She entered the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party in the mid-1890s, and was a member of the first social-democratic circles in St.

[citation needed] Lydia Dan was attracted to Marxism by its appeal as a 'path of reason', as she called it, which could guide mankind to civilisation, enlightenment and modernity.

She also felt drawn to it by its 'sociological and economic optimism, its strong belief, buttressed by facts and figures, that the development of the economy, the development of capitalism, by demoralising and eroding the foundations of the old society, was creating new social forces (including us) which would certainly sweep away the autocratic regime together with its abominations', but also noting that youths like her were drawn to it because of its 'European nature', breaking with the provincialism of Russian society, holding 'out a promise that we would not stay a semi-Asiatic country, but would become a part of the West with its culture, institutions, and attributes of free political system.

'[1] During the famine of 1891, Lydia Dan called the co-operation between the Neo-Populists and the Marxists 'a new era', believing it to be a landmark of the revolution as it showed her generation 'that the Russian system was completely bankrupt.

[2] Dan was critical of Lenin and other Marxists, dubbed 'Politicals', who wanted to organise a centralised party and use for political ends.