Notes on Vladimir Lenin Lecture

Introduction

• Born Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov
• Birth Date: April 22, 1870 (April 10, Julian calendar)
• Birthplace: Simbirsk, Russia

Family Background

• Father: Ilya Nikolayevich Ulyanov
  • Born into a serf family (1831)
  • Became a successful educator and state councillor
• Mother: Maria Alexandrovna Blank
  • Mixed ancestry (German, Swedish, Russian, Jewish)
  • Eight children; two died in infancy
• Childhood was comfortable due to father’s success

Early Life and Education

• Displayed intellect; excelled in school, chess
• Father died in 1886, profoundly affecting Lenin
• Brother Alexander executed for conspiracy against Tsar (1887)

Political Context of 19th Century Russia

• Russia lagged behind Europe politically and socially
• Attempts to modernize began with Peter I and continued with Catherine the Great
• **Key Events:
  • 1861:** Emancipation of serfs by Tsar Alexander II
  • 1881: Alexander II assassinated, leading to repression under Alexander III
  • Rise of political discontent and radical ideas (nihilism, anarchism, communism)

Radicalization at Kazan University

• Enrolled in Kazan University (1887)
• Participated in protests; expelled from university
• Influenced by Marx and Engels; began reading extensively
• Involved in revolutionary activities and groups

Early Career and Exile

• Passed exams to enter University of St Petersburg (1890)
• Worked as a legal assistant in Samara during the 1890s
• 1891-1892 famine exacerbated political radicalism
• Moved to Saint Petersburg (1893) to enhance revolutionary efforts
• Arrested in 1895 for underground activities; spent a year in jail
• Exiled to Siberia (1896-1900); published works under pseudonym ‘Vladimir Ilin’

Return to Europe and Rise in the Bolshevik Movement

• Left for Switzerland after Siberian exile; connected with revolutionary groups
• Launched Marxist newspaper Iskra from abroad
• 1903 RSDLP Split:
  • Two factions: Bolsheviks (Lenin) and Mensheviks (Martov)
  • Lenin favored a tight-knit, committed revolutionary party

1905 Revolution and Aftermath

• Bloody Sunday (January 22, 1905): protestors shot by government forces
• Established a new newspaper, Novaya Zhizn during the revolution
• October Manifesto promised civil rights and a Duma but was not fully enacted

The Provisional Government and February Revolution (1917)

• February Revolution led to the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II
• Lenin returned to Russia from Switzerland (April 16, 1917)
• Advocated for a government based on workers' councils (soviets)

October Revolution (1917)

• Seized power on November 7, 1917 (Julian calendar: October 25)
• Established a socialist government and issued the Declaration of Rights of the Peoples of Russia
• Promised self-determination for various ethnic groups

Civil War and Consolidation of Power

• Civil war with the White Army began in 1918
• Creation of the Cheka (secret police) to combat counter-revolutionaries
• Lenin's policies included significant economic reforms following the war
• New Economic Policy (1921): allowed some private ownership to stabilize the economy

Lenin's Declining Health and Death

• Suffered multiple assassination attempts in 1918
• Health deteriorated rapidly, leading to strokes in 1922
• Died on January 21, 1924; political machinations began for succession
• Lenin's Last Testament favored Trotsky over Stalin as his successor

Conclusion: Lenin's Legacy

• Lenin's leadership during the October Revolution was critical in establishing the Soviet state
• Created a regime that mirrored aspects of the repressive Tsarist regime
• The complex legacy of Lenin's policies and governance set the stage for Stalin's ascension

Questions for Consideration

• Would Lenin have been a more benign leader if he had lived longer?
• How might his policies have differed from those of Stalin?