Compare and contrast the economic policies of Lenin and Stalin and evaluate their success.
Comparing Lenin and Stalin one finds that both were following a communist ideal but what is the communist ideal? The main principal is to share a country's wealth amongst its people. This is the theoretical side of the communist idea; the practical side requires a careful planning of the country's economy and also a system that makes sure that everybody is treated equally.
When Lenin and the communist party took over power, following the revolution in 1917, Lenin made sure that a council took over the planning of the economy. The council was called the "Vesenkha" and established a planning commission in 1921 called the "Gosplan".
Following his
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To combine this compromise with the ideology of the party, the state kept control of the heavy industries. Lenin saw the NEP as a short-term fix which meant "a step backwards" in the development of communism but one which would restore the economy. Once this had happened, the country could take the "two steps forwards" to achieve a communist state. The success of the NEP was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the NEP had revived the economy, increased foreign trade and also electrified the country which was seen as a great success. On the other hand the NEP divided the party into a left and right wing.
After Lenin's death in 1924, two conflicting schools of thought about the future of the Soviet Union arose in party debates. Trotsky, one of the primary proponents of the party's left wing, believed that a world revolution was essential for the survival of socialism in the economically backward Soviet Union. However, the left wing's domestic policy also advocated rapid development of the economy and the creation of a socialist society.
In contrast to these "militant communists" (Internet: Lenin's Leadership), Burkharin, one of the primary supporters of the right wing, realized that an immediate world revolution was unlikely. He favoured the gradual development of the Soviet Union through pragmatic programs like the NEP.
Stalin, on the other hand, aligned himself with the right wing of the party, even though he did not believe in the NEP. He wanted
Viewing both the leaders’ policies, solely on the basis of economic success, it can be said that Stalin’s policies were somewhat successful as Stalin took a backward country and turned it into a massive urban working class with most of the country being electrified, which was not available before. In addition, the policy of collectivisation fulfilled its goals as peasants were now paid wages and land and machinery was collectively owned. Looking at the human cost of the policies, both industrialization and collectivisation were hard on the population, creating poor working conditions and famines throughout the nation. Stalin had also maintained his power throughout all of his economic policies, unlike Mao who after the Great Leap Forward had to re-establish himself through the Cultural Revolutions. Despite Mao’s fall, his economic policies were also to some extent, successful as more than half of China became irrigated and the railway network virtually doubled. In addition, Mao’s reforms motivated the common people to work together and embody a Communist worker, whereas Stalin’s reforms produced “Stakhovanites”.
However, in 1928 Stalin tuned on Bukharin when it became clear it would be far more useful to him to now want to end the NEP. Stalin used Trotsky’s policies to oppose Bukharin. Even after Lenin’s death, Stalin continued to support the idea of World Revolution and Permanent Revolution, in which state industrialisation and state collective farms would be in place. This was popular with the Communists and increased Stalin’s support.
By restoring features of capitalism, such as public markets and money as a system of exchange, the Party divided between Left Communists and Right Communists. Trotsky, Kamenev and Zinoviev formed the ‘United Opposition’ in the Politburo that argued against the NEP, which Trotsky called the “degeneration of Bolshevism”. Stalin seized onto this criticism, allying with the Rightists – Bukharin, Tomsky and Rykov to outvote the left. Furthermore, Trotsky’s criticism was portrayed as disloyal to Lenin’s principles, and that he was a disruptive to the Party. The ‘United Opposition would be dismissed to be replaced with Stalin’s own supporters, with whom he would also outvote the Right.
First soviets created in 1905 in Moscow and Petersburg, helped bring down the tsarist regime in February 1917 (Suny 173) However, immediately after the takedown of this regime, people turned against Marxism, and destroyed the class structure that was created as part of the revolution’s political
""As known as there is no one can save from criticism? Stalin was actually super self-conscious about the way he looked, having a shorter left arm and mark. So, Stalin was responsible for the death of at least 20 million people. He said it himself: “One death is a tragedy, one million is a statistic,” and Stalin sure left one. But in another side, his policies greatly improved the industry in Russia. He forced people for collectivism on the people, and many Russians considered collectivism as a bad thing, but it helped the Russian economy and industry too much. Stalin and most party leaders supported the NEP, believing it necessary to strengthen the Soviet Union and protect the revolution"."
Upon the creation of the USSR, Lenin introduced new rule that would ensure greater totalitarian control. Only communists would be able to stand for the soviets, and so this meant that the communist party had the true control over the
Founding the Russian Communist Party and leading the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, Vladimir Lenin was one of the most essential and controversial figures in the 20th century. Deeply believing in Marxism, Lenin devoted his Initiated for the undertaking of communism in Russia. However, although undoubtedly a great leader who made a significant contribution in politics and philosophy to the world, Lenin made considerable bad judgments in the field of economy. By analyzing the economic policies of Lenin through the lens of modern American politics—including the traditional capitalism theory, the politics of the democratic and the republican party, and a growing socialism in America—people can have a new understanding of Lenin 's policy and of the economics problems the modern society facing.
CCOT In Russia, at the end of the 19th century, leaders Nicholas II, Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin to the attempt to the industrialization of Russia. Although the goals for the economy were the same, the way Nicholas, Lenin, and Stalin addressed the situation differed completely. Nicholas II, took as capitalism approach in order to help the industrialization of Russia. In 1894, Nicholas wanted the country's trade and industry to be collected by private owners for power.
Vladimir Lenin promised a classless society for the Russian people, but instead the Communists got all the power. Lenin was inspired by the idea of Karl Marx, who wrote that capitalism should be ended in the Communist Manifesto. Lenin and his followers the bolsheviks took control of the Russian government once Lenin returned from exile. The Bolsheviks claimed that they would give “peace, land and bread”. Instead they set up councils called soviets that they had power over. Lenin promised that he would give land and factories to everyone, but only the communist party controlled them. Even though they were claiming to be following Marx's idea they did not establish socialism.
One of the great political leaders of the 20th century, Vladimir Lenin, made a huge impact on the world. He was revolutionary, and whether you love him or hate him, he was a man with ambition. He was the founder of the Soviet Union and formed the country that sparked an intense rivalry with the United States and put a new form of government into place. This was a man with ambition to get rid of capitalism and change the ways of Russia. From his birth, to his career, and up until the day he died, Vladimir Lenin had a very interesting life, and was one of the great political leaders of the 20th century. Vladimir Lenin gave birth to a new Russia that would be the state the country was in for years to come. He gave birth to the superpower of the Soviet Union.
Primarily, Stalin developed an idea called collectivization that was aimed to completely dissolve the practice of capitalism (that was still present in Russia due to the New Economic Policy) and to transform the Soviet Union into an industrialized and completely socialist state. The Communist regime, specifically Stalin, believed that collectivization would enhance the agricultural productivity and would thus produce grain reserves large enough to feed the growing labor force. As a result, the expected surplus and revenue from collectivization was used to pay for industrialization. In addition to the idea of collectivization, Stalin developed the Five-Year Plan. Stalin's Five-Year Plan demanded rapid industrialization of the economy in Russia.
The rigid centralised economy imposed by Stalin was useful in this instance as it became easier to organise workers and factories. The Fifth Five Year Plan was concentrated slightly more on the consumer industries, helping to improve living conditions in Russia. The relaxation of Stalinist policy meant that although rigid central control was retained, Party power was weakened in the countryside. When Khrushchev came to power in 1953, he inherited the rigid centralised economy symbolic with the Stalinist era. In 1956
During this time, Lenin "urged the creation of a system of national republics, equal in status, to allow limited autonomy for different ethnic groups." (Longworth, 122) In 1924, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was created. This was considered to be Russia’s second constitution, after the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic that was established in 1917. The USSR was formed to function as a federal system that was based on limited autonomy. Education and all forms of publishing were required to be in the national languages, and there cultural freedom was also limited. Moscow was basically the government headquarters for the USSR, and had the most power as well. “Moscow could override any actions that were deemed incompatible with the interests of socialism, as defined by the Communism party.” (Ziegler, 86) This form of government was therefore supposed to be highly centralized. The Communism party of the Soviets was organized on the principle of “democratic centralism”, which meant that voting would occur and that ideas could be put forward. The party was never actually democratic in their decisions, though, they used it as an advantage for the concentration of power. During this time, Lenin was easily considered to be the dominant figure of the Revolution. However, poor health and an assassination attempt led to Lenin’s death in 1924. It was clear before his death that Lenin and
Communism started in Russia, 1912 but did not become the official ruling party until 1918. V.I. Lenin was one of the founders of the Bolshevik Party in Russia and believed the Bolsheviks, or the working class, was the core of the Russian Revolution and should be rewarded for communism occurring. Communist believed that in an ideal society where everyone would be equal with no political leader or social classes. Everyone would work solely for the betterment of society and not for personal gain. Communist Russian leaders ideologies were against popular concepts of the time, which was primarily about the state, while communism was anti-state.
Essay number 1: Why did Stalin rather than Trotsky emerge as Party leader in 1929