What is "one step forward, two steps back"

n. (context idiomatic English) A situation in which progress is more than offset by adverse developments.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back - The Crisis in Our Party is a work written by Lenin published on May 6/19, 1904. In it Lenin defends his role in the 2nd Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, held in Brussels and London July 30 - August 23, 1903. Lenin examines the circumstances which resulted in a split in the party between a Bolshevik ("majority") faction led by himself and a Menshevik ("minority") faction led by Julius Martov.