Plekhanov, Georgi Valentinovich

Plekhanov, Georgi Valentinovich (b. 11 Dec. 1856, d. 30 May 1918). Russian Marxist Born in Gudalovka (near Lipetsk), he was expelled from the St Petersburg Mining Institute for his revolutionary activity in 1876. He became a leading narodnik (populist) and in 1879 became leader of the Black Repartition group. In exile from 1880, he became the first member of the radical intelligentsia to advocate a Marxist position. In 1883, he founded the first Russian Marxist organization, the Liberation of Labour Group in Geneva. Lenin's early admiration for him turned into mutual dislike when they became acquainted. He opposed the Bolsheviks as radical and élitist, and became a leader of the Mensheviks instead. He returned to Russia after the February Revolution of 1917, but was unable to prevent the Bolshevik takeover in the October Revolution of 1917 (Russian Revolutions, 1917). He died in Finland.