Lenin: Billions must Die
In the essay "The Defeat of One’s Own Government in the Imperialist War" (July 1915), Lenin is at his most polemical. He was writing specifically to counter other socialists who argued for "neither victory nor defeat," which he viewed as a cowardly middle ground.
Here are the most relevant quotes and thoughts from that text that align with the view that national suffering and military failure are "beneficial" to the revolutionary cause:
The "Lesser Evil" Argument
Lenin argues that a defeat for Russia is the best possible outcome for the people living under the Tsar:
"In a reactionary war a revolutionary class cannot but desire the defeat of its government. This is an axiom... And the defeat of Russia is the lesser evil under all conditions."
On the Relationship Between Defeat and Revolt
He explicitly links the failure of the military to the success of the revolution, suggesting that you cannot have one without the other:
"A revolution in wartime means civil war; the conversion of a war between governments into a civil war is, on the one hand, facilitated by military reverses (defeats) of governments; on the other hand, it is impossible actually to strive for such a conversion without thereby facilitating defeat."
On "Desiring" Defeat
Lenin pushes back against the idea that wishing for defeat is "unpatriotic," arguing that true class consciousness requires a total break from national interests:
"The proponents of the 'neither-victory-nor-defeat' slogan are in fact on the side of the bourgeoisie and the opportunists, for they do not believe in the possibility of international revolutionary action by the working class against their own governments, and do not wish to help develop such action."