Classics of Marxism

Depiction of the four heads of Marxism, Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Stalin.

The four classics of Marxism, or MELS, the four heads of communism, along with other variations, refers to the original Marxist theorists who significantly augmented the body of revolutionary theory. The four classics are Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Vladimir Lenin, and Joseph Stalin.

Followers of revisionist trends, particularly Dengists and Maoists, include Mao Zedong as the fifth classic of Marxism for his alleged contributions to theory. Many Maoists omit Stalin entirely in favor of Abimael Guzmán, in congruence with their anti-Stalinist leanings. Likewise, another brand of revisionism upholds Enver Hoxha as a fifth classic, and propagates his inconsistency within its leading organs.

See also

• Marxism–Leninism