Lenins Economic Policies - 1093 Words

New economic policy (NEP) NEP era advertizement It was an idea based on ambition and imagination; an idea that worked so well, it managed to drag an entire country out of starvation and chaos and drive it onto the road to quick economic and industrial recovery. It created capitalism in a socialist state and cabaret-style debauchery under a military-communist regime. And like many other great yet paradoxical projects, perhaps, the Soviet Union’s New Economic Policy of the 1920s was too visionary to remain sustainable for long. Preconditions The year is 1921. Russia has just survived two revolutions, WWI and the Civil War. Not only the last royal family but the entire empire is gone, executed and left to deteriorate. Significant†¦show more content†¦In just five years Russia’s production grew by three times and surpassed pre-war, Tsar-era figures. At one point the ruble became stronger than both the US dollar and the Royal pound. Although, ironically, foreign trade was conducted using old Imperial golden coins which pictured not Soviet symbols but Tsar Nicholas II who was executed by the same communists in 1918. But, perhaps, the experiment, no matter how successful it was turning out to be, was already doomed. Lenin’s death NEP era poster Lenin’s health began worsening almost from the start of the NEP. He had a first stroke in May 1922 followed by a second one in March 1923 that heavily damaged the communist leader’s brain. Perhaps, realizing he didn’t have much time left, Lenin began looking for a possible successor and put together personal characteristics of some of the Party’s most prominent figures of the time, including Trotsky and Stalin. Lenin warned that giving Jospeh Stalin the seat as the Party’s secretary general would give him too much power which, according to Lenin, would be dangerous due to Stalin’s crude temper. But the hidden fight for power was already in full swing. By the fall of 1923 Stalin began openly forcing Trotsky away from power, turning the Party against him. Lenin died in January 1924 and by December the same year Trotsky was removed from all commanding posts while Stalin’s political weight gained strong momentum. The end of the NEP Stalin quickly beganShow MoreRelatedLenins New Economic Policy: A Study of Short and Long Term Viability2208 Words   |  9 PagesThe New Economic Policy instituted by Vladimir Lenin in 1922 was seen as a necessary evil in order to maintain power in the Soviet Union. While most historians agree with Lenin’s assessment and believe that without the change the entire Soviet economy would have collapsed there is a wide range of thoughts on the true effectiveness of the NEP. This paper will look at the progression of the NEP and the differing views Bolshevik leaders had on it as well as the perceived effectiveness of the limitedRead MoreStalin‚Äà ´s rise to power and his Key Domestic Policies1327 Words   |  6 Pagespower and the success of his Domestic policies. In April, Lenin, leader of the Bolshevik party returned from exile. His April thesis was popular with the people through his communist ideology and popular slogans â€Å"All power to the soviets† and â€Å"Peace, Bread, Land.† In November a second revolution, organised by Trotsky overthrew the provisional government (Todd, 2002). Lenin adopted a plan to help Russia back on its feet; the New Economic Policy (NEP); encouraging private enterpriseRead MoreLenin s The Bolshevik Party1270 Words   |  6 Pagessocialism with relative ease. In Lenin’s ‘April Theses,’ published after his return to Russia, he advocated for a transfer of all state power â€Å"to the hands of the proletariat and the poorest sections of the peasants. † When compared to the positions of Lenin’s fellow Bolsheviks in April of 1917, he appeared radically committed to Marxist ideology. Indeed, Suny states that â€Å"until Lenin returned from exile, most Bolsheviks were willing to support the new government and the policies of the soviet†¦ Lenin explodedRead MoreDid Lenin Lead to Stalin? Examine the Elements of Change and Continuity Within Soviet Russia 1917-1941.1369 Words   |  6 Pagesobvious, but also had continuing repercussions for decades. This essay will argue that although Lenin and Stalin seemed to have conflicting views, in reality they shared very similar policies; Stalin j ust took these policies to an extreme. There was a rather significant continuity between Lenin and Stalin’s policies on Political Control. When the Bolsheviks first came in to power Lenin banned Liberal parties who where seen as a threat and later banned all parties including the Social Revolutionaries’Read MoreLenin s Legacy Of The Soviet Revolution1531 Words   |  7 PagesLenin’s Legacy â€Å"History will not forgive Revolutionaries for procrastinating when they could be victorious today, while they risk losing much tomorrow, in fact, they risk losing everything† (Vladimir Lenin. Call to Power). Lenin was a persistent Russian ruler who wished to instill his communist views in Russian society at all costs. He was influential in motivating his followers to rise up and overthrow Russia’s weak government which lead to the reformation of Russia’s weak economy. Although LeninRead MoreThe Progression from Leninism to Stalinism Essay1405 Words   |  6 Pagesdifferences in policy. But in spite of these, Stalinism still found its basis in Leninism. Even Trotsky, a friend of Lenin and a staunch opponent of Stalin, grudgingly admits that Stalinism did issue from Bolshevism (Trotsky). Stalins policy of socialism in one country, his use of terror to eliminate opposition, and his suppression of democracy and the soviets were all characteristics of Lenin w ell before they were characteristic of Stalin. Although some of Stalins policies were differentRead MoreThe Triumph of the Bolsheviks Essay1252 Words   |  6 Pageswere responsible for many economic declines. This led to many arduous problems in which the Bolsheviks had to go through great triumphs in order to overcome them. Despite their success, they went through great struggle because of their somewhat obstinate yet determined behavior. In November 1917, a revolution took place in order to overthrow the Provisional Government. This brought the Bolsheviks to power, as Lenin had launched a series of policies to win the support ofRead MoreHow Successful Was Lenins Attempt to Create an Alternative Modernity in Russia by 1929?830 Words   |  4 PagesHow successful was Lenin’s attempt to create an alternative modernity in Russia by 1929? Overview The aim of this essay is to discuss how successful Lenin’s policies were in his attempt to create an alternative modernity in Russia by his death in 1924. By scrutinizing his actions and their individual impacts in relation to the desired modernity, historians can assess whether Lenin achieved the socialist dream he sought for. I will break down the essay into three components from which I can individuallyRead MoreAnalyse the Methods Used by One Single Party State Ruler in His Successful Bid for Power815 Words   |  4 Pagespolitical manipulation and demanding policies who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. However, the question of the legitimacy of his position as leader of the Bolshevik party still remains. Following the death of Lenin in 1924, a power vacuum developed within the Bolshevik party and it was clear that a leadership race between candidates had begun. Stalin was able to rise above men like Trotsky, Kamenev and Zinoviev to launch into new economic poli cies, collectivisation and industrialisationRead MoreRussia s Revolutionary Fabric : Lenin1599 Words   |  7 PagesRussia’s Revolutionary Fabric: Lenin Lenin believed in a distinctly violent revolutionary ideology. Lenin claimed that he strictly followed Marxism, yet his policies and actions did not reflect it. One need only to read Lenin’s What is to be Done? and contrast it with Marx’s The Manifesto of the Communist Party to note the stark differences between their ideologies. Lenin believed that the working class could not reach class consciousness – the realization that capitalism exploits the working class