Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Leon Trotsky and his influence on Russia
Leon Trotsky and his influence on Russia
Leon Trotsky and his influence on Russia
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Leon Trotsky and his influence on Russia
Trotsky was significant in soviet history because he was the leader of the Petrograd Soviet up to the 1917 Bolshevik revolution, he founded the red army and lead to victory in civil war, he was regarded as the successor to Lenin, but he lost in the race of power with Stalin, his loyalty to the revolution and the Party meant that he did not fight for his survival until it was too late and he remained the icon for international communist. Trotsky held a dynamic role in the 1905 Revolution. He was the leading spokesman of the St Petersburg Soviet of Workers’ Deputies, and in this position he helped the organisation of the revolutionary strike movement among other activities. In the events, Trotsky was exiled in 1907 . During exile he wrote extensively on communism and revolutionary theories, and developed the theory of Permanent Revolution. Trotsky’s theory later became the main aim of the Comintern. Trotsky’s contribution to the 1917 October Revolution has been downplayed and often unseen completely …show more content…
As he was unable to compromise for his principle of the international revolution regardless of the needs of his country. He proposed to Germany for ‘neither peace, nor war’, a delay of any peace settlement for as long as possible. However, revolution did not occur in Germany as expected by Trotsky. Instead his poor decision allowed German troops to advance which had put Russia in a susceptible position. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed on 3 March 1918 resulted in harsh consequence for Russia. This means Trotsky’s contribution this time was detrimental for Russia. Trotsky lost his popularity and was humiliated for causing the disaster. Trotsky resigned as Foreign Commissar. This mistake gave opportunity for his opponents against him, as his actions had been clearly negative for Russia in terms of its territories and its expansion as a successful communist
Trotsky was a very influential man. Without him it is questionable whether they would have gone on to win the war. In his organising of the Red army. Trotsky used professional army officers to make sure the battles were carefully and tactically organised. He got political commissars to work with the officers and staff.
During WWI, Russia was in dire straits; they were at war with both neighboring and distant countries while also having internal conflicts. Recognizing the need to appease the German war machine, Lenin felt it essential to have the Russian state bound to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (Brest-Litovsk). Essentially ceding territory to Germany, this treaty created a sort of buffer between Germany and Russia, allowing the Russians to focus more on internal affairs. However, in April of 1922, Germany and Russia signed yet another treaty; the Treaty of Rapallo had both Germany and Russia renounce territorial and financial claims against each other. To ensure that relations would remain peaceful for at least the near future, Germany and Russia signed the 1926 Treaty of Berlin. Among other things, the purpose of the Treaty of Berlin was to solidify neutrality, sh...
Trotsky played a key role in the Bolshevik party, encouraging revolution, which saw the Bolsheviks gain power in 1917. He built up a strong Red Army during the civil war, used to ensure the survival of the Bolshevik government and was seen by many as the most likely candidate to take over as leader after Lenin’s death, showing the significance he was held in by Russians. However, evidence suggests that after Lenin’s death he lost his a considerable amount of power, eventually being exiled from the Communist party. In the short-term it is clear that Trotsky had a huge significance in the development of Russia, shown clearly through both his letters and documents, and the opinions of those close to Trotsky. The significance is obvious through his role in the build up to the October Revolution, his negotiations with Germany through the Brest-Litovsk Treaty, his contribution to Bolshevik success in the civil war and his attitude towards terror and his failure to out maneuver Stalin to succeed Lenin.
Lenin made a series of policies throughout the beginning of the Revolution and through his short time in public office that came to be collectively known as ‘Leninism’. There were many things that influenced Leninism, such as Karl Marx. Lenin had read Karl Marx and his...
Trotsky thought that Communism could not survive in the USSR alone. He argued that the capitalist countries of the West feared Communism and would try to destroy it. For this reason, he said, it was necessary to spread Communism to the countries of Western Europe and to their overseas colonies. This would be done by giving help to revolutionary groups and parties in Western Europe.
Lenin 's leadership was a crucial factor in consolidating Bolshevik power up until his death in 1924. His pragmatic leadership helped gain some initial support as well as giving him unquestioned authority within the party. Furthermore, his push for the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk to help save the revolution from foreign invasion was crucial and his practicality was further exemplified through War Communism and the introduction of the New Economic Policy (NEP). The use of terror under Lenin 's rule was also highly effective in removing political dissidents and exerting Bolshevik authority through coercive measures like the Cheka and the Red Terror. The accumulation of these factors centred on Lenin 's leadership helped stamp Bolshevik power across the Soviet Union.
Stalin was able to damage Trotsky’s reputation and political prestige, by tricking Trotsky for not showing up at Lenins funeral. After Lenins death, on the 21st of January 1924, on over three days, about three and a half million people queued to see Lenins body. Although many people felt hatred towards the regime, many felt a bona fide affection towards Lenin, which was comparable with the affection the people had to the Romanov dynasty, before the October Revolution. Throughout Lenins funeral, Stalin hoped that he could strengthen his position in the Party and remove Trotsky from his powerful position, which he was in. Trotsky turned ill just before Lenin’s death, and had settled in the south of Russia, to recover. Stalin contacted Trotsky about Lenins death and meant that Trotsky would not make it to the funeral. For Trotsky not attending the funeral, caused his reputation and political prestige, within the party, to be damaged. During Lenins funeral, Stalin made a speech referring t...
Lenin lead the first communist government in russia . When communist took over the city of petrograd , they decided to take out the provisional government . “Peace, bread and land” and “All power to the soviets” was said by Lenin to the cities workers with sayings such as these 2. In lenin's eyes he claimed that workers will and can not , be governed by themselves. Lenin promised to the Soviets that he would get his soldiers out of war plus he granted land ownership to the peasants and also gave them a opportunity to own shops in Soviet . The actual revolution only lasted two days. Trotsky had planned this and it was perfect execution . Trotsky held a speech in the city of petrograd to distract them while the red guards took over important parts of petrograd. Almost everything possible was captured. Lenin was like a spy during this revolution, he had to find the leaders of the provisional government and arrest them . At this time Alexander Kerensky was the president of the provisional
After the death of Lenin, his chief lieutenant Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin fought for control of the country. Stalin was able to win out over Trotsky and gain control of the Russian government. He felt that Lenin and Trotsky’s socialistic ideas were flawed in that they were to wait for other countries to revolt and become socialistic as well. Staling believed that a single country could make socialism .
Inspired by the works of Karl Marx, V.I. Lenin nonetheless drew his ideology from many other great 19th century philosophers. However, Marx’s “Communist Manifesto” was immensely important to the success of Russia under Leninist rule as it started a new era in history. Viewed as taboo in a capitalist society, Karl Marx started a movement that would permanently change the history of the entire world. Also, around this time, the Populist promoted a doctrine of social and economic equality, although weak in its ideology and method, overall. Lenin was also inspired by the anarchists who sought revolution as an ultimate means to the end of old regimes, in the hope of a new, better society. To his core, a revolutionary, V.I. Lenin was driven to evoke the class struggle that would ultimately transform Russia into a Socialist powerhouse. Through following primarily in the footsteps of Karl Marx, Lenin was to a lesser extent inspired by the Populists, the Anarchists, and the Social Democrats.
According to most historians, “history is told by the victors”, which would explain why most people equate communism with Vladimir Lenin. He was the backbone of Russia’s communist revolution, and the first leader of history’s largest communist government. It is not known, or discussed by most, that Lenin made many reforms to the original ideals possessed by many communists during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. He revised Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles’ theories to fit the so-called ‘backwardness’ of the Russian Empire. Lenin’s reforms were necessary to carry out a socialist revolution in Russia, and the contributions he made drastically changed the course of history. It can be assumed that, the Soviet Union would not have been as powerful if it was not for Lenin’s initial advocacy of violence and tight organization.
A power struggle for control of the Bolshevik party began after Vladimir Lenin's death in 1924. Among the several contenders, two of the most important names in this struggle were Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin. Ultimately, Stalin was able to secure power and vote out Trotsky. In the following essay I will discuss the reasons why Stalin rather than Trotsky emerged as the leader of the USSR in 1929.
To decide on Lenin’s importance, regarding Bolsheviks success in the November Revolution of 1917 we need to identify the factors that we can take into account. These include: Lenin’s April Thesis, His effective use of “Peace, Land, Bread” and his ability to convince the Bolshevik central committee for an immediate revolution. However over the course of the essay we will see that it’s not just Lenin’s leadership that was the reason for Bolshevik success, we also have the mistakes of the Provisional Government and its overall weakness.
Trotsky. Instead he was more of a mediocrity, described. as a grey blur which deceived people into trusting him. However, Stalin was a very cunning man. He made up for all of his weaknesses.... ...
Stalin, Lenin’s successor, dramatically transformed the government of the Soviet Union. Stalin was determined that the Soviet Union should find its place both politically and economically among the most powerful of nations in the world. Stalin worked to establish total control of all aspects of life in the Soviet Union. He controlled the government, the economy and many aspects of citizens’ private lives.