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Vladimir Lenin and his place in history

Who is Vladmir Lenin?
Who is Vladmir Lenin?

At a time when social media is ablaze with his name, it is only fitting that we throw some light on Vladimir Lenin. Who was Vladimir Lenin? What were his actions and motives behind them? What makes him a name to reckon with, decades after his time? Join us as we explore the man that was Vladimir Lenin.

The early life of Vladimir Lenin

Born as Vladimir Ilich Ulanov in 1870, Vladimir Lenin was a political theorist, politician and most importantly, the founder and first head of the Soviet Union of Russia. According to history, he adopted the name Lenin in 1901 while being actively involved in politics.

Born into a family that laid emphasis on education, Lenin reportedly came out of high school in flying colors, showing a penchant for Greek and Latin. He was the third of six children and a voracious reader. It is widely reported that all of his siblings had an involvement in politics. In fact, his older brother Aleksander (who was part of the opposition), was executed by the Russian government for being part of a plan to assassinate the Emperor.

Around this time, Lenin enrolled at Kazan University to study law. It was here that he was exposed to a radical school of thought and he became part of a student body that represented men from a particular region. However, his time at the university was short lived. He was expelled for taking part in a demonstration against the government for banning student bodies such as his own. Lenin, however, completed the course as an external student.

Transition to Marxist theories

His expulsion led to an exile, after which, Lenin went on to live with his sister Anna (who had also been exiled by the Police). His interest in reading took over again and he discovered German philosopher Karl Marx’s book- Das Kapital. It is in time revealed that the book left a lasting impact on Lenin and was influential in his interest in Marxism.

Marxism is a theory that says the society develops only in stages and threw light on struggles of the working and lower cases. Around this time, Lenin transformed into a revolutionary and moved to St. Petersburg (then capital of Russia). He worked with others of the same belief, including his fiance Nadezhda Krupskaya. The entire group was sent into exile to Siberia for their activities.

After his return from exile, Lenin would go on to start a newspaper to unify all Marxists in Europe and Asia and would step up his political game.

Russian Revolution and World War 1

In the year 1901, Russia waged a war with Japan that caused a strain on the domestic and economic status of the country. Following an attack on unarmed working men by Emperor Nicholas II, the Russian Revolution began. As a result, Lenin went on to lead the Bolshevik fraction of Russian Social Democratic Worker’s Party.

Following the October Revolution and the Civil War, he went on to rule over the country. Events in histroy at this juncture point out to him being insensitive to the sufferings of his country. He went on to be known as a merciless ruler and showed no empathy.

In the year 1920, a group of revolutionaries from India passed a resolution directed at Vladimir Lenin. They expressed great admiration of the Soviet leader’s fight for the working class. “The Indian revolutionaries express their deep gratitude and their admiration of the great struggle carried on by Soviet Russia for the liberation of all oppressed classes and peoples, and especially for the liberation of India.”- read the statement.

Lenin’s response to this resolution was indicative of his thirst for the defeat of capitalism. “I am glad to hear that the principles of self-determination and the liberation of oppressed nations from exploitation by foreign and native capitalists, proclaimed by the Workers’ and Peasants’ Republic, have met with such a ready response among progressive Indians, who are waging a heroic fight for freedom,”- he said.

Assassination attempt and death

In the year 1918, Lenin barely survived an assassination attempt from the opposition. Although he survived, he was severely wounded and his health began to deteriorate from then on. He went on to suffer a stroke in the year 1922, before which history reports he had insomnia and frequent headaches.

He was still very keen on politics and in 1923, he issued a testament in which he condemned the dicatatorship government that took precedence over the Soviet government.

However, he suffered another stroke that same year that robbed him of his ability to speak. This ended his political career and nearly a year later, he suffered yet another stroke to which he succumbed.

His mortal remains were embalmed and kept for public display on Moscow’s Red Square.

His funeral was attended by thousands of people, despite the freezing weather. He was cremated with martial music and speeches by other political leaders. According to reports, Lenin’s mortal remains have been preserved for public display at Lenin’s Mausoleum, Red Square.