirit of revolutionary development. Marx himself spoke of self-criticism as a method of strengthening the proletarian revolution. 1 As to self-criticism in our Party, its beginnings date back to the first appearance of Bolshevism in our country, to its very inception as a specific revolutionary trend in the working-class movement.
Tag: One Step Forward Two Steps Back
It is necessary sometimes to take one step backward to take two steps forward
Who said, “It is necessary sometimes to take one step backward to take two steps forward”?
The phrase “It is necessary sometimes to take one step backward to take two steps forward” is often attributed to Vladimir Lenin, the Russian revolutionary leader. He used a similar concept when discussing strategic retreats in politics and revolutionary movements. The idea emphasizes the importance of making temporary concessions or setbacks in order to achieve greater progress in the long run.
What work of Lenin’s is this from?
The concept of taking a step backward to take two steps forward is associated with Lenin’s 1904 pamphlet titled “One Step Forward, Two Steps Back” (“Шаг вперед, два шага назад”).
However, the phrase itself is somewhat reversed from the popular saying. In his pamphlet, Lenin was critiquing the internal disputes within the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party (RSDLP) and addressing what he saw as a setback in the revolutionary movement. The idea he conveyed was that a temporary retreat or setback could ultimately lead to a stronger and more unified movement.
The more popular version of the phrase, emphasizing a temporary step back to move forward, likely evolved from this original concept rather than being a direct quote.
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