Lenin
History: KS3, topic 17.4.3
The Role of Vladimir Lenin
The Bolshevik rise to power was fast but not predictable. There were lots of revolutionary parties, and the Bolsheviks had fewer members (23,000) than the Mensheviks (their main rivals on the left) at the start of the year.
Vladimir Lenin's return
- Vladimir Lenin was in exile with other leaders who did not have any role in the February Revolution.
- In April 1917, the Germans helped Lenin, a Bolshevik leader and skilled political operative, to return to Russia.
- The Germans wanted to cause unrest in Russia, and thought Lenin’s return would cause this.
Russia’s readiness for revolution
- Other Bolsheviks were sceptical that Russia was ready for a revolution.
- After all, most of the population were peasants and not workers. Russia’s industrial growth was slower than other western powers like Britain.
- But Bolshevik membership kept growing.
The ‘April Theses’
- Lenin’s manifesto, his ‘April Theses’, demanded an abandonment of the Provisional Government in favour of a radical turn towards the Soviets as the legitimate holders of power in Russia.
- Lenin also demanded that Russia pull out of the war.
- Lenin wanted land to be given to the peasants and wanted to end the social hierarchies that had existed under the tsar.
- The slogan ‘Bread, Peace, Land’ was associated with this message.
Popularity of the Bolsheviks
- At the All-Russian Congress of Soviets in 1917, other factions were still more popular than the Bolsheviks.
- Lenin claimed that his party was ready to overthrow the government, but most saw this suggestion as far-fetched.
Test yourself on Lenin
How many members did the Bolsheviks have at the beginning of 1917?
Fill in the following information about Lenin's April Theses