Lenin’s beliefs were a variation on the ideas presented in Marx’s Das Capital, later known as Marxism–Leninism. He believed that power could be seized by a group of revolutionaries, and a communist dictatorship could be set up. Stalin also maintained these beliefs, though he maintained his power through terror, and also, historians believe, starving to death the peasants, who may have posed a threat when united. While Lenin showed little variation on Marxism, Stalin believed in Socialism in one State, and would often show signs of patriotism – directly opposed to the fundamentals of communism. Stalin wanted Russia to become one of the most industrialised countries in the world, and the NEP was increasing the peasant’s wealth not the states. Lenin’s NEP, which was considered to be anti-communist by some actually gave more equality to the peasants, whereas Stalin’s grain selling to other countries policy was more of a large form of capitalism.
Lenin had been responsible for the November revolution and the Bolshevik seizing of power. If it wasn’t for Lenin, them Russia probably would not have become the USSR as we knew it, and the whole of the post WWI history would have been changed. This is a large impact for one person to have on a country, especially one the size of Russia. In introducing communism, Lenin had been responsible for many changes. However, the way that Lenin was ruling the country was not dissimilar to the way the old Tsar had ruled. Like the Tsar, Lenin ruled by force and terror: he used the secret police to maintain power. This made the people fear him, and many people who had previously been loyal Bolshevik supporters wanted the Bolsheviks out of power such as in the Kronstat mutiny, where the sailors at the Kronstat naval base mutinied, and demanded an end to the regime. Their uprising was brutally crushed and over 12, 000 of them were killed: the rest fled to Finland or got sent to labour camps. . Lenin, in the space of a decade had given Russia more problems than it had before the revolution: Civil war, costing loads of resources and money; increasing hunger and Famine; and had created a division across Russia, separating the Reds and the whites. Many people died under his Rule. However, he also introduced the NEP, which brought Russia back on target to becoming an industrial country.
Stalin was in control of the USSR in WWII, and was partly responsible for the eruption of the Cold War. In his rule, he had exterminated all of the kulaks (peasants made rich by the NEP) and had killed millions of other peasants killed in labour camps. His paranoid purges caused more terror amongst his people. Stalin also helped to bring down the iron curtain, which had a tremendous effect on the Russian people. Stalin stopped the NEP, and brought about the five point plans and collectivised farming. This turned transformed Russia into a powerful industrial nation, but the people suffered greatly, and the quality of goods was low.
Both Lenin and Stalin were massive figures in Russian history, but who was greater? Stalin ruled for many years longer than Lenin, and his politics were more extreme: he had more people killed, and he was more widely feared. Stalin had realized his dream, in a way, of turning Russia into a rich industrialised nation, if you believe that the end justifies the means. During his lifetime, Stalin’s propaganda made sure that he was the most important figure in Russian history: he was trying to portray himself as a god. However, I believe that Lenin was a more important figure, because he actually started the revolution. Lenin had brought Russia into communism and Stalin had just continued it – whatever Stalin had done, it would not have been possible if it weren’t for Lenin.
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