The Roles of Lenin and Stalin in the Russian Revolution

How should we interpret the Bolshevik Revolution, in the light of later events? Michael Lynch explains the issues with which we have to grapple and gives tips on how to impress the examiners.

Falsified detail of a photo from the VIII Congress of the Russian Communist Party , March 1919. L-R: Stalin, Lenin, and Mikhail KalininDid Stalin fulfil or betray the revolution that Lenin had begun in 1917? Was he the heir or the betrayer of Lenin? These are not simply academic questions specially thought up by fiendish examiners to terrorise candidates. They relate to a genuine historical debate that continues to cause controversy among politicians and to divide historians.

Importance of the Theme

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