Five Questions For Vladimir Lenin Essay

In conclusion to the fall of the Romanov dynasty, it is shown that Nicholas had the biggest impact of Russia becoming a communist country as he did not have a greater understanding on the way to run his country, he also didn’t take full responsibility for his people and the soldiers in WW1,

“Freedom in capitalist society always remains about the same as it was in ancient Greek republics: Freedom for slave owners” (Lenin). Lenin was founder of the Russian Communist Party, leader of the Bolshevik Revolution, and architect and first head of the Soviet state. He was also the inspiration for ‘Leninism” which was conjoined with Marx's work to create Marxism-Leninism. He has been regarded as one of the greatest revolutionary leaders and thinkers since Marx. Vladimir Lenin was an important Russian leader that helped shape Russian society to what it is now.

Despite starting his political journey as a supporter of the Menshevik wing (peaceful communism), Leon Trotsky became one of the paramount powers of the Bolshevik party, leading their Red Army to victory during the Russian civil war of 1918 to 1921; so

The Romanov Dynasty held the Russian Empire as one of the most powerful European states for over three centuries. In 1917, during Nicholas II’s contradictory reign, a revolution began that transformed the empire into the first ever communist nation, replacing the infamous autocratic rule and introducing the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

The Russian revolution was a monumental change for Russia they went from a government of ordocrasy to communism, with evidence it will show that this truly was a change Russia needed. Yet many argue that the death and outcome was not what the people had imagined when agreeing to communism.

However, the aftermath led to even worse conditions for the Russian peasants and serfdom spread throughout new territories. It was not until 1861 that serfdom would finally end after Tsar Alexander II officially emancipated all serfs. He also granted lands to the newly freed serfs that were established as peasant communities. However, not all citizens were happy with the work of Alexander, and after two failed attempts, he was assassinated on March 13, 1881. He was succeeded by his son Alexander III, a Tsar that was against reform and liberation in even the smallest way. When he rose to power, he almost immediately restored the old methods practiced before, the only difference being that the serfs were still free. Alexander III’s anti-reform rule also led to acts of terror against him. One instance occurred when Alexander Ulyanov, the brother of Vladimir Lenin, was arrested and executed for planning to assassinate the tsar. This period of social and political unrest only became worse as time went on. The causes of the February Revolution peaked turmoil in Russia, and the actions and aftermath of the revolution led to the rise of the Bolsheviks and the

According to History.com Staff, “The provisional government had created a group of leaders from Russia’s bourgeois capitalist class. Lenin would alternatively call for a Soviet state that would be controlled directly by councils of workers, peasants, and soldiers.” (“Russian Revolution”). Both decided that the Soviets was going to be a useful instrument in the next revolution. They didn't want the Soviets to have all the power until they could control them. In the book, Rise and fall of Communism 2009, Archie Brown shows us that, “On 12 October, according to the old calendar, Trotsky took command of the Military Revolutionary Committee of the Petrograd Soviet and on 25 October...the Bolsheviks seized power in Petrograd” (Brown 51). Insurrection was to start, but there were complications with the date set. In the book, The History of the Russian Revolution 1960, Leon Trotsky says, “At a session of the Petrograd Soviet on the 18th, Trotsky, in answer to a question raised by the enemy, declared that the Soviet had not set a date for an insurrection, in the coming days, but that if it became necessary to set one, the workers and soldiers would come out as one man” (Trotsky 162). There were forty thousand workers in the army of Petrograd.

Trotsky’s involvement in the 1917 revolution was of utmost significance to Bolshevik success. With Lenin in exile in Finland, Trotsky became the public face of Bolshevism. Trotsky’s leadership of the Soviet demonstrated his distinct skills, which became essential to the success of the revolution. His formation, recruiting, disciplining and arming of the Red Guard became a significant factor to the movement. It had amassed to over 200,000 militants by October. Additionally Trotsky’s arranging of the Soviet, placing Bolshevik delegates in power, allowed the Bolsheviks to organize the Military Revolutionary committee.

The assumption of power by Joseph Stalin was arguably one of the most significant periods of Bolshevik Russia’s history. Stalin is recognised as one of the most influential men to have ever lead Russia, and he did so through the largest war the world has ever faced, World War II, and through the beginning of one of the most tense periods of modern history, the Cold War. It is easy however, to get lost in the legacy Stalin left behind, and forget about the events leading up to his total control over the communist regime of the 20th century Russia.

Lenin died. Lenin had a pragmatic and realistic approach to problems. He was able to ‘seize the moment’ which was vital in the Bolsheviks gaining power. His organisation and leadership of the Bolshevik party transformed it. When Lenin died in January 1924 he had nominated Leon Trotsky as his chosen successor.

Khrushchev’s speech helped create the beginning of a permanent divide in the Communist Party. This divide would lead to what I am

The Russian Revolution of 1917 set the country on a course that few other countries took in the 20th century. The shift from the direction of a democratic, parliamentary-style government to a one party communist rule was a drastic change that many did not and could not predict. Looking back on this key moment in Russian history, many historians ask the question ‘why did the political power in Russia shift to the Bolsheviks’? Since the revolution in 1905 Russia was becoming progressively more democratic, distributing power throughout the political sphere. This came to an abrupt halt when Vladimir Lenin was put into power by the Bolshevik takeover of the Provisional Government. Many authors have had different takes on this event. Two particularly interesting ones were Arthur Mendel and John D. Basil. Their pieces On Interpreting the Fate of Imperial Russia and Russia and the Bolshevik Revolution give various perspectives on the Russian Revolution and attempt to answer the question of the power shift. This key point in Russia’s history sets the tone for the next 100 years. Russia became a superpower, an enemy of the United States, started multiple wars directly and indirectly, and started using an economic system used by various countries around the world. Today we still see the effects of the 1917 Revolution. Looking at both Mendel’s and Basil’s attempt to answer why the power shifted to the Bolsheviks. Since both historian 's account of the events is different they cannot

It has been revealed that his wife Alexandra had a large influence on his choices throughout his rule (Smele). Two conspirators of the execution, Yurovsky the squad leader and Medvedev, both described how they were killed and how the family could play a role in supporting Czar sympathizers to rise up against the Bolsheviks (Yurovsky and Wilton). A famous quote from Yurovsky showing the haste of the situation as supporters of the Czar neared their location was “We must shoot them all tonight” (The Execution of Tsar Nicholas II). Also Alexei, the Czar’s son, impacted many of his decisions, and the Bolsheviks saw no other choice than to get rid of the heir along with the Czar’s daughters. Although it was a massacre of the royal family, as they were essentially killed by a firing squad, it was form of recompense for people in Russia for everything he took from them (Earle and Wilton).

The Russian Revolution is a widely studied and seemingly well understood time in modern, European history, boasting a vast wealth of texts and information from those of the likes of Robert Service, Simon Sebag Montefiore, Allan Bullock, Robert Conquest and Jonathan Reed, to name a few, but none is so widely sourced and so heavily relied upon than that of the account of Leon Trotsky, his book “History of the Russian Revolution” a somewhat firsthand account of the events leading up to the formation of the Soviet Union. There is no doubt that Trotsky’s book, among others, has played a pivotal role in shaping our understanding of the events of The Revolution; but have his personal predilections altered how he portrayed such paramount

Marxists would later turn into the communist party. The czar was completed unaware of this discontent until people came to his winter palace to protest, many were killed by the czars soldiers. He created the idea of a parliament, called a Duma, people could vote for the members of this committee. The country had calmed down a little bit after this addition to the government. A few months later, Germany declared war on Russian. With a withered army, Russia suffered a hard loss. Some soldiers for the Russians were so angry with the czar that they switched sides, and fought with the Germans. Nicholas was still oblivious to the threat over his reign. He received a letter from a member of the Duma complaining about the horrible state of the country, but Nicholas thought nothing of it. The czar realized how serious the letter was when everyone in the streets was angry with him. Wanting to keep his life, he abdicated. Nicholas offered the throne to his brother. An intelligent man, he declined the offer.