Difference between revisions of "Vladimir Lenin"
(expand) |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
[[Image:Khvhkgfiy.jpg|right|thumb|Lenin]] | [[Image:Khvhkgfiy.jpg|right|thumb|Lenin]] | ||
| − | '''Lenin''' (born Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov <ref>"Vladimir Ilyich Lenin" (Russian: Владимир Ильич Улянов, Ленин) was the pseudonym he used after 1900 to disguise his identity.</ref>) (1870-1924) was the leader of Russian Communism. Coming to power in 1917 he became dictator of the [[Soviet Union]]. | + | '''Lenin''' (born Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov <ref>"Vladimir Ilyich Lenin" (Russian: Владимир Ильич Улянов, Ленин) was the pseudonym he used after 1900 to disguise his identity.</ref>) (1870-1924) was the leader of Russian Communism and an important theoretician of Marxism. Coming to power in 1917 he became dictator of the [[Soviet Union]]. All over the Soviet Union there were statues and paintings honoring his memory; they were removed when Communism collapsed in 1991. |
==Early Life== | ==Early Life== | ||
| − | Lenin was born | + | Lenin was born in 1870 to a middle class Russian family; his parents were school teachers. In 1889, he became a [[Marxist]] after his older brother was hanged for the murder of Tsar Aleksandr II. Lenin obtained a law degree shortly afterwards, and by 1895 was a [[subversion (political)|subversive]] who was arrested and sent to a prison in [[Siberia]] as punishment. He was in exile 1900-1917. He collaborated with Georgy Plekhanov and others to set up the clandestine newspaper ''Iskra'' (The Spark), designed to "ignite" radical consciousness. In the pages of ''Iskra'', Lenin denounced any alliance with liberals or other elements of the bourgeoisie because they would keep power in the hands of the middle class. He emphasized social democracy--equality of condition, rather than political democracy, as the basis for individual freedom. His major theoretical publication was the pamphlet "What Is to Be Done?" (1902). In 1903 he organized and controlled the '''"Bolshevik"''' wing of the Russian Social Democratic Labor party, fighting the opposition "Mensheviks." Lenin, like his populist predecessors in the Russian radical movement, stressed the need for a small elite vanguard to lead the revolution |
| − | + | Despite disapproval of the Mensheviks, Lenin's followers continued to raise money through a mixture of bank robberies, kidnapping, extortion, terrorism, and murder. Unlike the leaders of other Marxist organizations, Lenin did not spent the money on his own lifestyle and carefully strengthened his movement. | |
| + | |||
| + | With German help he returned to Russia after the [[Tsar]] abdicated in March 1917 and a short-lived liberal democracy allowed for free elections. At the time, most Bolsheviks were more interested in using the ballot box to gain political power. Lenin rejected elections,and declared, "History will not forgive us if we do not take power now." | ||
==Revolution== | ==Revolution== | ||
| Line 14: | Line 16: | ||
Lenin ruled the [[Soviet Union]] under Marxism-Leninism, until 1922, when he had a debilitating stroke and retired. | Lenin ruled the [[Soviet Union]] under Marxism-Leninism, until 1922, when he had a debilitating stroke and retired. | ||
| − | {{Cquote|A wide campaign of "education" was undertaken to show the people why "workers' rule" meant, in practice, [[Nomenklatura|managers]]' rule. Where necessary, the education by the word was supplemented with education by [[firing squad]] or [[concentration camp]] or forced labour battalion. <ref>James Burnham, ''The Managerial Revolution'', | + | {{Cquote|A wide campaign of "education" was undertaken to show the people why "workers' rule" meant, in practice, [[Nomenklatura|managers]]' rule. Where necessary, the education by the word was supplemented with education by [[firing squad]] or [[concentration camp]] or forced labour battalion. <ref>James Burnham, ''The Managerial Revolution'', (1940).</ref> }} |
===Death=== | ===Death=== | ||
| − | Lenin died in 1924 following a series of progressively more serious strokes. [[Josef Stalin]] was his even | + | Lenin died in 1924 following a series of progressively more serious strokes. [[Josef Stalin]] was his even more brutal successor. |
== See also == | == See also == | ||
| Line 29: | Line 31: | ||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lenin, Vladimir Ilyich}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Lenin, Vladimir Ilyich}} | ||
| − | |||
[[Category:Russian History]] | [[Category:Russian History]] | ||
[[Category:Soviet Union]] | [[Category:Soviet Union]] | ||
[[Category:Dictators]] | [[Category:Dictators]] | ||
Revision as of 23:51, December 15, 2009
Lenin (born Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov [1]) (1870-1924) was the leader of Russian Communism and an important theoretician of Marxism. Coming to power in 1917 he became dictator of the Soviet Union. All over the Soviet Union there were statues and paintings honoring his memory; they were removed when Communism collapsed in 1991.
Early Life
Lenin was born in 1870 to a middle class Russian family; his parents were school teachers. In 1889, he became a Marxist after his older brother was hanged for the murder of Tsar Aleksandr II. Lenin obtained a law degree shortly afterwards, and by 1895 was a subversive who was arrested and sent to a prison in Siberia as punishment. He was in exile 1900-1917. He collaborated with Georgy Plekhanov and others to set up the clandestine newspaper Iskra (The Spark), designed to "ignite" radical consciousness. In the pages of Iskra, Lenin denounced any alliance with liberals or other elements of the bourgeoisie because they would keep power in the hands of the middle class. He emphasized social democracy--equality of condition, rather than political democracy, as the basis for individual freedom. His major theoretical publication was the pamphlet "What Is to Be Done?" (1902). In 1903 he organized and controlled the "Bolshevik" wing of the Russian Social Democratic Labor party, fighting the opposition "Mensheviks." Lenin, like his populist predecessors in the Russian radical movement, stressed the need for a small elite vanguard to lead the revolution
Despite disapproval of the Mensheviks, Lenin's followers continued to raise money through a mixture of bank robberies, kidnapping, extortion, terrorism, and murder. Unlike the leaders of other Marxist organizations, Lenin did not spent the money on his own lifestyle and carefully strengthened his movement.
With German help he returned to Russia after the Tsar abdicated in March 1917 and a short-lived liberal democracy allowed for free elections. At the time, most Bolsheviks were more interested in using the ballot box to gain political power. Lenin rejected elections,and declared, "History will not forgive us if we do not take power now."
Revolution
In October 1917, Lenin masterminded a coup d'etat which overthrew the Provisional Government which had replaced the Russian Empire. In what historian Simon Sebag Montefiore has described as a comedy of errors, the Winter Palace was shelled and the Provisional Cabinet was placed under arrest by a mixture of Red Guards and radical sailors from the Kronstadt Naval Base.
Dictator
(In the night of July 16-17, 1918, a squad of Bolshevik secret police murdered Russia's last emperor, Tsar Nicholas II, along with his family.
Lenin ruled the Soviet Union under Marxism-Leninism, until 1922, when he had a debilitating stroke and retired.
| “ | A wide campaign of "education" was undertaken to show the people why "workers' rule" meant, in practice, managers' rule. Where necessary, the education by the word was supplemented with education by firing squad or concentration camp or forced labour battalion. [2] | ” |
Death
Lenin died in 1924 following a series of progressively more serious strokes. Josef Stalin was his even more brutal successor.