Background
LUNACHARSKIY, Anatoliy was born on November 23, 1875 in Poltava. Son of an official
LUNACHARSKIY, Anatoliy was born on November 23, 1875 in Poltava. Son of an official
Studied at Zurich University.
1892, while studying at 1st Kiev High School, joined Social-Democratic circle. 1893 moved to Switzerland and maintained close contacts with Liberation of Labor Group and with Plekhanov personally. Studied natural sci and philosophy in R. Avenarius’ circle.
1897 returned to Russia and later became member, Moscow Russian Social-Democratic Workers’ Party Committee. Arrested and exiled to Kaluga. 1901-1903 in exile in Vologda and Pot’ma.
1903, after 2nd Russian Social-Democratic Workers’ Party Congress, sided with Bolsheviks. 1904 moved to Geneva and joined cd staff of Bolshevik newspapers “Vperyod”, then “Proletary”. 1905 attended 3rd Russian Social-Democratic Workers’ Party Congress, delivering paper on armed uprising in Russia.
1905 returned to Saint St. Petersburg, where he engaged in agitation work and helped to edit legal Bolshevik news- “Novaya zhizn’ ”. From 1906 again in emigration, - in France, Switzerland and Italy. 1906 attended 4th Russian Social-Democratic Workers’ Party Congress.
From 1907 attended Stuttgart and Copenhagen International Socialist Congresses. Drifted away from Bolsheviks and sided with “Vperyod” group, which criticized philosophical and theoretical principles of Marxism and Bolshevism. Under the influence of Mach and Avenarius’ philosophy sympathized with “bogostroitel’stvo”, i. est, movement to establish a “socialist” religion.
1912 returned to Bolsheviks. From 1913 worked for Bolshevike nespaper “Pravda”. May 1917 returned to Russia and sided with “Mezhrayontsy” at 6th Russian Social-Democratic Workers ’Party (Bolsheviks) Congress admitted to Russian Social-Democratic Workers ’Party (Bolsheviks) along with “Mezhrayontsy” group.
October 1917-1929 Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic People's Commissar of Education. During Civil War also plenipotentiary, Revol Military Council. 1929-1933 chairman, Learned Council, Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics Central Executive Committee.
From 1933 plenipotentiary in Spain. From 1927 also sent abroud an various dipl missions. Company-founder and member, Sverdlov Communist Academy.
Dcleg at 8th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 15th and 16th Party Congresses. Played key part in reorganizing higher and secondary educational in Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics and in sovetizing intelligentsia. Wrote many works on philosophy, religion, lit, theater, esthetics, et cetera
As long as the public believes in religion, they will not attempt to make any genuine effort to understand and overcome the real source of their suffering.
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union is the leading and guiding force of Soviet society, and the nucleus of its political system, of all state and public organizations.
Member, Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics Academy of Sciences from 1930. Communist Party member from 1917.