vanguardism
/ˈvænˌɡɑrdˌɪzəm/
noun
- A political or social strategy in which a small, dedicated group leads the way for a larger movement, often associated with revolutionary or avant-garde ideas.
- The activist group practiced a form of vanguardism, organizing protests to inspire broader change.
- Some critics say vanguardism can become undemocratic if the leading group ignores the will of the people.
- Lenin's theory of vanguardism argued that a small party of professional revolutionaries should guide the working class.