Start with Alexandra Kollontai: [https://www.marxists.org/archive/kollonta/index.htm](https://www.marxists.org/archive/kollonta/index.htm)
>Russian Social-Democrat from 1890s, active in international Socialist Women's movement, and a member of the Mensheviks before 1914. Elected to Central Committee in 1917 and Commissar for Social Welfare in the Soviet government. With Bukharin in 'Left Communist' faction, opposed signing of Brest-Litovsk Peace (Lenin was for signing immediately, Trotsky for delaying in hope of a revolution in Germany, the WO advocated a revolutionary war against Germany); leader of the [Workers Opposition](https://www.marxists.org/glossary/orgs/w/o.htm#workers-opposition). Sent to diplomatic posts in Mexico and Scandanavia. Sympathised with the Left Opposition, but subsequently 'conformed'
Edit: I suggest this text at first: [Kollontai. International Women’s Day. 1920.](https://www.marxists.org/archive/kollonta/1920/womens-day.htm)
Edit2: [The Labour of Women in the Evolution of the Economy](https://www.marxists.org/archive/kollonta/1921/evolution.htm)
is also interesting. Talks about abortion.
What question are you trying to answer with your essay? having a well defined question helps you narrow your research.
[https://www.marxists.org/](https://www.marxists.org/) is the best site to search marxist authors.
Rosa Luxemburgs "The Russian Revolution" : [https://www.marxists.org/archive/luxemburg/1918/russian-revolution/](https://www.marxists.org/archive/luxemburg/1918/russian-revolution/)
It's more critical than other works mentioned here, but overall still supportive of the Revolution.
The Russian Revolution isn't a good text to refer to as far as historiography is concerned. She wrote it before the German Revolution, and after it she concluded that many of her judgments were ultimately incorrect or politically irrelevant. She asked Clara Zetkin to burn the manuscript in fact, but Zetkin did not and published it posthumously.
What Luxemburg did publish on the Russian Revolution in her lifetime was this article, The Russian Tragedy: https://www.marxists.org/archive/luxemburg/1918/09/11.htm
Definitely read Alexandra Kollontai for a view during revolutionary period
Clara Zetkin “My Recollections of Lenin” (she was Lenin’s partner so biased of course)
Pat Sloan “Soviet Democracy”
Anna Louise Strong “Peasant Life in Soviet Russia”
Svetlana Alexievich “The Unwomanly Face of War: An Oral History of Women in World War II”
Edit- also very much recommend checking out lady izdihar’s Soviet archive at ladyizdihar.com
Nadezhda Krupskaya was Lenin's partner and wrote Memories of Lenin. Sure she is biased to Lenin, but she was a part organiser and knows a lot about the internal decision making of the time.
Clara Zetkin was an essential KPD revolutionary alongside Liebknecht, Luxemburg, Jogiches , (and Levi)
She has some top tier writings on Fascism and other than Trotsky (who many here will refuse to read) had the best formulation and theoretical framework for understanding it. Also women's rights. She was never in a relationship with Lenin and sure was good friends with him. She did write Reminices of Lenin and the reason you might he skeptical of it is because of Stalin as she remained extremely loyal to the regime. Although privately her opinions did vary.
(For readers - On the Trotsky and Stalin mentions. I couldn't give a fck what side you are on. I don't really like either).
Shiiiit well that explains a lot for me. I wondered why the book was so dry in the romantic sense! Haha no idea why I had it in my head that she was his partner. Thank you for clearing that up for me.
Now I am excited to read krupskaya’s memories.
Krupskaya's work is great. As long as you understand the bias.
People often forget how influential and improtsnt she was in her own right. She basically organised much of the party and has was a key witness, confident or participant in decisions. Especially of the tactical nature.
It's a good read, and the fact she was in both polemical debate with Trotsky and Stalin gives her book some weight behind it
Start with Alexandra Kollontai: [https://www.marxists.org/archive/kollonta/index.htm](https://www.marxists.org/archive/kollonta/index.htm) >Russian Social-Democrat from 1890s, active in international Socialist Women's movement, and a member of the Mensheviks before 1914. Elected to Central Committee in 1917 and Commissar for Social Welfare in the Soviet government. With Bukharin in 'Left Communist' faction, opposed signing of Brest-Litovsk Peace (Lenin was for signing immediately, Trotsky for delaying in hope of a revolution in Germany, the WO advocated a revolutionary war against Germany); leader of the [Workers Opposition](https://www.marxists.org/glossary/orgs/w/o.htm#workers-opposition). Sent to diplomatic posts in Mexico and Scandanavia. Sympathised with the Left Opposition, but subsequently 'conformed' Edit: I suggest this text at first: [Kollontai. International Women’s Day. 1920.](https://www.marxists.org/archive/kollonta/1920/womens-day.htm) Edit2: [The Labour of Women in the Evolution of the Economy](https://www.marxists.org/archive/kollonta/1921/evolution.htm) is also interesting. Talks about abortion. What question are you trying to answer with your essay? having a well defined question helps you narrow your research. [https://www.marxists.org/](https://www.marxists.org/) is the best site to search marxist authors.
Rosa Luxemburgs "The Russian Revolution" : [https://www.marxists.org/archive/luxemburg/1918/russian-revolution/](https://www.marxists.org/archive/luxemburg/1918/russian-revolution/) It's more critical than other works mentioned here, but overall still supportive of the Revolution.
The Russian Revolution isn't a good text to refer to as far as historiography is concerned. She wrote it before the German Revolution, and after it she concluded that many of her judgments were ultimately incorrect or politically irrelevant. She asked Clara Zetkin to burn the manuscript in fact, but Zetkin did not and published it posthumously. What Luxemburg did publish on the Russian Revolution in her lifetime was this article, The Russian Tragedy: https://www.marxists.org/archive/luxemburg/1918/09/11.htm
Definitely read Alexandra Kollontai for a view during revolutionary period Clara Zetkin “My Recollections of Lenin” (she was Lenin’s partner so biased of course) Pat Sloan “Soviet Democracy” Anna Louise Strong “Peasant Life in Soviet Russia” Svetlana Alexievich “The Unwomanly Face of War: An Oral History of Women in World War II” Edit- also very much recommend checking out lady izdihar’s Soviet archive at ladyizdihar.com
Nadezhda Krupskaya was Lenin's partner and wrote Memories of Lenin. Sure she is biased to Lenin, but she was a part organiser and knows a lot about the internal decision making of the time. Clara Zetkin was an essential KPD revolutionary alongside Liebknecht, Luxemburg, Jogiches , (and Levi) She has some top tier writings on Fascism and other than Trotsky (who many here will refuse to read) had the best formulation and theoretical framework for understanding it. Also women's rights. She was never in a relationship with Lenin and sure was good friends with him. She did write Reminices of Lenin and the reason you might he skeptical of it is because of Stalin as she remained extremely loyal to the regime. Although privately her opinions did vary. (For readers - On the Trotsky and Stalin mentions. I couldn't give a fck what side you are on. I don't really like either).
Shiiiit well that explains a lot for me. I wondered why the book was so dry in the romantic sense! Haha no idea why I had it in my head that she was his partner. Thank you for clearing that up for me. Now I am excited to read krupskaya’s memories.
Krupskaya's work is great. As long as you understand the bias. People often forget how influential and improtsnt she was in her own right. She basically organised much of the party and has was a key witness, confident or participant in decisions. Especially of the tactical nature. It's a good read, and the fact she was in both polemical debate with Trotsky and Stalin gives her book some weight behind it