Under the Banner of Marxism

Under the Banner of Marxism (Russian: Под знаменем марксизма, romanized as Pod znamenem marksizma) was a Soviet philosophical and socioeconomic journal associated with the institutional and ideological consolidation of Marxist thought after the Russian Revolution. Published in Moscow, it appeared from 1922 until the early 1940s, with sources variously describing its final cessation as occurring in 1943 or its publication history as extending to 1944. It was issued monthly for most of its life, although its schedule changed to bimonthly publication between 1933 and 1935. The journal combined philosophical argument, Marxist theory, political economy, historical materialism, scientific discussion, ideological criticism, book reviews, and commentary on revolutionary and international questions. Its intended readership included Marxist intellectuals, party members, students, and politically engaged workers. The publication operated in a period when Soviet institutions were attempting to define an officially acceptable philosophical framework and to distinguish dialectical and historical materialism from idealist, Kantian, empirio-critical, and other competing approaches. Its first issue included a letter by Leon Trotsky emphasizing the relationship between political will and a scientific understanding of historical development. The opening issues also featured contributions by figures including Abram Deborin, Vagarshak Ter-Vaganyan, Yevgeni Preobrazhensky, and others. The journal became a venue for disputes over philosophical method and the interpretation of Marxism. Alexander Bogdanov, whose empirio-critical and organizational ideas were criticized by Marxist opponents, regarded the publication as being directed extensively against him. The journal later published a memoir of Bogdanov by Stefan Krivtsov after Bogdanov's death, illustrating the continuing significance of these debates within Soviet intellectual life. A notable early publication was Vladimir Lenin's essay On the Significance of Militant Materialism, printed in the journal's third issue. The periodical also addressed industrialization, colonial and national questions, revolutionary movements, the history of Marxist theory, and scientific subjects such as Albert Einstein's theory of relativity. Its pages included both original articles and reprinted or adapted historical material, including work associated with Georgi Plekhanov. The editorial leadership changed as Soviet philosophical institutions evolved. Vagarshak Ter-Vaganyan was the first responsible editor and served from 1922 to 1923. Abram Deborin edited the journal from 1926 until 1931, followed by Mark Mitin from 1931 to 1944 according to the commonly cited account. Mikhail Iovchuk is identified as the final editor. These changes corresponded to broader shifts in Soviet philosophical policy and to the increasing centralization of intellectual discourse during the Stalin period. The journal weakened during the Second World War and ultimately ceased publication. Bonifaty Kedrov later described it as a publication that had lost the capacity to continue rather than one formally closed by an explicit termination decision. Its institutional and intellectual role was subsequently taken up by Problems of Philosophy, established in July 1947 as its successor. Under the Banner of Marxism is therefore best understood not as a commercial consumer brand but as a historical periodical and ideological publishing platform whose identity was defined by Marxist philosophy, Soviet political culture, and debates over materialism and science.

Under the Banner of Marxism emerged in Moscow in 1922 as a Soviet journal devoted to Marxist philosophy, political economy, historical materialism, and related questions of science and revolutionary theory. Its creation reflected the post-revolutionary effort to build a formal intellectual infrastructure for Marxism and to contest philosophical approaches considered incompatible with materialist doctrine. The periodical's early issues demonstrated a broad editorial program. They included theoretical essays, political and socioeconomic analysis, commentary on revolutionary developments, reviews of philosophical and historical works, and bibliographic material. Contributors discussed the development of Marxist theory, industrialization, colonial questions, the Russian revolutionary experience, and the relationship between science and materialism. The journal also published historical texts and reprints, allowing earlier Marxist thinkers and works to be presented within contemporary Soviet ideological debates. The first issue carried a letter by Leon Trotsky addressing the importance of grounding revolutionary action in a scientific understanding of historical development. The journal also became involved in disputes over idealism and empirio-criticism. Alexander Bogdanov interpreted its repeated criticism of his views as a sustained attack, while the publication's general orientation favored a militant defense of materialism against philosophical schools that placed consciousness or thought before matter. After Bogdanov's death, the journal published Stefan Krivtsov's recollections of him, preserving part of the debate's historical record. Leadership changed during the period in which Soviet philosophy became more closely aligned with official ideological institutions. Vagarshak Ter-Vaganyan served as the first responsible editor from 1922 to 1923. Abram Deborin later held the editorial role from 1926 to 1931, followed by Mark Mitin from 1931 into the final phase of publication. Mikhail Iovchuk is identified as the journal's final editor. The publication schedule was generally monthly, but it became bimonthly from 1933 to 1935. The journal's influence is associated particularly with the publication of Lenin's On the Significance of Militant Materialism in its third issue. It also carried work on Hegel, mathematics, relativity, Marx and Engels, Plekhanov, socialism, industrial development, and revolutionary movements beyond Russia. This combination of philosophical polemic, political education, and scientific discussion made the journal an important vehicle for Soviet Marxist intellectual culture. During the Second World War the journal declined and stopped appearing in the early 1940s. Accounts differ on whether the final publication year should be recorded as 1943 or 1944; later descriptions characterize its disappearance as a loss of institutional capacity rather than a formal closure. Problems of Philosophy, founded in July 1947, subsequently served as its successor. The surviving record places Under the Banner of Marxism within the history of Soviet philosophical publishing rather than within the commercial periodical market.

• 1947

  Successor journal established

  [1]Under the Banner of Marxismen.wikipedia.org

  Problems of Philosophy is established in July 1947 as the successor to Under the Banner of Marxism.

• 1943

  Publication ceases according to a later account

  [1]Under the Banner of Marxismen.wikipedia.org

  Bonifaty Kedrov later described the journal as having stopped during the war, with some accounts placing the cessation in 1943.

• 1933

  Publication frequency changes

  [1]Under the Banner of Marxismen.wikipedia.org

  The journal changes from monthly to bimonthly publication for the 1933–1935 period.

• 1922

  Journal begins publication

  [1]Under the Banner of Marxismen.wikipedia.org

  Under the Banner of Marxism begins publication in Moscow as a Soviet journal focused on Marxist philosophy, socioeconomic questions, and ideological criticism.

• 1922

  Early program and theoretical articles

  [1]Under the Banner of Marxismen.wikipedia.org

  The opening issues include a letter by Leon Trotsky and contributions on Marxist theory, revolutionary politics, historical materialism, science, and political economy.

• 1922

  Lenin essay published

  [1]Under the Banner of Marxismen.wikipedia.org

  The journal's third issue publishes Vladimir Lenin's On the Significance of Militant Materialism.

A Soviet Marxist philosophical and socioeconomic periodical serving as a platform for theoretical debate, ideological education, and criticism of rival philosophical schools.

• Philosophical and socioeconomic periodical · 1922

  Under the Banner of Marxism journal issues

  The journal's principal offering was a recurring Soviet periodical containing essays on Marxist philosophy, historical materialism, political economy, revolutionary politics, science, and intellectual criticism. Issues also included reviews, bibliographic notices, and historical texts. Publication was normally monthly, with a bimonthly schedule used from 1933 through 1935.

• 1947

  Replacement by Problems of PhilosophyStrategy

  Background

  Under the Banner of Marxism had stopped appearing during or immediately after the Second World War.

  Action taken

  A new journal, Problems of Philosophy, was established in July 1947 to continue the periodical's intellectual function.

  Aftermath

  Problems of Philosophy became the recognized successor to the earlier Soviet philosophical journal.

  Source

• 1933

  Temporary change to bimonthly publicationStrategy

  Background

  The journal altered its established monthly schedule during 1933–1935.

  Action taken

  Publication was issued every two months during the specified period.

  Aftermath

  The monthly schedule was later restored, although the journal eventually declined and ceased publication during the wartime period.

  Source

1. 1Under the Banner of Marxismen.wikipedia.org