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Vladimir Lenin: Life and Legacy
Aug 6, 2024
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?
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