Spark of Revolution

Noemi Delgado

Noemi Delgado Spark of Revolution Vladimir Ilyich Lenin is one of the most controversial figures in history. Although some people criticize him as a dictator, his fight for the rights of many people in Russia created a model of equality for people in the rest of the world. Lenin was born in Russia on April 9, 1870. His revolutionary spirit against the Tsar, a monarch that had control over Russia, began when his brother was executed for joining a group that attempted to kill Alexander III. Lenin was expelled from his University and sent into exile for taking part in student protests against the Tsar in 1895. He spent about twenty years living first in Siberia and then in Western Europe. He returned to Russia in 1917 to lead the October Revolution that resulted in the first establishment of a socialist government (Gilbert). During Lenins rule he implemented Marxist philosophies to create a communist society. Lenin was the first leader to successfully change an entire government by using philosophies that promoted freedom from oppression and inspired people all over the world to follow his movement. Lenins philosophies criticized unfair governments and promoted a better society for the majority of the population. Lenin was an intellectual as well as a political leader who wrote eight philosophical books and pamphlets (Lenins Major Works). Lenin had a series of ideas that derived from the writings of Karl Marx. His political party, the Bolsheviks, renamed itself the Communists. The word communism is what Karl Marx called a classless society (Beck 394). A classless society was Lenins ideal because all the

control and wealth was unfairly taken by a very small percentage of the population. Like Karl Marx, he spoke up against the capitalist governments that were beginning to take control in Europe. Lenins theory of imperialism was that these capitalist countries in Europe were colonizing countries in Africa and Asia to gain money and power for the European upper classes (Gasper). He believed that the working classes in Europe should be allies with the working classes in these underdeveloped countries to support the fight for their independence from the colonial powers (Gasper). Lenin was not only against the exploitation of the working class in other countries, but he also believed there was an extremely unjust treatment of the working class in Russia. Lenin made changes in the way Russia was run that benefited the people who had been oppressed. He successfully completed a revolution against the Tsar and overthrew the unstable provisional government that followed it. His slogan during this revolution was Peace, Land and Bread (Beck 392). This slogan referred to the need for change in the living conditions of the lower class, which was most of Russia. One of the first changes Lenin made after taking power was distributing all farm land among the poor and taking control from the rich factory owners and giving it to the workers (Beck 393). A hundred million peasants were given the land of thirty thousand landowners (Westerlund). By having the government own the large corporations, Lenin was able to make sure no few people had an unnecessary amount of money. The government was able to spread the wealth evenly, the way they spread the land evenly. Under Lenins rule workers were given

the right to strike, organize factory committees and bargain collectively (Westerlund). Lenin not only gave many rights to the working class and the poor, but he was one of the first leaders to vouch for womens rights. He included a myriad of women in the creation of his new government and wrote into the constitution that women had the right to work, participate in politics and to an education (Kollontai). The government set up childcare programs and gave children meals at school, so that women would have the opportunity to get jobs. The government also created schools and study groups to increase womens literacy. Laws were made, giving women the right to property, divorce and abortion (Westerlund). This was one of the first societies to institute gender equality. Lenin was a great leader because he used his strong philosophies to make a fairer society for Russias citizens. Unfortunately, he died after only seven years in power, but those seven years were the closest any country had gotten to equality. Although Lenins classless society was short-lived in Russia, his application of Marxist philosophies inspired people all around the world to stand up against oppressive governments. Throughout the twentieth century many working classes in Asia, Africa and Latin America began to fight for their equality, using Lenins revolution as a model. Marxist-Leninist ideas were used during the Chinese Revolution of 1949, the Cuban Revolution of 1959, the Nicaraguan Revolution of 1979 and in least fifteen other conflicts (Marxism After 1914). There were also many countries for example, Vietnam, Angola and Mozambique where Lenins theories were applied to fight against colonialism (Marxism After 1914). These movements struggled

for independence from the capitalist European countries that exploited the working classes of underdeveloped countries. Lenin set an example of a successful revolution that sparked fights for liberation from unjust governments. Lenins actions embodied socialist philosophies and had a great impression on the course of history. His theories challenged a government that was taking advantage of their power and his leadership gave rights to people who had been oppressed. Lenin was able to stay true to the Marxist philosophies that motivated him, by enforcing policies that made life better for the majority of the Russian population and empowering the working class. The importance of Lenin does not only come from the difference he made in Russia, but the difference he made in so many countries. He was the first person to successfully apply an alternative government to capitalism (Gasper). People who had been mistreated by unfair governments were inspired to stand up for their freedom and equality. While the results may not have been perfect, the society he created was an improvement for most people in Russia. This society benefited workers, peasants and women and was a sign of hope for people all over the world. Vladimir Lenins leadership is a perfect example of ideals being put into action and influencing others to fight against the chains of oppression.

Works Cited: Alexandra Kollontai. V.I. Lenin and the First Congress of Women Workers. 1963. M.I.A. Library. 9 October 2012. <http://www.marxists.org/archive/kollonta/1918/congress.htm> Beck, Roger. Modern World History. Patterns of Interaction. Illinuis: McDougal Littel, 2003. 18 October 2012. Jim Gilbert. Leon Trotsky: Lenin. 4 October 2007. The Encyclopedia Britannica. 9 October 2012. <http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1939/xx/lenin02.html> Lenins Major Works. Lenin-Museo. 9 October 2012. <http://www.lenin.fi/uusi/uk/index.htm> Marxism After 1914: Leninism And Marxism-leninism. JRank Science and Philosophy Website. 17 October 2012. <http://science.jrank.org/pages/10083/Marxism-After-1914-LeninismMarxism-Leninism.html> Per-Ake Westerlund. Lenin: The Original Dictator? February 2004. Socialism Today. 23 October 2012. http://www.socialistalternative.org/literature/lenin/ Phil Gasper. Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism. 2 December 2008. Socialist Worker. 9 October 2012. <http://socialistworker.org/2008/12/02/imperialism-the-highest-stageof-capitalism>