Career
1897 left Russia to continue her educational in Belgium, Germany and Italy. 1897, while in Germany, joined Union of Russian Social-Democrats Abroad. 1903, after schism in Russian Social-Democratic Workers’ Party, sided with Mensheviks.
1912-1916 member, Central Committee, Italian Socialist Party. 1912-1914 co-ed, newspaper Avanti, central organ of above Party. Represented Italian Socialist Party at Basel Congress and Zimmerwald and Kienthal Conferences.
At Zimmerwald Conference elected secretary, International Socialist Commission. 1917 returned to Russia and joined Russian Social-Democratic Workers ’Party (Bolsheviks). 1919 Soviet Ukraine People's Commissar of Foreign Affairs.
Persuaded by Lenin to attend 1st Communist International Congress, where she was elected secretary, Communist International (according to her own account, Lenin wished to profit by her name to raise the Communist International’s prestige as an international organisation). December 1921, disillusioned with Bolshevik regime and policy, emigrated from Soviet Russia. 1924 expelled from Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks) for campaigning against Communist International.
1924-1935 lived in Paris and was member, editorial board, Avanti. 1925 elected secretary, International Bureau of Revol-Sociulist Parties. From 1936 in New New York
Campaigned against international Communist movement and opposed joint action by Italian Socialist Party and Italian Communist Party.