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Explore 83 quotes originally in Russian

Communism is Soviet power plus the electrification of the whole country.

Vladimir Lenin

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Topic

Communism

Author

Vladimir Lenin

Statement Type

Definition

Language

Russian

Time

1920 1920s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Lenin, Vladimir. "Our Foreign and Domestic Position and Party Tasks." The Moscow Gubernia Conference Of The R.C.P.(B.). 21 Nov. 1920, Moscow, Russia. Speech.

Current Citation

Lenin, Vladimir. Quoted in Communism, written by Mark Sandle. Routledge, 2014.

The State is an instrument in the hands of the ruling class, used to break the resistance of the adversaries of that class.

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Topic

Class conflict Political power Government

Speaker

Joseph Stalin

Source

Foundations of Leninism

Medium

Lecture

Language

Russian

Time

1924 1920s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Stalin, Joseph. The Foundations of Leninism. International Publishers, 1970, ch. 4, sect. 2. Originally a lecture called "The Dictatorship of the Proletariat." Foundations of Leninism lecture series. 1924, Sverdlov University, Moscow, Russia.

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.

Leo Tolstoy

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Topic

Change starts at home Self-improvement Personal growth Change Progress

Author

Leo Tolstoy

Source

Three Methods of Reform

Medium

Essay

Language

Russian

Time

1900 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Tolstoy, Leo. "Three Methods of Reform." Pamphlets: Translated from the Russian. Free Age Press, 1900.

So long as the State exists, there can be no freedom. When there is freedom there will be no State.

Vladimir Lenin

State and Revolution

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Topic

Government Threats to freedom Freedom Political theory The state Politics

Author

Vladimir Lenin

Source

State and Revolution

Genre

Political literature

Language

Russian

Time

1917 1910s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Lenin, Vladimir. Государство и революция [The State and Revolution]. Progress Publishers, 1917, ch. 5, sect. 4.

Current Citation

Lenin, Vladimir. "The State and Revolution." Essential Works of Lenin, edited by Henry M. Christman. Dover Publications, 1987, ch. 5, sect. 4.

Imperialism is the monopoly stage of capitalism.

Vladimir Lenin

Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism

More information about this quote

Topic

Imperialism Capitalism Political theory

Author

Vladimir Lenin

Source

Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism

Genre

Political literature

Statement Type

Definition

Language

Russian

Time

1917 1910s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Lenin, Vladimir. Империализм как высшая стадия капитализма [Imperialism, the Newest Stage of Capitalism]. Petrograd: Zhizn i Znaniye Publishers, 1917, pt. 7.

Current Citation

Lenin, Vladimir. "Imperialism, the Highest State of Capitalism." Essential Works of Lenin, edited by Henry M. Christman. Dover Publications, 1987, pt. 7.

Storm-clouds whirl and storm-clouds scurry;
From behind them pale moonlight
Flickers where the snowflakes hurry.
Dark the sky and dark the night.

Alexander Pushkin

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Topic

Storms Weather

Author

Alexander Pushkin

Source

Devils

Medium

Poem

Language

Russian

Time

1830 1830s 19th century

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Pushkin, Alexander. Devils. c. 1830.

Current Citation

Pushkin, Alexander. "Demons (1830)." Alexander Pushkin: Selected Poetry, translated by Antony Wood. Penguin Classics, 2020.

Love, friendship, respect do not unite people as much as common hatred for something.

Anton Chekhov

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Topic

Love and hate Hate Unity

Author

Anton Chekhov

Medium

Personal journal

Language

Russian

Time

1921 1920s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Chekhov, Anton. Diary entry. c. 1885.

Current Citation

Chekhov, Anton. The Notebooks of Anton Chekhov and Reminiscences of Chekhov, translated by S. S. Koteliansky and Leonard Woolf. University Press of the Pacific, 2002.

If a lot of cures are suggested for a disease, it means that the disease is incurable.

Anton Chekhov

Buy The Cherry Orchard at Amazon Buy The Cherry Orchard at Amazon
Read The Cherry Orchard at Project Gutenberg

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Topic

Solving problems Disease

Speaker

Leonid Andreieveitch Gayev

Author

Anton Chekhov

Source

The Cherry Orchard

Medium

Play

Language

Russian

Time

1904 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Chekhov, Anton. Вишнёвый сад [The Cherry Orchard]. Directed by Konstantin Stanislavski. 17 Jan. 1904, Moscow Art Theatre, Moscow, Russia, act. 1.

Current Citation

Chekhov, Anton. "The Cherry Orchard." Plays: Ivanov; The Seagull' Uncle Vanya; Three Sisters; The Cherry Orchard, translated by Peter Carson. Penguin Classics, 2002, act 1.

Better to abolish serfdom from above than to wait till it begins to abolish itself from below.

Czar Alexander II of Russia

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Topic

Serfdom Revolution Political theory Politics

Speaker

Czar Alexander II of Russia

Medium

Speech

Language

Russian

Time

1856 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Czar Alexander II of Russia. Speech to Moscow Nobility. 30 Mar. 1856, Moscow, Russia.

Current Citation

Czar Alexander II of Russia. Quoted in A Concise History of Russia, written by Ronald Hingley. Thames & Hudson, 1991.

It was the supreme expression of the mediocrity of the apparatus that Stalin himself rose to his position.

Leon Trotsky

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Topic

Stalin Soviet Union

Author

Leon Trotsky

Source

My Life: An Attempt at an Autobiography

Genre

Autobiography and memoir

Language

Russian

Time

1930 1930s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Trotsky, Leon. Моя Жизнь [My Life]. Charles Scribner's Sons/Thornton Butterworth, 1930, ch. 40.

Art, it is said, is not a mirror, but a hammer: it does not reflect, it shapes.

Leon Trotsky

Literature and Revolution

More information about this quote

Topic

Effects of art Art

Author

Leon Trotsky

Source

Literature and Revolution

Genre

Political literature

Language

Russian

Time

1924 1920s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Trotsky, Leon. Литература и революция [Literature and Revolution]. Soviet Government, 1924.

Current Citation

Trotsky, Leon. Literature and Revolution, edited by William Keach. Haymarket Books, 2005.

Man must work by the sweat of his brow whatever his class, and that should make up the whole meaning and purpose of his life and happiness and contentment.

Anton Chekhov

Buy Three Sisters at Amazon Buy Three Sisters at Amazon
Read Three Sisters at Project Gutenberg

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Topic

Work Purpose of life

Speaker

Irina Sergeyevna Pozorova

Author

Anton Chekhov

Source

The Three Sisters

Medium

Play

Language

Russian

Time

1901 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Chekhov, Anton. Три сeстры́ [Three Sisters]. Directed by Knostatin Stanislavski and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko. 31 Jan. 1901, Moscow Art Theatre, Moscow, Russia, act 1.

Current Citation

Chekhov, Anton. "Three Sisters." Plays: Ivanov; The Seagull' Uncle Vanya; Three Sisters; The Cherry Orchard, translated by Peter Carson. Penguin Classics, 2002, act 1.

The guilt of Stalin and his immediate entourage before the Party and the people for the mass repressions and lawlessness they committed is enormous and unforgivable.

Mikhail Gorbachev

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Topic

Stalin Soviet Union Cold War

Speaker

Mikhail Gorbachev

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

Russian

Time

1987 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Gorbachev, Mikhail. Speech on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution. 2 Nov. 1987, Moscow, Russia.

If anyone believes that our smiles involve abandonment of the teaching of Marx, Engels and Lenin he deceives himself. Those who wait for that must wait until a shrimp learns to whistle.

Nikita Khrushchev

More information about this quote

Topic

Soviet Union Marxism Cold War

Speaker

Nikita Khrushchev

Language

Russian

Time

1955 1950s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Khrushchev, Nikita. Quoted in New York Times. 18 Sept. 1955. Originally an impromptu speech at a dinner for visiting West German dignitaries. 17 Sept. 1955, Moscow, Russia.

Death is like a fisherman, who, having caught a fish in his net, leaves it in the water for a time; the fish continues to swim about, but all the while the net is round it, and the fisherman will snatch it out in his own good time.

Ivan Turgenev

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Topic

Inevitability of death Nature of death Death

Author

Ivan Turgenev

Source

On the Eve

Medium

Novel

Statement Type

Definition

Language

Russian

Time

1860 1860s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Turgenev, Ivan. "Накануне [On the Eve]." The Russian Messenger, 1859.

Current Citation

Turgenev, Ivan. On the Eve, translated by Michael Pursglove. Alma Classics, 2017, ch. 35.

Providence has given human wisdom the choice between two fates: either hope and agitation, or hopelessness and calm.

Yevgeny Baratynsky

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Topic

Hope Hopelessness and despair

Author

Yevgeny Baratynsky

Source

Two Fates

Medium

Poem

Language

Russian

Time

1823 1820s 19th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Baratynsky, Yevgeny. Two Fates. c. 1823.

I don't like people who have never fallen or stumbled. Their virtue is lifeless and it isn't of much value. Life hasn't revealed its beauty to them.

Boris Pasternak

Buy Doctor Zhivago at Amazon Buy Doctor Zhivago at Amazon

More information about this quote

Topic

Overcoming obstacles Overcoming adversity Failure

Speaker

Yuri Andreievich Zhivago

Author

Boris Pasternak

Source

Doctor Zhivago (novel)

Medium

Novel

Language

Russian

Time

1958 1950s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Pasternak, Boris. До́ктор Жива́го [Dr. Zhivago]. Feltrinelli, pt. 2, ch. 13, sect. 12.

Current Citation

Pasternak, Boris. Doctor Zhivago, translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. Vintage International, 2011, pt. 2, ch. 13, sect. 12.

Science and technology, and the various forms of art, all unite humanity in a single and interconnected system. As science progresses, the worldwide cooperation of scientists and technologists becomes more and more of a special and distinct intellectual community of friendship, in which, in place of antagonism, there is growing up a mutually advantageous sharing of work, a coordination of efforts, a common language for exchange of information, and solidarity, which are in many cases independent of the social and political differences of individual states.

Zhores Medvedev

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Topic

Scientific progress Progress

Author

Zhores Medvedev

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

Russian

Time

1970 1970s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Medvedev, Zhores. Международное сотрудничество ученых и национальные границы [The Medvedev Papers: Fruitful Meetings Between Scientists of the World, and, Secrecy of Correspondence is Guaranteed by Law]. Macmillan/St. Martin's Press, 1971, preface.

A land that does not like doing things by halves.

Nikolai Gogol

Dead Souls

On Russia.

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Topic

Russia

Author

Nikolai Gogol

Source

Dead Souls

Medium

Novel

Language

Russian

Time

1842 1840s 19th century

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Gogol, Nikolai. Мёртвые души [Dead Souls]. 1842, pt. 1, ch. 11.

Current Citation

Gogol, Nikolai. Dead Souls, translated Robert A. Maguire. Penguin Classics, 2004, pt. 1, ch. 11.

Forests keep disappearing, rivers dry up, wild life's become extinct, the climate's ruined and the land grows poorer and uglier every day.

Anton Chekhov

Buy Uncle Vanya at Amazon Buy Uncle Vanya at Amazon
Read Uncle Vanya at Project Gutenberg

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Topic

Environmental destruction

Speaker

Mikhail Lvovich Astrov

Author

Anton Chekhov

Source

Uncle Vanya

Medium

Play

Language

Russian

Time

1897 1890s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Chekhov, Anton. Dyadya Vanya. 1897, act 1.

Current Citation

Chekhov, Anton. "Uncle Vanya." Plays: Ivanov; The Seagull' Uncle Vanya; Three Sisters; The Cherry Orchard, translated by Peter Carson. Penguin Classics, 2002, act 1.