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sferik's avatar

What's the actual Vladimir Lenin quote referenced in The Big Lebowski?

Asked by sferik (6121points) October 6th, 2009

From http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118715/quotes:
The Dude: It’s like what Lenin said…you look for the person who will benefit, and, uh, uh…
Donny: I am the walrus.

Walter proceeds to berate Donny for mistaking John Lennon for Vladimir Ilyich Lenin.

Presumably, the Dude is referencing something that Lenin actually said or wrote. What’s is the original quote, in full?

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4 Answers

SpatzieLover's avatar

Could be a misquote of:
Politics begin where the masses are, not where there are thousands, but where there are millions, that is where serious politics begin.
Or another from any of his most famous “citings“http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Vladimir_Lenin

It’s hard to say what
the original quote was supposed to be, as Lenin’s direct quotes are often “re-worked” or mis-quoted.

drdoombot's avatar

He may be thinking of something Karl Marx said and attributing it to the wrong guy.

Or, there is the popular latin phrase que bono? which translates to “who benefits?” (I think). He could be misapplying this phrase.

Anyways, my point is that it might not be from Lenin at all and was made up because his name rhymes with John Lennon.

YARNLADY's avatar

Lenin Collected Works, Progress Publishers, 1964, Moscow, Volume 4, pages 372–377.

How is our government’s senseless policy in China to be explained? Who benefits by
it? The benefit goes to a handful of capitalist magnates who carry on trade with China, to a handful of factory owners who manufacture goods for the Asian market, to a handful of con tractors who are now piling up huge profits on urgent war orders (factories producing war equipment, supplies for the troops, etc., are now operating at full capacity and are engaging hundreds of new workers). This policy is of benefit to a handful of nobles who occupy high posts in the civil and military services. They need adventurous policies, for these provide them with opportunities for promotion, for making a career and gaining fame by their “exploits.” In the interests of this handful of capitalists and bureaucratic scoundrels, our government unhesitatingly sacrifices the interests of the entire people. And in this case, as always, the autocratic tsarist government has proved itself to be a government of irresponsible bureaucrats servilely cringing before the capitalist magnates and nobles.

arturorapido's avatar

The Dude: Que Bono?

Danny: Sunday Bloody Sunday.

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