The Russian Revolution of 1917 was one of the decisive and pivotal events of world history. A central role was played in that revolution by the Bolshevik Party - and this book traces the building of that party and in particular the work of its main architect, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. First published in 1975, this book has been both a rebuttal to those who see Lenin as an undemocratic despot and a guide for those seeking to build socialist organisations today.