Fyodor Dan

Fyodor Dan in military doctor's uniform.

Fyodor Ilyich Dan (Russian Фёдор Ильич Дан; O.S. 19 October 1871 – 22 January 1947) original surname Gurvich, was a Russian political activist and journalist who helped found the Menshevik faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party.

Quotes

• By their critisism of the existing system, which repeats the Social-Democratic critisism almost word for word, the Bolshevik opposition is preparing minds ... for the acceptance of the positive platform of Social-Democracy. ... Not only among the mass of the workers, but among communist workers as well, the opposition is rearing the shoots of ideas and sentiments which, if skillfully tended, may easily bear social-democratic fruit.
  • Dan in Sotsiallistichesky Vestnik no. 17-18 about the Trotskyite opposition in the Soviet Union. Quote from Harpal Brar's Trotskyism or Leninism? p. 476

• The Social Democratic movement need have no fear in regard to the political activity of Trotsky. On the contrary, he is more likely to give the death blow to the Communist movement outside Russia and to induce the Communist workers to return to Social Democracy than to strengthen any Communist Party or to weaken the Social Democrats in any way.
  • Ibid. p. 621.