Alexander Bogdanov and the Problem of the Socialist Intelligentsia

Abstract

The two articles on Bogdanov in present issue of The Russian Review concentrate on same general problem but approach it from different angles and lead to different conclusions.1 The problem can be defined as proper understanding of Bogdanov's position in classical controversy about intellectuals in workers' movement. The first article, dealing with Bogdanov as leader of Vperedist faction of prerevolutionary bolshevism, presents him as yet another theorist of the tutelary role of social Democratic Intelligentsia in workers' movement;2 theorist whose views on this subject were in fact more consistent and extreme than Lenin's, and could therefore be used by those members of intelligentsia who wanted, consciously or unconsciously, to constitute themselves into a class. The second article, devoted to postrevolutionary period, subscribes to more widespread opinion-to view of Bogdanov as theorist of distinctively proletarian culture. From this perspective Bogdanov's Marxism-defined by him as philosophy of collectivism and finding expression in practices of Proletkult-appears to be staunch defense of autonomy of workers' movement and warning against excessive ambitions of organizing intelligentsia. In other words, two authors see Bogdanov as an important contributor to theory of intelligentsia as potential new but greatly differ from each other in defining nature of his contribution: first regards him as de facto supporter of tendency to form such class, while second classified him as theorist for whom possibility of class rule was threat to workers' movement, danger which should have been resisted and avoided. To bring this difference into sharp focus, we can say that first