The Role of Individuals in the Changing Influence of the Russian Communist Party, 1905-1945

The role of individuals in the changing influence of the Russian Communist Party, 1905-1945

The Russian Communist Party first emerged under the Bolsheviks in 1905 when general strikes were organised in St. Petersburg and Moscow. At this time the Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, were a minority group and increasingly divided from the Mensheviks over pace of reform and ideology. It was due to the Tsar’s ignorance throughout World War One that the Bolshevik saw an inadvertent increase in influence of opposing groups. Although, the Bolsheviks were not in power by 1917 their membership was increasing and it was Lenin’s simple slogans, such as ‘Peace, Bread, Land’ that attracted the Russian population, increasing Bolshevik influence. The fact that the Bolsheviks were the only party to promise an end to the war won the ‘hearts and minds’ of the Russian people, which could be argued that Lenin was the most significant individual in the changing influence of the Russian Communist Party. However, it was both the leadership from Lenin and military organisation from Trotsky that meant the October revolution of 1917 was, to a certain extent, a success. Darby argues that ‘Without [Lenin] it is unlikely that the Bolsheviks would have taken power in October’ whilst Figes claims ‘Trotsky became its principal source of public inspiration’. Post the October revolution, the Bolsheviks were a majority in the second All-Russian Congress of Soviets, proving that they had managed to exert a large amount of influence on the Russian population. After this it is more difficult to assess whether it was certain individuals that played a part in the changing influence of the Russian Communist Party as in the summer of 1918 Lenin set up a one-party state and ended the Constituent Assembly. The introduction of the NEP, in 1921, increased party influence as the peasants were allowed a little capitalism back, ending grain requisitioning and armed resistance in the countryside. It is hard to evaluate whether this was an increase or decrease in Party influence as it undermined the basic ideology of communism. However, the same individuals that led the Russian Communist Party also played a part in its decrease of influence. When the Tsar introduced the October Manifesto, Russia saw a split between political opposition groups allowing Soviet risings to be crushed resulting in a decreased in Communist membership. Lenin’s absence in exile left many bewildered and lost as to whom to follow. His misjudgement that a revolution ‘would not happen in our lifetime’ meant the Bolsheviks were at a loss as to who to follow and what to do. Stalin’s use of terror through the Cheka, forced collectivisation and his cult of personality all undermined the party’s power and made people rebel against the Communist regime. Stalin undid Lenin’s achievement on winning the hearts and minds of the Russian people as they were only doing things because they had to and not because they wanted to, and especially not for ideological reasons. Stalin’s introduction of reforms saw a huge decrease in living standards and increased hardship but this was some what begotten by the enthusiasts who idolized and thought themselves to be agents of progress. Even those who disliked Stalin admired his success in the mass mobilisation of the country with the feeling he was a determined leader in Russian tradition. However, I think that the fact that no more than 10% of the Russian adult population were membered during Stalin optimises his leadership.