Lenin was the leader of the first socialist revolution in the world. Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was and still is a very important figure in the Socialist movements across the world. His name is synonymous with the 1917 revolution in Russia, which has many implications for Modern Western Intellectual history.

Lenin was born in central European Russia on April 22, 1870. He was born into the nobility with a cultured family. He had an early love for literature and a serious attitude toward study. Lenin had five brothers and sisters, one of whom would shape Lenin's attitudes and actions throughout his life. Sasha, an older brother to Lenin, was executed when Lenin was finishing high-school. Sasha was involved in a plot to kill the Tsar. Lenin changed from, "an apolitical schoolboy into a radical to be reckoned with." (Reddaway and Schapiro, pg 40) His brother's death influenced his

In 1903 there was a setback in the unity of the movement. There was a split between Lenin and other leaders of the Iskra and Social Democrats. This split led to the emergence of two groups: the Bolsheviks, the group with which Lenin sided, and the Mensheviks. To be a Bolshevik means to be the majority and Menshevik the minority, Lenin had named the groups on his belief that he would lead socialist revolution. As the civil unrest gained momentum the Bolsheviks, contrary to their name, was a minority group. The demonstrations of January and February 1917 that culminated in the overthrow of the Tsar provided an opportunity for the Mensheviks to set up a provisional government. This government was much like the bourgeoisie government we have today in which the Mensheviks and the Social Democrats held most of the seats. The belief of the Mensheviks was one of a "stagest" theory of history. (Whiteman, interview) A bourgeoisie democracy must be established before the socialist revolution can occur. Lenin and the Bolsheviks believed that the time was conducive to revolution. (Whiteman, interview) Much to the dismay of the Mensheviks and Social Revolutionists in October of the same year backed by overwhelming support the Bolsheviks took control. "The October Revolution was the most mass, representative and popular of all the revolutions ever experienced by mankind. Not only did it not infringe the will of the people, on the contrary it reflected this from start to finish . . . The Party of Lenin first declared its aims in the political struggle, in an open and unambiguous manner, and then proceeded to armed insurrection relying in particular on the will of the electorate which had returned it with a majority . . . Yes, it is true that the Bolsheviks had recourse to suppression by violent means, but this was not violence against the people's will, but violence backed by the people, not going against the majority of the workers, peasants and other members of the toiling population but against the minority of the overthrown classes opposing the majority of the people." (Medvedev, pg 140) Lenin up to this point has been considered for the most part a pure practitioner of Marx's theories. After the fight for freedom from oppression was over Lenin had to switch from overthrowing a government to trying to keep a socialist government. "In a speech in January 1918 Lenin declared: 'We know very little about socialism . . . We are not in a position to give a description of socialism . . . The bricks of which socialism will be composed have not yet been made. We cannot say anything further.' " (Cliff: 1978, pg 62) The Bolsheviks had a hard task ahead of them. After a short time the counter-revolution had started. The bourgeoisie and capitalists were acting out to try and sabotage the revolution.

Cliff, Tony. Lenin: Revolution Besieged. London: Pluto Press Limited, 1978

Cliff, Tony. Lenin: Building the Party. London: Pluto Press Limited, 1975

In the spring of 1922 Lenin had the first of three strokes that end up killing him. He was only away from his work for a few months but later in the year had his second stroke and was never really the same again. After his second stroke he tried to set up a "system of deputation," so that no one person could be in control when he died or could no longer continue his work. (Wolfenstein, pg 258) Unfortunately for Lenin and his followers counter-revolution had begun. Famine and the war had killed many of the working class people. This left Russia vulnerable to the counter-revolutionary forces. This movement began within the Bolshevik party spearheaded by Stalin. He approved of the bureaucratization within the party and attempted to seize the reins of power from Leni

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Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)