Vladimir Ilyich Lenin ( real name Ulyanov, maternal surname - Blank)
Years of life: April 10 (22), 1870, Simbirsk - January 22, 1924, Gorki estate, Moscow province
Chapter Soviet government(1917–1924).
Revolutionary, founder of the Bolshevik Party, one of the organizers and leaders of the October Socialist Revolution of 1917, chairman of the Council of People's Commissars (government) of the RSFSR and the USSR. Marxist philosopher, publicist, founder of Leninism, ideologist and creator of the 3rd (Communist) International, founder of the Soviet state. One of the most famous politicians of the 20th century.
Founder of the USSR
Biography of Vladimir Lenin
V. Ulyanov's father, Ilya Nikolaevich, was an inspector of public schools. After being awarded the Order of St. Vladimir III degree in 1882, he received the right to hereditary nobility. Mother, Maria Alexandrovna Ulyanova (née Blank), was a teacher, but did not work. The family had 5 children, among whom Volodya was the third. A friendly atmosphere reigned in the family; parents encouraged the curiosity of children and treated them with respect.
In 1879 - 1887. Volodya studied at the gymnasium, which he graduated from 
gold medal.
In 1887 for preparing an attempt on the life of the emperor Alexander III the elder brother Alexander Ulyanov (Narodnaya Volya revolutionary) was executed. This event affected the lives of all members of the Ulyanov family (formerly a respected noble family was subsequently expelled from society). The death of his brother shocked Volodya, and since then he has become an enemy of the tsarist regime.
In the same year, V. Ulyanov entered the law faculty of Kazan University, but in December he was expelled for participating in a student meeting.
In 1891, Ulyanov graduated as an external student from the law faculty of St. Petersburg University. Then he came to Samara, where he began working as an assistant to a barrister.
In 1893, in St. Petersburg, Vladimir joined one of the many revolutionary circles and soon became known as an ardent supporter of Marxism and a propagandist of this doctrine in working circles. In St. Petersburg, he began an affair with Apollinaria Yakubova, a revolutionary, a friend of his older sister Olga.
In 1894 - 1895. Vladimir's first major works, "What are "friends of the people" and how they fight against the Social Democrats" and "The Economic Content of Populism", were published, in which the populist movement was criticized in favor of Marxism. Soon Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov met Nadezhda Konstantinovna Krupskaya.
In the spring of 1895, Vladimir Ilyich left for Geneva to meet with members of the Emancipation of Labor group. And in September 1895 he was arrested for creating the St. Petersburg Union of Struggle for the Emancipation of the Working Class.
In 1897, Ulyanov was exiled for 3 years to the village of Shushenskoye, Yenisei province. During the exile, Ulyanov married Nadezhda Krupskaya ...
Many articles and books on revolutionary topics were written in Shushensky. The works were published under various pseudonyms, one of which is Lenin.
Lenin - years of life in exile
In 1903, the famous II Congress of the Social Democratic Party of Russia took place, during which there was a split into Bolsheviks and Mensheviks. He stood at the head of the Bolsheviks, and soon created the Bolshevik Party.
In 1905, Vladimir Ilyich led the preparations for the revolution in Russia. 
He directed the Bolsheviks to an armed uprising against tsarism and the establishment of a truly democratic republic.
During the revolution of 1905-1907. Ulyanov lived illegally in St. Petersburg and led the Bolshevik Party.
1907 - 1917 years were spent in exile.
In 1910, in Paris, he met Inessa Armand, with whom relations continued until Armand's death from cholera in 1920.
In 1912, at the Social Democratic Party Conference in Prague, the left wing of the RSDLP emerged as a separate party of the RSDLP(b), the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party of the Bolsheviks. He was immediately elected head of the central committee (CC) of the party.
In the same period, thanks to his initiative, the newspaper Pravda was created. Ulyanov organizes the life of his new party, encouraging the expropriation of funds (actually robbery) into the party fund.
In 1914, at the beginning of World War I, he was arrested in Austria-Hungary on suspicion of spying for his country.
After his release, he left for Switzerland, where he put forward a slogan calling for the transformation imperialist war into a civilian one, to overthrow the government that dragged the state into the war.
In February 1917, I learned about the revolution that had taken place in Russia from the press. On April 3, 1917 he returned to Russia.
On April 4, 1917, in St. Petersburg, the theorist of communism outlined the program for the transition from the bourgeois-democratic revolution to the socialist one ("All Power to the Soviets!" or "April Theses"). He began preparations for an armed uprising and put forward plans to overthrow the Provisional Government.
In June 1917 passed the 1st Congress of Soviets, at which he was supported by only about 10% of those present, but he declared that the Bolshevik Party was ready to take power in the country into its own hands.
On October 24, 1917, he led the uprising in the Smolny Palace. And on October 25 (November 7), 1917, the Provisional Government was overthrown. The Great October Socialist Revolution took place, after which Lenin became chairman of the Council of People's Commissars people's commissars. He built his policy, hoping for the support of the world proletariat, but did not receive it.
At the beginning of 1918, the leader of the revolution insisted on signing Brest Peace. As a result, a huge part of the territory of Russia departed to Germany. The disagreement of the majority of the population of the country of Russia with the policy of the Bolsheviks led to civil war 1918 - 1922
The left-SR rebellion that took place in July 1918 in St. Petersburg was brutally suppressed. After that, a one-party system is established in Russia. Now V. Lenin is the head of the Bolshevik Party and all of Russia.
On August 30, 1918, an attempt was made on the life of the Head of the Party, he was seriously wounded. After that, the "Red Terror" was declared in the country.
Lenin developed the policy of "war communism".
The main ideas are quotes from his writings:
- The main goal of the Communist Party is the implementation of the communist revolution, followed by the construction of a classless society free from exploitation.
- There is no universal morality, but only class morality. The morality of the proletariat is that which meets the interests of the proletariat (“our morality is completely subordinated to the interests of the class struggle of the proletariat”).
- The revolution will not necessarily take place all over the world at the same time, as Marx believed. It can first occur in one, separately taken country. This country will then help the revolution in other countries.
- Tactically, the success of the revolution depends on the rapid capture of communications (post, telegraph, railway stations).
- Before building communism, an intermediate stage is necessary - the dictatorship of the proletariat. Communism is divided into two periods: socialism and communism proper.
According to the policy of “war communism”, free trade was prohibited in Russia, barter in kind (instead of commodity-money relations) and surplus appropriation were introduced. At the same time, Lenin insisted on the development of state-type enterprises, on electrification, and on the development of cooperation.
A wave of peasant uprisings passed through the country, but they were brutally suppressed. Soon, on the personal orders of V. Lenin, the persecution of the Russian Orthodox Church. About 10 million people became victims of "war communism". Russia's economic and industrial indicators have declined sharply.
In March 1921, at the Tenth Party Congress, V. Lenin put forward the program of the "new economic policy" (NEP), which slightly changed the economic crisis.
In 1922, the leader of the world proletariat suffered 2 strokes, but did not stop leading the state. In the same year, Russia was renamed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).
At the beginning of 1923, realizing that a split was emerging in the Bolshevik Party, and that his state of health had worsened, Lenin wrote his Letter to the Congress. In a letter, he gave a characterization to all the leading figures of the Central Committee and proposed to remove Joseph Stalin from the post of General Secretary.
In March 1923, he suffered a third stroke, after which he became paralyzed.
January 21, 1924 V.I. Lenin died in the village. Gorki (Moscow region). His body was embalmed and placed in the Mausoleum on Red Square in Moscow.
After the collapse Soviet Union in 1991, the question was raised about the need to remove from the Mausoleum and bury the body and brain of the first leader of the USSR. In modern times, there are still discussions about this from various statesmen, political parties and forces, as well as representatives of religious organizations.
V. Ulyanov also had other pseudonyms: V. Ilyin, V. Frey, Iv. Petrov, K. Tulin, Karpov and others.
In addition to all his deeds, Lenin stood at the origins of the creation of the Red Army, which won the civil war.
The only official state award that a fiery Bolshevik was awarded was the Order of Labor of the Khorezm People's Socialist Republic(1922).
Lenin's name
The name and image of V. I. Lenin was canonized by the Soviet government along with 
October Revolution and Joseph Stalin. Many cities, towns and collective farms were named after him. In every city there was a monument to him. Numerous stories about “grandfather Lenin” were written for Soviet children, the words “Leninists”, “Leniniad”, etc.
Images of the leader were on the front side of all tickets of the State Bank of the USSR in denominations from 10 to 100 rubles from 1937 to 1992, as well as 200, 500 and 1 thousand "Pavlovian rubles" of the USSR 1991 and 1992 issue.
Lenin's works
According to a poll by the FOM in 1999, 65% of the Russian population considered the role of V. Lenin in the history of the country positive, and 23% - negative.
He wrote a huge number of works, the most famous:
- "The Development of Capitalism in Russia" (1899);
- "What to do?" (1902);
- "Karl Marx (a short biographical sketch outlining Marxism)" (1914);
- "Imperialism as the highest stage of capitalism (popular essay)" (1916);
- "State and Revolution" (1917);
- "The Tasks of Youth Unions" (1920);
- "On the pogrom persecution of Jews" (1924);
- "What is Soviet power?";
- "Our Revolution".
The speeches of the fiery revolutionary are recorded on many gramophone records.
Named after him:
- Tank "Freedom Fighter Comrade Lenin"
- Electric locomotive VL
- icebreaker "Lenin"
- "Electronics VL-100"
- Vladilena (852 Wladilena) - a minor planet
- numerous cities, villages, collective farms, streets, monuments.
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin is a politician and revolutionary. He was born in 1870 in Simbirsk. Throughout his life he founded many parties of the Soviet Union. He graduated from the Simbirsk gymnasium, and entered Kazan University. There he studied for a short time. He was expelled due to participation in the student movement. After here in Kazan, he became a member of the Marxist circle. In 1983, in St. Petersburg, he took up journalism, began to study social democracy and political economy. In 1895 he went abroad, and some time later founded the Union of Struggle for the Emancipation of the Working Class party.
Because of his deeds, he was exiled to the Yenisei province. Here he met his future wife N. Krupskaya. He devoted a lot of time to writing his works. His writings were based on how he sees the party. In 1900, Lenin's punishment ended, and he went to live in the city of Pskov. Collaborating with social activists, he started the publishing house of the Iskra newspaper and the Zorya magazine. During the revolution, in 1907, Lenin was in Switzerland. Many party members were arrested. Lenin continued his activities and prepared a new uprising and demonstrations. He led the proletarian revolution, but he had to go into hiding, as his arrest was announced. Later he became the head of the new leadership of the Council of People's Commissars.
In 1917 the revolution was over, Lenin concluded a peace treaty with Germany and became the founder of the Red Army.
Lenin changed the economy of the state and directed all his efforts to development Agriculture, he also founded a new state - the USSR. Lenin died on January 21, 1924, due to deteriorating health. After his death, monuments dedicated to Lenin were erected in many cities, libraries were opened, streets were named after him. Lenin's body is kept in the Moscow mausoleum.
Brief biography of Lenin for children.
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Lenin is a world famous political figure, the leader of the Bolshevik Party (revolutionary), the founder of the state of the USSR. Who is Lenin, almost everyone knows. He is a follower of the great philosophers F. Engels and K. Marx.
Who is Lenin? Summary of his biography
Ulyanov Vladimir was born in Simbirsk in 1870. And in the city of Ulyanovsk he spent his childhood and youth.
From 1879 to 1887 he studied at the gymnasium. After graduating with a gold medal, Vladimir in 1887, together with his family, already without Ilya Nikolaevich (he died in January 1886), moved to live in Kazan. There he entered Kazan University.
There, in 1887, Active participation in a gathering of students, he was expelled from the educational institution and exiled to the village of Kokushkino.
The patriotic spirit of protest against the tsarist system existing at that time and the oppression of the people awakened early in the young man.
The study of advanced Russian literature, the works of great writers (Belinsky, Dobrolyubov, Herzen, Pisarev) and especially Chernyshevsky led to the formation of his advanced revolutionary views. The elder brother introduced Vladimir to Marxist literature.
From that moment on, young Ulyanov devoted his entire future life to the struggle against the capitalist system, to the cause of the liberation of the people from oppression and slavery.
Ulyanov family
Knowing who Lenin is, one involuntarily wants to know in more detail what family such a brilliant, enlightened person came from.
Vladimir's parents, in their views, belonged to the Russian intelligentsia.
Grandfather - N. V. Ulyanov - from the serfs of the Nizhny Novgorod province, an ordinary tailor-craftsman. He died in poverty.
Father - I. N. Ulyanov - after graduating from Kazan University, he was a teacher of secondary educational institutions Penza and Nizhny Novgorod. Subsequently, he worked as an inspector and director of schools in the province (Simbirsk). He loved his job very much.
Vladimir's mother - M. A. Ulyanova (Blank) - a doctor by training. She was gifted and had great abilities: she knew several foreign languages She played the piano well. She received her own education at home and, having passed an external exam, became a teacher. Dedicated to children.
Vladimir's elder brother A.I. Ulyanov was executed for participating in the attempt on the life of Alexander III in 1887.
Vladimir's sisters - A. I. Ulyanova (by her husband - Elizarova), M. I. Ulyanov, and brother D. I. Ulyanov at one time became prominent figures in the Communist Party.
Parents brought up in them honesty, diligence, attention and sensitivity to people, responsibility for their deeds, actions and words, and most importantly - a sense of duty.
Ulyanov Library. The acquisition of knowledge
In the process of studying (with numerous awards) at the Simbirsk gymnasium, Vladimir received excellent knowledge.
In the home family library, the Ulyanovs had a huge number of works by great Russian writers - Pushkin, Lermontov, Turgenev, Gogol, Dobrolyubov, Tolstoy, Herzen, as well as foreign ones. There were editions of Shakespeare, Huxley, Darwin and many others. others
This advanced literature of those times had a great and important influence on the formation of the views of the young Ulyanovs on everything that happened.
Formation of personal political views, publication of the first political newspapers
In 1893, in St. Petersburg, Vladimir Ulyanov studied social democratic issues, was engaged in journalism and was fond of political economy.
Since 1895, the first attempts to travel abroad have been made. In the same year, Lenin traveled outside the country to establish good connections with the Emancipation of Labor group and other leaders of the European Social Democratic parties. In Switzerland, he met with GV Plekhanov. As a result, they learned about who Lenin was politicians other countries.
After the trips, Vladimir Ilyich, already in his homeland, organizes the party "Union of Struggle for the Emancipation of the Working Class" (St. Petersburg, 1895).
After that, he was arrested and sent to the Yenisei province. Three years later, it was there that Vladimir Ilyich married N. Krupskaya and wrote many of his works.
Moreover, at that time he had several pseudonyms (except for the main one - Lenin): Karpov, Ilyin, Petrov, Frey.
Further development of revolutionary political activity
Lenin is the organizer of the 2nd Congress of the RSDLP. Subsequently, he drew up the charter and plan of the party. Vladimir Ilyich, with the help of the revolution, tried to create a completely new society. During the revolution of 1907, Lenin was in Switzerland. The leadership then passed to him after the arrest of most of the party members.
After the next congress of the RSDLP (3rd), he was engaged in preparing an uprising and demonstrations. Although the uprising was crushed, Ulyanov did not stop working. He publishes "Pravda", writes new works. Who is Vladimir Lenin, at that time, many have already learned from his numerous publications.
The strengthening of new revolutionary organizations continues.
After the February Revolution of 1917, he returned to Russia again and led an uprising against the government. Goes underground to avoid arrest.
After the revolution (October 1917), Lenin began to live and work in Moscow in connection with the Central Committee of the party and government moving there from the city of Petrograd.
The results of the revolution of 1917
After the revolution, Lenin founds the proletarian Red Army, the 3rd Communist International and concludes a peace treaty with Germany. From now on, the country has a new economic policy, the direction of which is growth National economy. Thus, a socialist state, the USSR, is being formed.
The overthrown exploiting classes turned against the new Soviet power struggle and terror. In August 1918, an attempt was made on Lenin, he was wounded by F. E. Kaplan (Socialist-Revolutionary).
Who is Vladimir Ilyich Lenin for the people? After his death, the cult of his personality grew. Monuments to Lenin were laid everywhere, many urban and rural facilities were renamed in his honor. Many cultural and educational institutions (libraries, houses of culture) named after Lenin were opened. The mausoleum of the great Lenin in Moscow still keeps the body of the greatest political figure.
Last years
Lenin was a militant atheist and fought hard against the influence of the church. In 1922, taking advantage of the dire situation of famine in the Volga region, he called for the seizure of the valuables of churches.
Pretty hard work and an injury spoiled the health of the leader, and in the spring of 1922 he became seriously ill. Periodically, he returned to work. His last year has been tragic. A serious illness prevented him from completing all his affairs. Here, between close associates, a struggle arose for the great "Leninist heritage."
He was able, overcoming illness, at the end of 1922 and at the beginning of February 1923, to dictate several articles and letters that made up his "Political Testament" for the Party Congress (12th).
In this letter, he proposed that I.V. Stalin be moved from the post of general secretary to another place. He was convinced that he would not be able to use his immense power carefully, as he should.
Shortly before his death, he moved to Gorki. The proletarian leader died in 1924, on January 21.
Relations with Stalin
Who is Stalin? Both Lenin and Iosif Vissarionovich worked together along the party line.
They met in person in 1905 at the RSDLP conference in Tammerfors. Until 1912, Lenin did not single him out among many party workers. Between them until 1922 there were more or less a good relationship although controversy often arose. Relations deteriorated greatly towards the end of 1922, as it is believed, in connection with Stalin's conflict with the leadership of Georgia ("Georgian case") and a small incident with Krupskaya.
After the death of the leader, the myth about the relationship between Stalin and Lenin changed several times: sometimes Stalin was one of Lenin's associates, then he became his student, then a faithful continuer of the great cause. And it turned out that the revolution began to have two leaders. Then Lenin turned out to be not so needed, and Stalin acted as the only leader.
Outcome. Who is Lenin? Briefly about the stages of its activity
Under the leadership of Lenin, a new state administrative apparatus was formed. The lands of the landlords were confiscated and nationalized along with transport, banks, industry, etc. The Soviet Red Army was created. Slavery and national oppression have been abolished. There were decrees on food issues. Lenin and his government fought for world peace. The leader introduced the principle of collective leadership. He became the leader of the international labor movement.
Who is Lenin? about this unique historical personality everyone should know. After the death of the great leader, people were brought up on the ideals of Vladimir Ilyich. And the results were good.
Time passes and changes political systems, views, values. Leaders are changing. Many children born in the 21st century cannot answer with certainty who Lenin, Stalin, Brezhnev were ... Although until recently, every self-respecting Soviet citizen knew not only the year of birth of Lenin and where the leader of the world proletariat was born, but also the main theses each plenum Our contemporaries do not consider it necessary to memorize such information. It makes no sense to discuss whether this is good or bad, but for the sake of erudition, you can find out where Lenin was born. And it happened in the city of Simbirsk. In 1924 it was renamed Ulyanovsk.
A bit from the history of the city where Lenin was born
This city is located on the banks of the Volga and Sviyaga rivers, almost 1000 km southeast of Moscow. Founded in 1648 as a fortress to protect against raids by nomadic tribes from the east. A decree on this was issued by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. This fortress was called Simber. After more than 200 years, Catherine the Second renamed the city Simbirsk and made it the center Emperor Paul in 1796 confirmed this administrative status of the city.
Relocation of the Ulyanov family to Simbirsk
Vladimir Ulyanov's parents were educated and intelligent people. In particular, his father, Ilya Nikolaevich Ulyanov, graduated from the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Kazan University, and in 1854 received a candidate mathematical sciences. He was a successful teacher in the gymnasiums of Penza and Nizhny Novgorod, but for ideological reasons he moved to Simbirsk. Why? The fact is that after in 1861 Russia was swept by a wave of Europeanization and public education. All conscious teachers were eager to work in this field and contribute to the education of the common people, and not just the children of wealthy parents, as was the case before. Ilya Nikolaevich Ulyanov was seized by this idea. Therefore, when the post of inspector of public schools became vacant in Simbirsk, he moved his family there without hesitation and was appointed to the post in 1869.
Simbirsk in the time of the Ulyanovs
The population of the city at the time of the arrival of the parents of Vladimir Ulyanov (Lenin) was 26 thousand inhabitants, but it could not be called a province far from cultural life. Back in the 18th century, the first theater in Russia existed here, in 1838 its own newspaper began to be printed, a public library functioned, and a telegraph worked. That is, all the benefits of civilization of that time were available. In addition, since Simbirsk was located on the large navigable Volga River, the waterway connected it with other major cities. As a result, trade also developed. Thus, the city where Vladimir Lenin was born justified the title of "noble nest".
Also, five years before the Ulyanovs moved, Simbirsk experienced a big fire. But this even served the benefit of the city, because it was rebuilt according to a new plan, wide streets and beautiful gardens appeared.
Nomadic life in rented apartments
As an inspector of public schools, official Ulyanov was not supposed to have state housing, so the growing family had to be content with rented housing. That is why during the 18 years they lived in Simbirsk, they had to change seven houses.
The first housing was the outbuilding of the house on Streletskaya street, which belonged to Pribylovsky. Ilya Nikolaevich moved there in the autumn of 1869 with his wife and two children, Anna and Alexander. Immediately in 1970, the third child was born, Vladimir - the future builder of communism.
Six months later, the family moved to live from the wing to one of the apartments in the same house. Then daughter Olga was born. But they did not live long in the house where Lenin was born. They had to move to a neighboring one on the same street, which belonged to Zharkova. Then there were three more rented apartments until Ilya Nikolaevich in 1878 acquired own house on Moscow street. But there the family also lived relatively little. The breadwinner and head of the family passed away early, and the eldest son Alexander was also executed on charges of plotting against the emperor. Therefore, in 1887, the house was decided to be sold. Shortly thereafter, the Ulyanovs left Simbirsk and
Lenin memorial in Ulyanovsk
Lenin's hometown was renamed Ulyanovsk in 1924. And in 1970, on the centenary of his birth, a memorial memorial was opened in the city where Lenin Vladimir Ilyich was born. It includes the houses of Pribylovsky and Zharkova, where the Ulyanovs lived, their own house on Moskovskaya, as well as the Large Universal Concert Hall and the House of Political Education. In the apartments where the Ulyanov family lived, everything was kept almost unchanged. You can also see a diorama depicting Simbirsk in the 1880s.
Lenin's hometown today
Now Ulyanovsk is a large regional center with a population of over 600,000. It is divided into four districts: Leninsky, Zheleznodorozhny, Zasviyazhsky and Zavolzhsky. The latter is located on the opposite bank and is connected to the other two bridges - Imperial and Presidential. But the Leninsky district has always been considered the most prestigious. Even before the arrival of the Ulyanovs, only merchants and nobles lived here. Many buildings of those times have been preserved in their original form. And the street where Lenin was born is considered a historical monument and is pedestrian.
Many Russians and foreigners come to Ulyanovsk every year. They want to visit this street and the house where Lenin was born. The city is also of considerable interest. It annually receives thousands of tourists who want to visit the homeland of the light of the October Revolution.
Disputes about the personality of Lenin and his influence on history have not subsided to this day. Some praise him, others attribute to him all the existing sins. We will try to avoid extremes and briefly describe what Lenin is famous for and what mark he left in history.
Origin of Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, whom the world knows today as Lenin, was born on April 22, 1870. His father was an inspector of public schools in the Simbirsk province, and his grandfather was a former serf. The subject of disputes and discussions is the nationality of Lenin. There is no reliable information about whether he himself attached any importance to this. In his family there were representatives of Russians, Jews, Kalmyks, Germans, Swedes and Chuvashs.
The brother of Vladimir Ilyich, Alexander, was in the ranks of the conspirators who were preparing an attempt on the life of the emperor. For that young man executed, which was a heavy blow to the entire family. Perhaps it was this event that led Lenin to the path of revolution.
Beginning of revolutionary activity
In 1892-1893 Lenin became a supporter of social democratic ideas. He believed that the Russian workers should dump royal power and lead your country, and then the whole world, to a communist revolution. Other Marxists were not so determined. They believed that Russia was not ready for such cardinal changes, that its proletariat was too weak, and that the material base for new production relations had not yet matured. Lenin, on the other hand, preferred to ignore the fears of his contemporaries and believed that the most important thing was to make a revolution.
Vladimir Ilyich contributed to the fact that the scattered revolutionary circles became a single "Union of Struggle for the Emancipation of the Working Class." This organization was very active in propaganda activities. In 1895, Lenin, like many other members of the Union, was arrested. In 1897 he was sent into exile in the village of Shushenskoye. In 1898 he entered into an official marriage with his companion N. Krupskaya. At the request of the chief of police, they even got married, although they were atheists. One of the exiles made them wedding rings from a copper coin.
In exile, Lenin advised the peasants on legal matters, prepared documents for them, established contacts with the Social Democrats major cities and also wrote many of his fundamental works. Later he settles in Pskov, publishes the Iskra newspaper, the Zarya magazine, organizes the second congress of the RSDLP, draws up the party charter and work plan. During the revolution of 1905-1907. he was in Switzerland. Many party members were arrested, with the result that leadership passed to Lenin. A long period of emigration begins. In January 1917, in Switzerland, he says that he does not hope to live to see the coming great revolution but believes that the current younger generation will see it. Soon, the February Revolution took place in Russia, which Lenin considered a conspiracy of "Anglo-French imperialists."
Rise to power
April 3 (16) Lenin returns to his homeland. Speaking at the Finland Station, he called for a "social revolution". Such radicalism confused even his devoted supporters. In the famous "April Theses", he proclaims a course towards the transition bourgeois revolution into the proletariat.
Lenin becomes the leader of the October armed uprising. The seizure of power was successful, as the country was going through an acute economic, political and military crisis. How old was Lenin when he made the revolution? He was 47, but for his ideas he fought with youthful uncompromisingness.
In 1917, contemporaries did not take the revolution seriously. They called it a coup and considered it a misunderstanding - accidental and temporary. But no matter how we evaluate Lenin's personality today, one thing cannot be taken away from him: he was able to feel the pain points of the people and subtly played on this. He understood that most ordinary people concerned about two issues: the distribution of land and the conclusion of peace. The elite called Lenin's supporters German spies and accused them of betrayal. But for ordinary people, traitors were those who drove the soldiers to war and did not give the peasants land. Having come to power, the Bolsheviks began to eliminate the chaos in which the country was mired after February Revolution. They opposed order to anarchy and squabbles in the ranks of their opponents - and he naturally won.
In December 1922, Lenin's health was deteriorating. During this period, he dictated a number of notes, including the famous "Letter to the Congress." Some people tend to look at this document as Lenin's testament. They argue that if the country had continued to follow the true Leninist path, then many problems would not have arisen. If one adheres to this point of view, then Stalin deviated from the precepts of his predecessor, for which the whole people paid.
Lenin's key statements in the letter boil down to the following:
- difficulties in relations between Stalin and Trotsky threaten the unity of the party;
- perhaps Stalin will not be able to use his power carefully enough;
- Trotsky is a very capable man, but overconfident.
AT last years some historians begin to doubt that the famous letter was really dictated by Lenin and attribute the authorship to N. Krupskaya. This question, obviously, will be the subject of discussion for a long time.
When Lenin died, to replace the new economic policy came the radical industrialization of Stalin. Because of this, Lenin and Stalin are sometimes contrasted on the principle of "good-bad". But Lenin himself viewed the NEP as a temporary measure. In addition, the Stalinist NKVD is the heir to the Leninist VKCh. History does not know the subjunctive mood, so we can evaluate Lenin only by his accomplishments.
For many people of the older generation, the leader of the revolution remains a great personality. They remember Lenin's birthday and believe that his path was in many ways the right one. Well, the younger generation has yet to give an objective assessment of his activities and do everything to prevent future leaders from repeating his mistakes.