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Vladimir Lenin: Russian revolutionary leader

(April 22, 1870-Jan 21, 1924)
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Vladimir Lenin, born Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov on April 22, 1870, in Simbirsk, Russia (now Ulyanovsk), was the founder of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and a pivotal figure in the global communist movement. As the leader of the Bolshevik Party, Lenin spearheaded the Russian Revolution of 1917, which dismantled the Romanov dynasty and laid the foundation for the establishment of the Soviet Union.

Lenin was born in a middle-class family, with his father serving as a school inspector. He exhibited intellectual brilliance early on and was deeply influenced by the execution of his elder brother, Aleksandr Ulyanov, for his involvement in a plot to assassinate Tsar Alexander III. This event, coupled with his exposure to the works of Karl Marx, ignited Lenin's revolutionary zeal. He enrolled at Kazan University to study law, but was expelled for participating in protests against the tsarist regime. Despite this setback, Lenin continued his studies independently, earning a law degree in 1891.

By the 1890s, Lenin became actively involved in Marxist circles, advocating for the overthrow of the tsarist autocracy. In 1895, he was arrested for his revolutionary activities and exiled to Siberia. During this time, he married Nadezhda Krupskaya, a fellow revolutionary and wrote extensively on Marxist theory. After his exile, Lenin travelled to Western Europe, where he collaborated with other exiled revolutionaries and founded the newspaper Iskra (‘The Spark’) to spread revolutionary ideas.

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In 1903, Lenin played a crucial role in the split of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party into two factions: the Bolsheviks, whom he led and the Mensheviks. Lenin's Bolsheviks advocated for a highly centralised party of professional revolutionaries, capable of seizing power through a proletarian uprising. This vision set him apart as a revolutionary strategist.

The outbreak of World War I in 1914 further polarised Russian society and Lenin viewed the war as an imperialist conflict that could hasten the fall of capitalism. In 1917, amid widespread discontent over the war and economic hardships, Lenin returned to Russia with German assistance, as Germany hoped his presence would destabilise the Russian government.

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Lenin's April Theses called for ‘peace, land and bread’ and immediate transfer of power to the soviets (workers’ councils). Under his leadership, the Bolsheviks successfully overthrew the Provisional Government during the October Revolution, establishing a socialist government.

As head of state, Lenin introduced radical policies, including land redistribution, nationalisation of industries and the withdrawal of Russia from World War I through the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. However, his government faced significant challenges, including a civil war (1918-1921) and opposition from both domestic and foreign forces.

Lenin's health deteriorated after a series of strokes and he died on January 21, 1924, at the age of 53. His embalmed body remains on display in Moscow’s Red Square. Lenin's ideas and leadership profoundly influenced 20th-century politics, inspiring communist movements worldwide while sparking intense debate over their implementation and legacy.

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