While "Propaganda of the Deed" (propaganda par le fait) is often associated with anarchist tactics, certain Marxist-Leninist movements have employed similar methods—armed actions, sabotage, and symbolic strikes against oppression—as part of a broader revolutionary strategy. Unlike anarchist individualism, Marxist-Leninists integrate such tactics into mass political struggle, ensuring that militant actions serve the larger goal of proletarian revolution.

This article examines how Marxist-Leninist groups have successfully utilized Propaganda of the Deed, not as isolated acts of terrorism, but as calculated components of revolutionary warfare, political education, and anti-colonial resistance.

1. The Bolshevik Expropriations: Funding Revolution Through Armed Action

Before the 1917 Revolution, the Bolsheviks engaged in "expropriations"—armed robberies of banks, trains, and government funds—to finance their activities. These operations, led by figures like Joseph Stalin and Kamo (Simon Ter-Petrosyan), were not random acts of violence but disciplined strikes against the Tsarist state’s economic apparatus.

‍Why It Worked:

Material Support for the Party: The stolen funds financed newspapers (Iskra, Pravda), weapons, and underground organizing.

Symbolic Defiance: These actions exposed the vulnerability of the ruling class and inspired workers to see the possibility of direct resistance.

‍Integration with Mass Struggle: Unlike anarchist bombings, the expropriations were part of a larger strategy led by the vanguard party.Lenin later criticized excessive reliance on such tactics, but their disciplined use in the pre-revolutionary period proved effective.

2. The Viet Minh and NLF: Armed Propaganda in Anti-Colonial War

Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh (later the National Liberation Front, or NLF) combined guerrilla warfare with political propaganda through action. Assassinations of corrupt officials, raids on French (and later American) outposts, and the spectacular Tet Offensive (1968) were not just military maneuvers—they were psychological blows against imperialist morale.

‍Why It Worked:

Moral and Political Impact: The Tet Offensive, though militarily costly, shattered the myth of U.S. invincibility and turned global opinion against the war.

Peasant Mobilization: Each attack was followed by political education, showing villagers that resistance was possible.Dual Power Tactics: The NLF paired armed struggle with building liberated zones, proving revolution was not just destruction but construction.

3. The ANC’s Umkhonto we Sizwe: Sabotage as Revolutionary Signal

In apartheid South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC)—aligned with the South African Communist Party (SACP)—formed Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) in 1961. Led by Nelson Mandela and others, MK began a sabotage campaign targeting infrastructure (power plants, railways) while avoiding civilian casualties.

Why It Worked:

Forced the State to Reveal Its Brutality: The regime’s violent crackdowns exposed apartheid’s fascist nature globally.

United the Movement: Armed action complemented mass strikes, student protests, and international solidarity campaigns.

Strategic Escalation: Unlike anarchist violence, MK’s operations were timed to maximize political pressure, leading to negotiations.

4. The Naxalites: Revolutionary Armed Propaganda in India

India’s Naxalite-Maoist insurgency has used guerrilla warfare and attacks on landlords/police to rally oppressed peasants. Their tactics—while controversial—have kept revolutionary struggle alive in rural areas.

Why It Has Endured:

Land Redistribution Through Action: Seizing land from feudal lords and redistributing it builds peasant loyalty.

Political Education Through Struggle: Each attack is framed as part of a larger war against capitalism and caste oppression.

Challenges: Lack of urban worker integration limits broader revolutionary potential.

Propaganda of the Deed Within Marxist-Leninist Strategy

Successful Marxist-Leninist movements have used Propaganda of the Deed not as substitutes for mass struggle, but as accelerants:

Integrated with Political Work – Actions must educate and mobilize, not just shock.

Timed for Maximum Impact – Strikes should coincide with rising working-class unrest.

Avoided Adventurism – Isolated violence without mass backing leads to defeat.History shows that when armed propaganda is subordinated to revolutionary strategy, it can weaken the ruling class, inspire the masses, and pave the way for socialist transformation. The key lesson is that the deed must serve the revolution—not replace it.

Further Reading:

Lenin, What Is To Be Done? (1902)
Che Guevara, Guerrilla Warfare (1961)
Vo Nguyen Giap, People’s War, People’s Army (1961)