Leninist

Also Le·nin·ite

[len-uh-nist]

adjective

1. of or relating to Lenin or to Leninism.

noun

1. an advocate or supporter of Lenin or Leninism.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Leninist¹

First recorded in 1915–20; Lenin + -ist

Example Sentences

In 1983, the libertarian Cato Journal published a paper by Stuart Butler and Peter Germanis, two policy analysts at the right-wing Heritage Foundation, titled “Achieving a ‘Leninist’ Strategy—i.e., for privatizing Social Security.

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Cato’s “Leninist” strategy paper explicitly advocated encouraging workers to opt out of Social Security by promising them a payroll tax reduction if they put the money in a private account.

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This led the libertarians at the Cato Institute to call for a “Leninist” strategy and be ready to pounce when the opportunity arose.

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Back in 1983, for example, the libertarian Cato Institute published an article by Stuart Butler and Peter Germanis calling for a “Leninist” strategy to “prepare the political ground” for privatizing Social Security on behalf of “the banks, insurance companies, and other institutions that will gain from providing such plans to the public.”

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You’re unlikely to find another rigorously reported book this year that ends with its subjects advocating for movements to become more Leninist — in the sense of having a hard core ready to step into a power vacuum.

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