"What Is to Be Done?" is a political pamphlet written by Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin in 1901 and published in 1902. The texts central focus is the ideological formation of the proletariat. Lenin argues that the working class will not spontaneously become political simply by fighting economic battles with employers over wages, working hours, and the like. To educate the working class on Marxism, Lenin insists that Marxists should form a political party, or vanguard, of dedicated revolutionaries in order to spread Marxist political ideas among the workers.

In the pamphlet, Lenin also discusses the importance of a strict organizational structure and the need for a professional revolutionary class. He argues that the strength of the present-day movement lies in the awakening of the masses (principally, the industrial proletariat) and that its weakness lies in the lack of consciousness and initiative among the revolutionary leaders.

In summary, "What Is to Be Done?" is a political pamphlet written by Lenin that argues for the formation of a political party of dedicated revolutionaries to educate the working class on Marxism and spread Marxist political ideas among the workers. It also emphasizes the importance of a strict organizational structure and the need for a professional revolutionary class.