Vladimir Illitch Ulyanov, known as Lenin, was born in Russia in 1870. His family was rich and held noble titles.
The rich origin pleased Lenin. But with a family loss, the murder of his brother Alexander, after a failed terrorist coup against the tsar, would change his behavior towards the regime that dominated his country.
Marxist Ideals
In 1890 he became involved with a group linked to Marx's ideas in Saint Petersburg. Lenin's intention was to adapt Marxist communism to the reality of 20th century Russia. To do so, however, it was necessary to disfigure the capitalism that was gaining strength.
Lenin is the author of the theory “democratic centralism”, which imposes that Marxist action must be guided by party leadership and follow a military regime of action.
He tried to bring together all Marxist groups of his time in Russia. However, there was a division between Bolsheviks, who are radical Leninists, and Mensheviks, a more moderate group.
The tsarist government suffered its first anti-popular blow during the First World War.
Soon after, a movement gained strength that generated the democratic revolution of March 1917, which ended up consolidating Alexander Kerensky, linked to the Mensheviks, as president.
Conflicts, strikes and protests
Due to the immense instability of Kerensky's government, marked by conflicts, strikes and protests, there was a political fight that resulted in the first Soviet government, now dominated by Bolsheviks.
At that moment the dictatorship would be established. To maintain control, Lenin created the Tcheka, a special secret service designed to eliminate opponents.
Russia enters civil war again, now between whites and reds (analogy of non-revolutionaries against revolutionaries).
Lenin then prepared “war communism”, which had no effect. The solution was to seek a more moderate economic alternative, with a gradual return to capitalism.
Lenin suffered from hemiplegia and lost control. His closest arms remained vacant, such as Stalin and Trotsky.
Lenin died in 1924. His regime was marked by great violence and control of power mechanisms.
