Lenin was also referring to Marx specifically. Marx's name would ironically be dragged through the mud in the Cold War, to the point that many Western Social Democratic parties would drop the pretense of being "Marxist" entirely to become presentable (SPD being the most notable). Nowadays, when Marx is referred to positively, there's always the forced disclaimer saying that Marx's message was somehow "perverted" by AES states.
Ironically this hasn't happened much with Lenin as far as I can tell, unless you count that time Trump quoted "Lenín" recently.
It is ironic.
Lenin was also referring to Marx specifically. Marx's name would ironically be dragged through the mud in the Cold War, to the point that many Western Social Democratic parties would drop the pretense of being "Marxist" entirely to become presentable (SPD being the most notable). Nowadays, when Marx is referred to positively, there's always the forced disclaimer saying that Marx's message was somehow "perverted" by AES states.