Vladmir+Lenin

Vladimir Lenin //"**Vladimir lllyich Ulyanov"**//

 * // By: Ashley G., Mason M., Tom L., and Hayden H. //**

== **Early Life **

Throughout the course of history many empires and nations have risen and fallen. Various reasons may be applicable: a surplus of adversaries, large territory with little control, weak leaders, civil war, or a combination. Russia dealt with all of these misfortunes, which gave Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov (also known as Lenin) the ability to step up and salvage the deteriorating nation. Vladimir Ulyanov was born into his Russian upper class family on April 22, 1870, in Simbursk. While his childhood remained moderately normal, in his adolescent years (Age 16) his father,Ilya Nikolaevich Ulyanov, died of cerebral hemorrhage. The very next year his brother was killed for plotting against the Czar Alexander the Third. Vladimir was very influential in the Marxism movement; he composed numerous polemical pamphlets and articles. In the late 19th century Lenin unearthed the revolutionary theories of Karl Marx, an economic visionary and philosopher. Young Vladimir became a devoted advocate in Marx’s theories, specifically his inquiry on the imperfections of capitalism, ideas of socialism, and creation of a communal social order. The autumn of 1893, Vladimir followed Marx and his ideas to St. Petersburg where he was immersed into law and the fast evolving socialist movement, where he partook in constituting of the Union of Struggle for the Emancipation of the Working Class. His support in Marxism led him to compose many political articles for the movement, which disdainfully led to his arrest in 1895. He proceeded the next 14 months in prison until he was released and exiled to Siberia. While incarcerated Vladimir wrote extensive political documents and secretly was in accordance with various revolutionaries in preparation for the future. According to Lenin a biography by Robert Service, while in Siberia Vladimir adopted the nickname “Lenin” in hopes of confusing any Okhrana agents reading his publications. Though some believe his name was inspired from the Siberian River Lena, its true origin remains unknown. = Political Parties =

 One of his most memorable writings was "What is to be Done?" In his piece, he suggests that only revolutionaries can bring about enough change so that the workers control the businesses and government instead of them being in control of the workers. This prompted the Marxist to split in half. One side the Bolsheviks and one the Mensheviks; those of the majority and those of the minority. Vladimir, the revolutionary believed people should have the power so he and those who shared his views were called Bolsheviks and those who did not Mensheviks. While Lenin was in hiding, one of the Bolshevik’s political newspapers was condemned by the "Government", tsar Nic. 2 who saw any act against the government as threating to his power. Vladimir Lenin seized the moment, as tension was high between the people and the government. On the twenty fourth of October Lenin came out of hiding and declared the taking down of the newspaper as counter-revolutionary and that day the people of the revolution took what is today St. Petersburg. That same night a Proclamation of Declaration is made against the provisional government. (This is a huge feat for the Bolsheviks, claiming that they seized power) On the 25th of October the Bolsheviks and Mensheviks arrived in congress. The Bolsheviks know that they need the help of the Mensheviks to pass a law that will help consummate their power. With a stroke of luck the Mensheviks walk out of congress protesting the actions of the Bolsheviks the night before. Now with the absolute majority, the Bolsheviks, or the "peasant party", pass a decree on the land and give it to the peasant for supporting their party. Secondly, The Peasant Party decrees peace in the land which wins over the men of the army who had returned home battered and bloody after catastrophic losses in WWI. Lastly, a new government is created called the Council of People's Commissars headed by Vladimir Lenin, the man calling the shots behind the scenes. It's of importance to note that, before, during, and after the council was created Lenin managed to avoid sharing power with //anyone//. =Lenin’s Rise to Power =

Lenin’s true rise to power began when he returned from exile in 1900. He decided that the best way to oppose the government was through an underground newspaper. However, his opposition led to fear of persecution, and so he moved throughout Western Europe to avoid the authorities in the east. His “party” of like-minded individuals was known as the Bolsheviks. For the next ten years he wrote Marxist theory and early communist works. Around this time tensions were rising in Europe, and lead to World War I (WWI). Much to Lenin’s delight, WWI caused much strain on the Russian government and its people, Tsar Nicholas II was impeached and a provisional government was established. However, this new government built tension within the peasants and lower classes by not leaving WWI and not re-distributing land to the lower class. As industry started to pick up social classes became more ridged. The newly wealthy people of the industrial boom were unhappy with the amount of political power they had. Peasants were not happy because they were forced to work in the dangerous industrial buildings. The nobles simply didn’t wish to share their power. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Lenin’s theories seemed to come into a new light of validity. With these new struggles on the people of Russia, the Bolsheviks decided it was time to take over. In October 1917, the Bolsheviks “planned their own revolution and overthrew the provisional government.” With this victory came ever more conflict however, soon after the Bolsheviks takeover, other communist parties and anti-communist parties converged to form the White Russian Army. What ensued came to be known as the Russian Civil War. Lenin’s regime came out on top, leading to his full right to power. (Vladimir Lenin abc-clio.com) =<span style="color: #85ff00; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Reign and <span style="color: #404040; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Death =

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Throughout the Civil War, Lenin struggled with his power over the government in piecing together this “new country”. Lenin believed skilled and qualified assemblies of people were best to run the revolution, opposed to the Marxist based theory of a large mass of laborers. Lenin’s control and leadership was needed in Russia where capitalism was extremely underdeveloped, yet he dismissed Marx’s theory that development of capitalism which<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> lead to socialism. In March 1918, Lenin transformed the RSDWP becoming the //“All-Russian Communist Party”.//

<span style="color: #020302; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (1918) obtained tranquility with Germany and removal from WWI, consequently losing much territory. The Communist International (Comintern) was created in 1919, combining a European power in attempts to finish the war. Rallies, riots, and protests arose as Lenin pushed his ideas of revolution on the Soviet Union. An undisclosed police force was formed to handle threats to the rebellion.lwe

<span style="color: #020302; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Following three years of war, Lenin rewrote his initial policies due to the lack of economic prosper. His revisions led to a certain freedom in industry and trade, along with many other socialist ideas. As Lenin’s health began to fail him in 1918 after a gruel assassination attempt, emerging leaders such as Joseph Stalin began to impose a threat on Lenin’s reign. Yet in his old age and poor health he could do nothing to relay his true interests. On January 21, 1924, Lenin died from his fourth stroke, which left a huge chair to fill that [Trotsky and Stalin] were eager to fill. Today in the center of Moscow, a mausoleum holds Lenin’s “mummified” body on display for thousands to observe every day. Lenin was a ch<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">erished and remembered leader of Russia and his tr ibute remains a reminder of that.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">CIATIONS: > > > > >
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">"Vladimir Lenin." World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 31 Mar. 2012.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">"Vladimir Lenin." Image. Library of Congress. World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 31 Mar. 2012.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on Vladimir Lenin.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2005. Web. 30 Mar. 2012.
 * 4) "Vladimir Lenin." *U*X*L Biographies*. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Detroit: U*X*L, 2003. *Gale StudentResources In Context*. Web. 2 Apr. 2012.
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">"Vladimir Ilich Lenin." *Encyclopedia of World Biography*. Detroit: Gale,1998. *Gale Student Resources In Context”. Web. 2 Apr.
 * 6) "Vladimir Ilich Lenin." *Encyclopedia of World Biography*. Detroit: Gale,1998. *Gale Student Resources In Context”. Web. 2 Apr. 2012
 * 7) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Service, Robert W. //Lenin: A Biography//. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Univ., 2000. Print.
 * 8) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Wade, Rex A. //The Bolshevik Revolution and Russian Civil War//. Westport, Conn: Greenwood, 2001. Print.