Emergence of Authoritarian States! by Nikhil Chakravarty

What Was Lenin's Role Helping to Create An Authoritarian State in Russia?

n28251 — 2015-10-05 18:08:40 UTC

Lenin always was a proponent of an authoritarian state. He drove the Bolshevik Revolution with the help of his military leader, Leon Trotsky. Once the working class had won the Revolution, Lenin, now in a position of power created the Bolshevik Party and the Politburo as a means to make decisions for the newly formed USSR. Lenin’s establishment of the Bolshevik Party led to people viewing him as a hero for fighting with the proletariat. Lenin’s vision was viewed as extremely revolutionary, which led to people supporting him. Lenin established the Politburo to allow the leaders of the party to decide on important decisions. He had displayed his power several times by reducing both Stalin and Trotsky’s growing power. This shows his administrative power and the huge role that he had in establishing the framework for an authoritarian state in Russia.

Photo Credits: Biography.com

April 16, 1917

n28251 — 2015-10-06 18:47:00 UTC

Lenin returns to Russia from exile in Finland.

Photo Credits: Wikipedia Creative Commons

April 22, 1870

n28251 — 2015-10-06 18:48:55 UTC

Born Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

Photo Credits: WikipediaCreative Commons

1893

n28251 — 2015-10-06 18:56:54 UTC

Lenin moves to St. Petersburg and starts to promote a revolution

Photo Credits: Wikipedia Creative Commons

February 1897

n28251 — 2015-10-06 18:59:26 UTC

Sentenced without trial to 3 years in exile in eastern Siberia

Photo Credits: Wikipedia Creative Commons

January 21,

n28251 — 2015-10-07 15:33:41 UTC

Lenin dies

Photo Credits: New York Times

n28251 — 2015-10-07 17:56:06 UTC

Throughout this time, Lenin gave speeches to show that Russia's move to Socialism through the practices of Marx was imminent through speeches, such as his address in Bern, where he said, “In Russia, from the very beginning of the war, the workers’ deputies in the Duma waged a determined revolutionary struggle against the war and the tsarist monarchy. Five workers’ deputies—Petrovsky, Badayev, Muranov, Shagov and Samoilov—distributed revolutionary manifestoes against the war and energetically carried on revolutionary agitation. Tsarism ordered the arrest of those five deputies, put them on trial, and sentenced them to lifelong exile in Siberia. For months the leaders of the working class of Russia have been pining in Siberia; but their cause has not gone under; their work is being continued by the class-conscious workers all over Russia.” By saying things like this, Lenin stirred up the proletariat (the working class) and led them to the point of revolution.

What is the Difference Between Persuasion and Coercion?

k27933 — 2015-10-07 18:02:39 UTC

Persuasion is the act of trying to influence someone's thoughts through a reasoned argument, but coercion is the act of forcing someone to take your beliefs through threats that can harm their interests.

Stalin and Persuasion

k27933 — 2015-10-07 18:07:12 UTC

Stalin uses persuasion techniques throughout his speeches to warn the people. However, later on he starts to threaten and coerce the people. (Great Terror, gulags etc.)

Gulags

j28171 — 2015-10-07 18:10:45 UTC

Stalin tortured defendants and threatened their families in order to confess to “absurd” charges. People sent to forced labour camps, known as Gulags, as prisoners with horrible living conditions.

j28171 — 2015-10-07 18:18:13 UTC

Stalin's use of Propaganda

k27933 — 2015-10-07 18:22:22 UTC

All corners of life were affected by propaganda. Education, media like movies and radio were especially effective, and posters were also used. What made Stalin different from other Bolshevik leaders was the creation of his cult of personality. This type of propaganda praised Stalin himself making his image appear flawless.

The Secret Police

j28171 — 2015-10-07 18:25:02 UTC

Secret police monitored and executed most of the terror.They executed the Great Purge, the systematic effort to eliminate the targeted people who were against Stalin.

Using Marxism

j28171 — 2015-10-07 18:34:35 UTC

“Socialism in One Country” emphasized the idea that the communist revolution in Russia should remain in Russia and they should focus on the revolution in Russia and not other countries.

LENIN TIMELINE

n28251 — 2015-10-08 18:18:25 UTC

STALIN TIMELINE

n28251 — 2015-10-08 18:23:58 UTC

December 21, 1879

n28251 — 2015-10-08 18:25:52 UTC

Born Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili

Photo Credits: sobadsogood.com

1902

n28251 — 2015-10-08 18:30:51 UTC

Stalin exiled to Siberia

Photo Credits: Wikipedia Creative Commons

Use of Marxism

j28171 — 2015-10-08 18:32:54 UTC

Lenin and Stalin used Marxism as the reason for the need for a revolution to overthrow the current capitalist government. Lenin, and eventually Stalin, stated that all the problems in the current government are due to capitalism and how the bourgeoisie oppress the lower class. Lenin further believed that the revolution should be lead by a small party.

1924

n28251 — 2015-10-08 18:39:11 UTC

Stalin proposed 'Socialism in One Country'

Photo Credits: Youtube

1928-1941

n28251 — 2015-10-09 01:07:58 UTC

Stalin imposes the Five Year Plan and collectivization

Photo Credits: Wikipedia Creative Commons

1943

n28251 — 2015-10-09 01:10:46 UTC

Stalin signs the Nazi-Soviet Pact

Photo Credits: Kizaz.com

March 5, 1953

n28251 — 2015-10-09 01:13:53 UTC

Stalin dies

Photo Credits: Daily Mail UK

Stalin Propaganda Speech: November 7, 1941

n28251 — 2015-10-09 01:19:20 UTC

Uploaded to Youtube by: Soviet_Union

Lenin Speech: The Middle Peasants

n28251 — 2015-10-09 01:25:17 UTC

Uploaded to Youtube by: 4Trotkyism

Stalin on the Great Purge

n28251 — 2015-10-09 01:35:57 UTC

Quoted from the diary of Lavrenty Beria, who was the chief of the the NKVD (Soviet security body)

"[Stalin] said, 'We used to have political enemies with real conspiracies against us. Now our prime enemy is the bureaucrat and the selfish careerist. There’s no need to shoot them. They are to be sacked, and the worst ones tried at court.'”

Stalin on the Expansion of Communism

n28251 — 2015-10-09 02:00:47 UTC

Quoted in Milovan Djilas' book, Conversations with Stalin (1963)

"This war is not as in the past; whoever occupies a territory also imposes on it his own social system. Everyone imposes his own system as far as his army can reach. It cannot be otherwise. If now there is not a communist government in Paris, this is only because Russia has no an army which can reach Paris in 1945."

Lenin on Disarmament

n28251 — 2015-10-09 02:04:45 UTC

"Disarmament is the ideal of socialism. There will be no wars in socialist society; consequently, disarmament will be achieved. But whoever expects that socialism will be achieved without a social revolution and the dictatorship of the proletariat is not a socialist. Dictatorship is state power based directly on violence. And in the twentieth century — as in the age of civilisation generally — violence means neither a fist nor a club, but troops. To put “disarmament” in the programme is tantamount to making the general declaration: We are opposed to the use of arms. There is as little Marxism in this as there would be if we were to say: We are opposed to violence!"

k27933 — 2015-10-11 23:10:05 UTC

k27933 — 2015-10-11 23:16:40 UTC

Stalin's Cult of personality

k27933 — 2015-10-12 15:20:02 UTC

Stalin built an image of himself as an all powerful all knowing leader. Praising himself as well as the USSR.