One of the first US editions of Lenin’s classic text, produced by the Proletarian Party’s Marxian Educational Society in Detroit. Written by Lenin in May 1920 and published in Russian, German, English and French with a copy distributed to each delegate at the Second World Congress of the Comintern that summer. Online text here.

“Left Wing” Communism An Infantile Disorder by N Lenin. Marxian Educational Society, Detroit. 1921.

Contents: Introduction by Dennis Batt, Lenin: In What Sense We Can Speak of the International Significance of the Russian Revolution, An Essential Condition of the Bolsheviks’ Success, The Principal Stages in the History of Bolshevism, The Struggle Against Which Enemies Within the Working-Class Movement, Helped Bolshevism Develop,Gain Strength and Become Steeled, “Left-Wing” Communism in Germany, The Leaders the Party the Class the Masses, Should Revolutionaries Work in Reactionary Trade Unions?, Should We Participate in Bourgeois Parliaments?, No Compromises?, “Left-Wing” Communism in Great Britain, Several Conclusions, Appendix.

The Proletarian was the monthly organ of the Proletarian Party of America, The Proletarian originally served a left wing faction in the Socialist Party of Michigan led by John Keracher, and was printed in Detroit and Chicago from May, 1918 until July, 1931. The Proletarian Party then published Proletarian News, from 1932 until 1960. Part of the early Communist movement, the Proletarian University and the Proletarian refused to join with others in going underground after the Palmer Raids, though it eschewed electoral politics. The Proletarian Party attempted to gain admittance to the Third International to no avail. The Party eventually took over the left wing publishing house Charles H. Kerr & Co.

Access to pamphlet: https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015068646960?urlappend=%3Bseq%3D6%3Bownerid%3D13510798887817857-12