vanguard of the proletariat

In Marxist theory, the "vanguard of the proletariat" refers to an elite political party, typically composed of intellectuals, that leads the working class (the proletariat) in a revolution to overthrow capitalism and establish communism. This concept was significantly developed by Vladimir Lenin, who argued that the proletariat, due to "false consciousness," could not spontaneously recognize their own interests or govern themselves effectively. Therefore, a disciplined, centralized party was necessary to guide them towards revolution and the subsequent "dictatorship of the proletariat".1

The "dictatorship of the proletariat" itself is a transitional phase between capitalism and communism, during which the proletariat, as the majority class, would suppress opposition from the bourgeoisie and dismantle capitalist social relations to create a classless society. While Karl Marx initially envisioned this as a rule by the majority, in practice, it often resulted in a dictatorship by the ruling communist party claiming to represent the proletariat.2