Lyubov Axelrod
Encyclopedia
Lyubov Isaakovna Axelrod (born Emther Axelrod, , penname Orthodox , 1868 - 1946) was a Russia
n revolutionary, Marxist philosopher and an art theoretician.
Axelrod was born in the family of a rabbi
in Vilenkovichi, a village in the Vilna gubernia of the Russian Empire
. She became involved with the narodnik
organization at age 16 and took part in unsuccessful attempts to assassinate Alexander III of Russia
. In 1887 she emigrated to Switzerland
and received her Ph.D.
in philosophy
from Bern University in 1900.
In 1892 she became a Marxist and joined the Geneva
-based Emancipation of Labor group, becoming a close associate of its leader Georgi Plekhanov
. When the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party split into Bolsheviks and Mensheviks at its Second Congress in 1903, she sided with the Menshevik faction.
In 1906 Axelrod returned to Russia and became a leading Russian authority on Marxist philosophy, second only to Plekhanov. She was critical of both Alexander Bogdanov
and Vladimir Lenin
during their debate over Empiriocriticism in 1908-1909, branding their ideas anti-Marxist.
In the 1920s she first worked at the Institute of Red Professors
and later at the Soviet Institute of Philosophy
. In the 1930s her version of Marxism was officially denounced as a Mechanistic revision of Marxism and she faded into obscurity.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n revolutionary, Marxist philosopher and an art theoretician.
Axelrod was born in the family of a rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
in Vilenkovichi, a village in the Vilna gubernia of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. She became involved with the narodnik
Narodnik
Narodniks was the name for Russian socially conscious members of the middle class in the 1860s and 1870s. Their ideas and actions were known as Narodnichestvo which can be translated as "Peopleism", though is more commonly rendered "populism"...
organization at age 16 and took part in unsuccessful attempts to assassinate Alexander III of Russia
Alexander III of Russia
Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov , historically remembered as Alexander III or Alexander the Peacemaker reigned as Emperor of Russia from until his death on .-Disposition:...
. In 1887 she emigrated to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and received her Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
from Bern University in 1900.
In 1892 she became a Marxist and joined the Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
-based Emancipation of Labor group, becoming a close associate of its leader Georgi Plekhanov
Georgi Plekhanov
Georgi Valentinovich Plekhanov was a Russian revolutionary and a Marxist theoretician. He was a founder of the Social-Democratic movement in Russia and was one of the first Russians to identify himself as "Marxist." Facing political persecution, Plekhanov emigrated to Switzerland in 1880, where...
. When the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party split into Bolsheviks and Mensheviks at its Second Congress in 1903, she sided with the Menshevik faction.
In 1906 Axelrod returned to Russia and became a leading Russian authority on Marxist philosophy, second only to Plekhanov. She was critical of both Alexander Bogdanov
Alexander Bogdanov
Alexander Aleksandrovich Bogdanov –7 April 1928, Moscow) was a Russian physician, philosopher, science fiction writer, and revolutionary of Belarusian ethnicity....
and Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years , as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a...
during their debate over Empiriocriticism in 1908-1909, branding their ideas anti-Marxist.
In the 1920s she first worked at the Institute of Red Professors
Institute of Red Professors
The Institute of Red Professors was an institute of graduate-level education in the Marxist social sciences located in the Orthodox Convent of the Passion, Moscow. It was founded in February 1921 to address shortage of Marxist professors but only about 25% of its graduates continued an academic...
and later at the Soviet Institute of Philosophy
Institute of Philosophy
The Institute of Philosophy is a research institution associated with the University of London. A member of the School of Advanced Study, its focus is to promote and facilitate high quality research in philosophy, making it available to the widest possible audience both inside and outside the UK's...
. In the 1930s her version of Marxism was officially denounced as a Mechanistic revision of Marxism and she faded into obscurity.