It could be said that Vladimir Lenin born in 1870, helped to birth the totalitarian side of Marxism.
The split on the Marxist Left was about whether democracy could advance political and social reform without revolution.
Social Democrats insisted capitalism could be tamed. The Communists held only a through transformation could produce a socialist society.
We know the outcome of that debate and I don’t think even Marxists think man is still perfectible.
Socialism was never going to lead to the classless utopia people imagined would be the end result.
What has always stopped me cold when reading Marx is the hatred he expressed towards Jews. It is hard for me to believe in the words of someone who has an irrational hatred.
I do think you are on to something with Lenin, although every other Marxist leader has ended up killing and starving his own people. Maybe following his example.
Enjoy your posts on this subject. I am certainly not an expert on this subject; just a silent witness to history.