Violence Similarities between Lenin and Stalin Essay PDF

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To what extent were the ideological content and violent practices of Stalinism consisted with Leninist principles? essay plan...

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To what extent were the ideological content and violent practices of Stalinism consisted with Leninist principles? War communism under Lenin vs collectivization and dekulakisation under Stalin (also mention NEP under Lenin) Stalin was much more violent – show trials and purges however 1922 show trial of socialist revolutionaries – shows that they were not original to stalin – lenin purged political opponents, not party members Ideological rooting out of class enemies – lenin removed old order during civil war, stalin remove NEPmen and Kulaks during Five year plans Lenin worked for the revolution, Stalin worked for own means Lenin wanted multiculturalism while Stalin wanted Russification Stalin wanted socialism in one country Lenin’s banning of factions at the 10th Party Congress is often pointed to as a key policy which paved the way for Stalin’s autocratic régime. However, during the same Party Congress that the banning of factions was announced, Alexandra Kollontai and Alexander Shlyapnikov – leaders of the main Bolshevik faction ‘Workers’ Opposition’ – were elected to the Central Committee. Lenin had even appealed to the faction to ‘come and help us, come closer and help us in the fight’. It would be impossible for us imagine a scenario where Stalin would invite his greatest opponent, Trotsky, to the Central Committee. Lenin was not interested in suppressing opposition, as was the case of Stalin, but rather to prevent weakening, or even a split, in the party at a time of great instability. As Liebman put it, ‘nothing was less like the dictatorial autocracy of Stalinism than the kind of authority that Lenin exercised in the Bolshevik Party and the Soviet state.’ Cult of personality under Stalin – used Lenin to idolise himself

Para 1) Violence

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Seen in Lenin’s writings (state and violence/renegade Kautsky) Similarly seen in writings of Stalin – although his practices were more extreme Rooting out of class enemies Lenin show trials vs Stalin’s show trials the need for the violent withering away of state in the Renegade Kautsky it is highlighted how the working class during the Paris Commune failed make use of violent methods to preserve the uprising that they had already started – demonstrating continuity in Leninist thoughts on the use of violence and revolution Lenin uses the experience during the Paris Commune in 1871 to commemorate the violent efforts taken by the Communards, regarding the failed-revolution as historically important in the realisation of the first step towards a world proletarian revolution

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However, to achieve this end, there would be a period of struggle. This duality in State and Revolution reveals the origins of Soviet violence as it meant the creation of peace through violence, and the belief that periods of viciousness were needed to reach the ideal of communism. This is shown in Lenin’s argument that a violent revolution was inevitable to ‘suppress the bourgeoisie and crush their resistance’ and rid society of the old oppressive state Essentially, there would be no middle ground, showing Lenin’s unquestionable philosophy on violence – the revolution would not succeed in a peaceful takeover of power Kronstadt rebellion1921 and civil war

Para 2) Dictatorship

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Lenin did in part implement and practice in the way of a dictator – banning of factions at 10th party congress Stalin practiced a cult of personality – seen in propaganda and images – however, his form dictatorship was much more extreme – purging of own party, whereas Lenin only eradicated political opposition – notely, murder of kirov Communist Manifesto to demonstrate the revision in Marx’s thought as ‘the working class cannot simply pay hold of the ready-made state machinery and wield it for its own purposes’, implying that the proletariat need to use more violent methods under the guidance of a Soviet power in order for the success of the revolution. Stalin consolidated near-absolute power in the 1930s with a Great Purge of the party that claimed to expel "opportunists" and "counter-revolutionary infiltrators".(figes 2007) Stalin passed a new law on "terrorist organizations and terrorist acts" that were to be investigated for no more than ten days, with no prosecution, defense attorneys or appeals, followed by a sentence to be executed "quickly" – MOSCOW SHOW TRIALS – ‘enemy of the people’ (Overy 2004, The Dictators: Hitler's Germany and Stalin's Russia. pp.182)

Infamous Article 58 and the autocratic rule of the soviet union developed by lenin - Pipes, Richard (2001). Communism: A History. pp. 73–74 9 (find primary source)

Para 3) Economy

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War communism and collectivisation similar – dekulakisation, implement communism quickly, five-year plans Collectivisation policy witnessed in Lenin’s writing However, Lenin also changed his ideological policy to that of the NEP – suggests that Stalin approached the economy more harshly, whereas Lenin allowed for elements of capitalism to flourish before socialism could be achieved – NEP was always an interim measure – Stalin did initially support the policy Either we do it, or we shall be crushed' – however, when the policy was no longer bringing about the action Stalin desired (grain crisis 1928) it was necessary for change

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However, NEP strayed away from the ideas of Marxist-Leninism – lenin himself called it a ‘strategic retreat’ - revoking the NEP was a deviation from Leninist principles, but questions must be asked on whether this rejection of the economic

policy was in keeping with the fundamental communist principles, from which Lenin based his overall political structure on. Lenin always advocated the collectivisation of agriculture gradually and by voluntary means. But he never entertained the mad idea that millions of scattered peasant holdings could be forced to collectivise overnight at gun-point. Collectivisation was to take place through example. The peasant was to be convinced by patient argument and through the setting up of model collective farms and the introduction of the latest modern technology, tractors, fertilisers, electricity and schools'

Primary Sources –

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(STALIN) o Marxism and the national question 1913 – what is the future of communism in Russia, how it should be approached and implemented o Trostskyism or Leninism 1924 – trying to discredit Trotsky – shows how he went against members of his own party in order to preserve his own personal dictatorship (PARA 2) o Concerning questions of agriculture (1929) – Collectivisation is the socialist way to improve agricultural problems – to an extent it discredits the theory of equilibrium by stating that it is necessary to stray away from the elements of capitalism witnessed under the NEP (PARA 3)

https://www.ukessays.com/essays/politics/to-what-extent-did-stalin-deviate-from-marxism-politicsessay.php#ftn35 In Soviet historiography, the question of to what extent the practices of Stalinism are consistent with Leninist principles is hotly debated. For Example, Pipes, a totalitarian historian, argues that Stalin ‘faithfully implemented Lenin’s domestic and foreign policy programmes’, indicating that Stalinism was a natural consequence of Leninism.1 On the other hand, post-Cold War revisionists historians state that Stalin was an extreme and brutal dictator, whose policies were undeniably a sharp break from the traditions of Marxist-Leninism and ‘not a natural flow-on of earlier [political] developments’.2 With this differentiation in historical thought and lack of agreement, it becomes necessary to define the ideological theories of Marxist-Leninism and Stalinism in order to better our understanding of the similarities between the two. Marxist-Leninism is the Leninist denomination of communist political theory that proposed the dictatorship of the proletariat, democratic centralism and a class struggle to develop a bourgeois state into a socialist state. On the other hand, Stalinism promoted the escalation of a class struggle, totalitarianism and violence, and the creation of a cult of personality, as well as the previous policies of Lenin. While there are many various aspects of continuity and discontinuity between the regimes of Stalin and Lenin, the ideological content and violent practices of Stalin undeniably derived from the original ideas of Marxist-Leninism, which can be seen in the writings of both leaders and the policies they implemented. These policies under Stalin were, however, intensified.

1 Richard Pipes, Three Whys of the Russian Revolution (Toronto, 1995) pp.83-84 2 Graeme Gill, Stalinism (London, 1998) pp.62-63...