Did Lenin actually use the term "useful idiots"?

by [deleted]

[deleted]

Pseudohistorian

Not in the published works, at least. While concept itself was known to Lenin (it is nothing now about it), earliest known use of phrase "Полезный идиот" comes from 1941. It was first used by literature critic V. G. Bazanov to describe Nikolai Leskov's view on nihilist.