Jonathan Davis
Lenin in power
is strengths and
weaknesses
Was Lenin the great leader that Russia needed or an amateurish tyrant?
N/< II KtllHUI I I'/HIIIIIE
lAHina MFE4.
interpretations: Role of the
individual
(OAFO-
Before you read this
rffmioimiH
Find out about Lenin's h IP n nrt career before
Qctobari9i7 Enquire also inlo Ins ideas as
e-pressed pn his published books ana political
historian Christopher Read,
nit []f Vladimir Ihuh Lenin's
Lenin's ^ii . ..-il'. self- ttchcf was Ji ihc
"flm political petsomlily1, « he would wrelv question whcilier he WHS doing rhi- ri^hr thing
A
iln- ^ i-
...ili Kk g«fllcil sirtngrli
j^ it ^jn- him 'the
wkii In- di<J\ hut IE jKd Itril hint to '
his own vtcwi Ji iiiHt\ vfaaa ciimpn>[iii*t
T ronrru <A o
II Mil Ml Hll
ITIOMIIIIHH
Sovtetpropaganda pastor. :-.i.'.> Lorn constructs
in
In practice* [his mcinc ihji whjicvcr Ixnin
Jid, lie ilmys hclit^'cd tJi,it he «'js right, j atiuk'
lion wliiuh* jCLcmJing to historian htnl \Villijnis,
stemmtd Ircpin hjv certainty tJiat 'he was destined
to uphold M • • • •! orth(Kluxy\ tven rt'hen he w«
lorccd to change pohc> jn<l acci-pt thot pragma [EC
policies rjilicr than iJtri>l'>Ljii:jl inswi-rs \VCK need'
urv, Tallin remained Mipivmely irunlidcnt tlut [his
was the eorreci appma^h to uke. I^mn's hclicl'ii)
his ideas, citnihined with his .ilnlui to kmi\\- vihei)
lu dn things <Iilk-Ti;iith — iiKludmti knowing when
to compromise — wt-rc clcir stn-ngr^ ot"hi\. Ai
historian Hubert Service n(itob I k'-i-n was j 'umpun
chinkeE. hut lie U-J-L ,ilile lo ,ul|ihi his policies in the
interests ol'pfiliiicjk Mirvn-alh.
Howt\-crT while Ills •. \-\ •<•.-•. to ch^n^e policy
when nece%sjr\L WJA j Mrtngth, the way that I.tnm
cnlorccd this change at times displayed a weakness.
Rather than dchatc such issues, he would use force
2Wt Con lury History
-
m . •, i, i •• II ir. I'l • •." ii.idts inio
wirh him. This approach in [imMein solving vus
e Mended Diitside • ; . . ..i :• during r i . Civil WJF,
and was j policv th.ii led IIP j nnhlcss per*.eL:niion
ufnon-Rtil&heviks, known js rhc It..1 k I-M: v\ i.ili
tlm wis. .1 riMLtujn ID the violent counterrevolutionary HJF LuiiKhcdi hy ihe tsarist Did order (the
While Terror), [.enin's u thingness TIP use e\Trcmc
violence .i> j mcjns ofcDmidg ilui chc lloKhcvik.',
pot their w a y was o detinue wc-ikncss. Despiic ihc
lad lli.r he -urn n i!k<- km -\ .'In ii ID compromise,
l.cnin'% hc-aw- handed, QppROivc merlin's givoily
undcrnLJnfd his cuerill aim: the niinsiriiLrkm nf
VHTialisni in RLISSJJ.
IA'IIIH\ dicteriiiiiuiJDii ID L^ chc RumditfoDS <>t~
wiali'ni «a^ prf.U k h.inpen:d hv ihe (crrihle condition^ dial hoML[ pc*t-n;voliJti(iiiar\r RII%M.I. By 1921 T
the coiinln1 had hceji imuhcd in j war ot'iuic tvpc
c>r aiunhtrlor nfirlv 7 vcarv.md I!IK led Hi dointMi^
tiirnuul as the cioinsniii, siHTial and polilical txisi^ nt"
Rimii «,i* d^ j^utf J "1'lif.af. iimdiliiM^ forced Tfnin
to rtrlunk luw siKulisni would he COnAfUOjal and
his strengths and uejkcifSKS \wn hii:hlii:lLKil by iln
wjy tli.it he dealt uith ihe^e issuer.
fl|
^Jltf fl
T
Lenin's strengths
] en i n Jii-epied lhat the ironsilion front ejpiialiMik n*
would i.ike rime to tDinplerL. In hi* April
lit 1^17, he decljred ihji ihe i.i\k wjs not
(he imniedule uilroduelion of ^(h:ij|]s.iiib n^ui
(D bring 'soujl prculucnon and the ditfrihulion of
prctduels Ji onee under ttie eontml IP!" die Sm'ieis
lit' Workcti' l>epulies\ This did nol IIH.LU. hnweierh
thai he wjs opoinsr introLliiciiip Socialist poheies jnd
prjtlices is quickh' Ji possible.
This MM tui was Dne vf I.emn's strtiii?ih>, js it
.klloued him to prepare Che Rolshciiks liirlhe seizure
otpciuer jndh (hiuuph ^'ariDiis "j^ ond mein^, m jecepunee rhar, JT liniea, j radical ch.mjL in
CDiisolidate tlui powec. "llie^e included ,i wilLinirjieu u i-- needed
In ' r
i • lii n lie lliDiight n nccessjrv and jn
The ivsue of ciPtpperjiion was j difficult one. X»i
only did I CILIII rule • r -\ nrkinn «irh nori
iiniiip%, hji he j(s<» cejecied A milin
strengths included his clear vision
Mipportiny the pm-rt.ir Prnvisiunjl
of what h« wanted to achieve and a pragmatic
This policy ensured ilui, jfier the rcv»|guon, rhc
approach to problems when necessar-y.
Menslun\iks and ihe ^n-cinilm Ki^i»hniima
• His weaknesses included a willingness to
u'ere increasingly sidelined* ICP ihe PLPIIII
resort to undemocratic practices aruj extreme
were omhwed hy l"-)22 and Suvici K.LIVSU
violence.
j Dnc-pany siaie Prior rn rhisT however, [here wjs
• T hese weaknesses became more obvious
as the circumstances m So1, -i -i.-, .L became
• Botn the strengths a/id weakneun hod
a posihve and negatpva impact upon in*
devalopment ol post •revolutionarv Ftusaia.
• They resulted in a comradictoty situation
in Soviet Russia 99 N£P mlroduced econornic
frBAdom bul the Gar on Factions o/eatly limtted
political Jri-:n-rr
•i i ,r^
2 k.[ijliii[pn txriween ihc l^LiKheiiks and. The [<flSKs ill At lasted uiuil The Treaty of tlri:.M I irii^sk in
Mjrch I'J IM ,i'i.^;; [i .1,-. Ruaij OUT of ihc war
tiLTnunu \V1ule ihe ceniis of ihi^ trejiy
Lenin's prj^momiii jnd 1ii>. williii|incu io eoinpro
mise when necessan-, it did so .u ihe expense ofihc
relilJDiiship wuli iln Lcfl-SRv nho ujnu-il io mni
die t'tvil War inio j revolutionary war.
I enm realised clut Kussi.in soldiers \\crc itn>
tvar-ueary to eo^nlinue liyliiinj?, and accepted ih.u
just th.i :j ii. The ' L • !
M!IV they u'ere
tindot ihe fled Tenor
tood was
fho Moscow Qakoty ston
• H 1 iLr . r"' .. .' •.vrJJM
Civil War
(suppoiia& 01 IT* ofl
j£giit» and zLinip aniiQolsrimk MCI jhili i jr ,[]
G r,T-ns (ariaronsis and
a
war
the fleds
o'
Govern in en!.
between Macr and
Octobs 191?.
1
a more radically
Socialist section o< Hie
split with tne
o*e' lha terms
the Treaty ol Bre
and nip spreedug ol
int&mBtional reirol irElon:
Laiin and oiher 'Lett1
(e.g. TroKky and
J d-d not oefcevfl
trial ^oc ir: -r- , roi Id »
ipuld mn
t IL .ilsiP
ihcm anymore ^trcngih n> earn1 on,
'J IMJI iny eoi|ec«icin* nude Iti lite
I he Won kick altCI1 tlli; i
revolution Me wai rijilu ihinit ihir^ lint Arcing ahinit the
. . ni i'1. . .1 I uiin\
jnd
in oimpnimix.' wai rlic New
t' iNKP). JItiu«Js MixpicU 31 MnIH W?l audit ended (he (breed grain
of W jr Comnmnumb Allowing pcaxuiti to
rplLiN j;rJm Jl IIKJJ! ilurltTs. lr J!MP
nuikcl furtcs irim iht KUVMJH
iradt M,I\ k-^jli^ii, <lc^|>iic die TJCT ili.n die
L l k s L.llllL
bull si Russia alone and
hoped that tfie revolution
*OHK M-ead la mae
ind jstnfllHod Countries SUCh
BS Germany and BriMin
War C u n • 1 1 1 ji i . :i •
extreme WHtTimg pokCy
wilh rentriih'ied
.ndustnes and
methods u$ed tQ ensure
graki ddi*ene$ from we
peasantry
i i "il. ltd -lux] la
fignt caLjnler-<pvoP.ul,onflry
Icrces- it uitimaietv became
ItaKQB
Ml I'd^^E1 |IT[»llllSII1^
• Would a Bolshevik revolution m Russia have
rianoenefl without Lenin's leadership cpf Ihe Party?
• How 1dr do you agree ttnl LBrtnl may nave
been rnora euitfH to witling critiques cl ttw stale
of Russian ana global «curmmic:> and pdiiiefi
than actually being a laadei ot the woiVl's largest
caiptry?
• Did Lenin & willingness to resort lo extreme
violence in order to achieve his aims make him a
belief or B woise leader?
M Clltl I'Jpl
in Kll^'.iJ- Lenin LHPW jcixprctl tl"i it was
TIP form .in jllijiKc ^luwfI>kat Ixjiween die
him. such as Oeutjy Meklunuv and Vuli
i\vi> oflxMiin'', nuist n hpL-t'Tt-J and elnsosi comrjde%
lN Jlld [VcJ^lUT, illLElLt lilt ll.lllllHL-l l l . 1
L! k
As hismcijci her\'l Will lam t nines^ ihc jrntude i>t"
on
tli[») and toindrodnceflnewBtigeljnn einring oil" anv cltise celjiiiPiiship where politiejl
io upifuliMii
interverieil wjs EIP Ivcconie j nuiiLieahle
lie «js fiJivi-J lino ilii^ tlunyi:, dutIP! I enmhs 'hardtii:v%\ Such an auiiude,
1.1 ilit
Ijniint in rlit Volga region JIH! unsurprisingly, wjs. also found in I!IL wider
1
in
jnd ECronsiJEli, \HP\*JS j victory •L' UK :: denounced fekkiwr Smrulixs who opposed ihe
iipt
i •
ij" i 1 i
n •• • j. ihi: IK kncu1 •• I . i lUrlsheiik view as llereely j> ihey denounced cjni
t dungs This prjgiiucisin did noc u |H i.. lahsm ii.vll".
] . i - i 1 , : 'II uii • •'• •!• ,..! .mm dimijili. jjid hi1 ".is
"I he Ran on V.icnons cun.iilnl demoiTJdc derate
Sill I Ji \ K I ill ii J J% . ' L i (<> bllild '.^i-. lil'lil Jli.L IK
within the portv and vjnous groups \*erc deni-imccd
ilui 'only .111 jgrvemi:nr undi the peaunm' for ndcvutionis(' prattites. 'L'his lack of freedom lor
tht: S*u i I-. 1 rfvolulion in RIISMJ mini tlic groups (o argue for oltenialive ideas concerning ihe
lu*, o^Lurrfd. in otbercounTzfd ' He mm tranulion to socialism nour JiieaiK ihai (here was no
rlui Ins inilul assumptions jhoui iln: right (o cnticisc (he Communisls niKside ihc pjrrv
n> mi'i.iliMii needed ,1 r.uliijl reilunk
.UK! hrtle rcnim m cridiiise I emu inside K While
reasons for iln -In" liom dehjte (o diclatorship i.an
Lenin's weaknesses
be found in (he temhle so^KHXonornic, political jnd
One <if die i_uiise^iiein:i:s ot die t'\\\\ \\'.\i
tlt.it matenjl condicii>ns in whn.h (he hirlsheiiks were
i he pjtrv hei-.tiiii.- nune I:JLIIII>L]S and mure
tr\'in^ (o i.oiistriic( si»ciahsmh they i_an alv> he loimd
jud this • , .il1. .Hi. .IL.| the wjy dut K .itted
(lie in l^nin^uilhngnessto use (indemocratii: and dittaM'ir li h.ul I'M' estjblisliird j inninlcr-nlon.il i ii i K lo ensure th.it he got his own ujy.
M^uiiadOn — the Cbfbti — ic> Hud
Lttdja1* (tuenta seH:lx:lief uliinutely meani tlui
anyone who <ipposed the revolution. "1 hi* saw on ihere would he hide room lordi^cussinn
use "1'vnpleiii.L hnth during Jinl .ilier iht nu'iil IE also led lo j reh.uue on e\[renic
l \Vjr. While the twi> side* commuted lernhle and dklatoiul nu'tlinjs, inslead of democrtiln:
during ihe wur {the Red Jiid \Vhite Termrej, dehjtc, to solve dilticull prohlcms; policies uhich
the founding jnd nonliiiLied MM ol'the t'lifkn a
Ix'gan iluring ihe Civil War and ^huh c^tiilinued Ki
the wjr lu^lili glits one ol Lenin's greot we
Iv used .ihtenvards hj niejns of the
- his uillmgness tu use extreme vmlence Hi ensure
tlui his idejs were iinplenienled. "Hie use ol' coercion
jnd repression was not Limited Co (hose outside die
There is a good. tmef. but informative, look
party.
Ai (he same congres-s Jl wlueh NK? w.is introduced, LeiiinN seh-hehel" led lo (he extreme decision to hju political factions inside the Commnnis!
Party. In some « jy% (Ins wrjs j cejcdon (o die dunl
War ihat caused ihc port}1 lu l>elicie tlut there were
ai Lenin'a early caiaei at; www 1 i ^ I- • .
. i •_ u k pvlflach/imprua/pa p0rs/06bLhlrn I
cncmieicveiywherc. lint it could also he seen K pjrt
ol" I emirs cen(r.ihsiii[ih diciaiorijl njrure ih.K li.nl
so olten led him (n he iiKolcront nt criticism lr<nu
The Lenin page on Ihe Spa/tecus wet-sue
contains a -Of OT inTonnalKJn about Lenm'g die.
including in|ei»ling a.trHicls
vpews oT Lenin: ww
"l"his uos .iLujys a trail of Lenin's, ll cau^rd turn
to lall oul with old (bends if' they disagreed
B
Questions
EncyctopaoO'a Bntannica's entry on Lenin is
apSowell inlorined and wonn looking al: www
I j n M r n i ^ tom •'. -L em n • allhough IE will iry to
block access lo some of its entries — persist!
co,ul</RUSIenin.him al the botlom ol me page.
20lh Cfldtury rlrstory
a suspected
'ene/ny of tfw peopife'.
Lenin: a contradictory character
After dicBdshnfa came to powff, Latin's Btrengiiu
jnd neakneue* hecjmi: more prom muted rhc
pressure he was under Ijnin au.\\ pcrhapv
been more iiiiicd iif wriiin^ critiques <-f ihe
ill !•! ••. n jnd jUoh.il Hunoinio u-<i
Ji-liully iH'llli; J le.ldeUhfllle Unrldf',
ASIiilc hi\iiijlysi^ of'izjpiulisin lniNux- JUL! iluriil^ (he
FIIM Wi>rld u.i nude jiuny •. 'n.-lk-iii obsoviiioiu,
tins bkiLcn-hrjiiii:d, JoitnucL p>[cplLss»r in poliiic^\ J%
ilic Itniish -i . i! •[ Hihcl Smrudcn IPHLC L.illi^iJ ]innh
ritrntrd murf jnd mute C L P oppRBHHi JiiU vic»lcncc
•Aliirii problems mo^nnrcd. Siumdtn J!MP
|AIILIIT!> 'linn bclif f in ihc IHHLVMTV ufvii»lcncc
rlic LLM,iblishnicii[ iliniLiyhoin ihc world, [i
nukc» "IIL duubl niivrably/
njiurt uus fonfndictory Jtidi tins HJ\
cndcnr in 1921, wht-ji I^ninX prjp>,nuiic JiiU
iulciiLii^ tjnic n> iJit- Inrt. 'I'lii: itnili
pirly toiii^K'- »jw ihf rciniroductio^n c*f m.LrLi.-r
iorics and iiiutr-pjriv jnd inirj p.iny damxncy
Lin.1 nl- L.I u . k^ 1 .!.'|'IIL ilic IJuc ihji ihc
Ktioliilnni j'tniiiihird In tnd copiulism Jiid
lhj[ pluralism, Ircfditm "I" spccc li jnd
i»f
KVJIIK J |urt cil'Kuuijii lilt;.
Mrvu^llis and wcjknc%sc> lud J
impjiri 4tn ihi.- development
in
. Both inils led (o die M.vunny ^tl'
for
the B<>l^lii:nk l*jn\'h which, after J brief
January 2010
ruk-d iliTv Bill Che 'ride Lining ofurhet 1
pnrtn:s ensured llut iliere \\'&s J Miull rjnge
H> call upon vi hen di^rnssLn^ lunv sijci.ili^m could
be ichlrvcd. Tin: rein [rod nation ofele nienis of eapiihnn"'l \l 1' whiLe i . i. i'n' liir^cqjpcrjiion,
jlitnj: a dilltrrenl pjth Irom (lie one rlur
l.cnin had «:nihj[ked upon in Cktotvr 1917.
Or Jor-'irhan Davjs is Priropal LecEurer in Russian
arxl Modem Euopean Histoiy ai fwgka Puskin.
Read, C. (2005) Lawn: a R&valul>onary Us.
Effectively uses Lenm'a own works and ideas la
0
illustrate tne development ol ina revolution and
socialism
Sandie. W (1M9)-fl S/Je-fffiBftiiy
UCL PrflSE Helpful n if :^r- on ••!•• idi -k\|.r.i'
changes m Lenin's iMQuy h li ana Bolshevik »l>cy.
Sflrvica. R. (3000) Lenm; a Sfoy™pfty, Macmilfan. A
detailed account a\ Letiin'a life iriel makes e«iensiv*
use L.' declassified Soviet documents ('om lha
Russian arcrwes.
Williams,
A useful
Lenin; Profiles in Powei. Pearson.
of Lenin's lile and