ABSTRACT
Lenin's organizational career was gaining ground, but he still lacked authority. For that matter, there was no real party which he could have commanded. To overcome these shortcomings, he developed an astute plan: the Iskra agents were to contrive that in each local cell the faithful adherents of Iskra hold the majority. The recruiting, stage-setting, and manoeuvring were commanded by Lenin, under the noses of his 'comrades'. By December 1902, an 'organizing committee' inside Russia, whose steps Lenin had secretly guided and which appeared to be 'representative', resolved to convene the congress. The totalitarian philosophy was accepted in later years, providing the Russian party with its distinct position. A Central Committee operating in Russia was to be subordinated to the Iskra editorial board operating from abroad. Lenin was compelled to resign and Iskra passed to the control of the Mensheviks.
