LENin STALin PUTin

During the years between the first and the second World Wars, Russia was a political mess to say the least. Because of the total inadequacy of the Russian army and supplies during World War I, eyes were opened to the complete incompetence of the tsarist regime. As a result of this dissatisfaction with the old rule, two revolutions occurred in Russia in the year 1917. A provisional government was established, with the hope that it would institute a constituent body that would write a constitution for a new Russian Republic. However, these revolutions eventually led to the triumph of the Bolsheviks, which included the dangerous Vladamir Lenin. His establishment of the Russian Socialist Republic marks the world's first ever constitutionally socialist state.

Immediately afterwards, the new government under Lenin's leadership proceeded to implement socialist reforms, specifically political and economic reforms. During the Civil War, Lenin's party imposed "war communism," extremely tight control over all aspects of the economy. In 1921, however, opposition to this practice led to Lenin's NEP or "New Economic Policy." This policy placed major industries and banks in government hands, but also allowed a significant degree of private enterprise. Surprisingly, this was a "small scale" version of capitalism. 

See.... Lenin wasn't always....

In terms of political reforms, Lenin reorganized Russia into a multitude of self-governing republics under the control of one central government. This can also be called the birth of the Soviet Union (USSR).... Dun Dun Dun! *dramatic animals*

After Lenin died in 1924, the question still remained as to how to build a successful socialist state. This issue became intertwined with the picking of Lenin's successor.

Choices:

Trotsky-leader of "Left Opposition" : believed communism could not survive unless it spread to other lands, favored the spread of the revolution to the industrialized nations of western Europe.

Bukharin-leader of "Right Opposition" : advocated the building of communism within the Soviet state

The new leader turns out to be Joseph Stalin. 

Stalin was completely uninterested in ideological debates; he wanted to establish his own power within the Soviet system. He deceivingly ousted both Bukharin and Trotsky from his party, thus placing himself in a position of undisputed authority. Stalin adopted the policy of the Left Opposition and its program to rapidly turn Russia into an industrial nation.

On this note.... the end!