Lennism_vs._Marxism

Baldwin 2 Communism is the ideology that everyone is collectively equal with no classes or hierarchy. The only possible way communism can exist is if all property is owned by the government. The government can divide it equally between all citizens. This society is ideal for many countries and was first introduced by a revolutionary Karl Marx. Marx would write about nations as equal and how communism will end all suffering, Marx says “A specter is haunting Europe - the specter of communism.” His writings became an inspiration to many, including Vladimir Lenin. Lenin used Marx’s ideas as a basis for his own ideology on a nation, in combination with his own ideas; Lennin was able to introduce new philosophies on running a country to the Soviet Union. Lenin’s rulings could sometimes contradict the beliefs of Marx. Many factors affected Lenin’s failure in leading the Soviet Union, not only was it due to failing health from injuries of an attempted assassination and multiple strokes. The ideas in which Marx and Lenin applied to communism, worked better on paper, when applied to real life factors unidentified caused Lenin’s government failure. The ideas which were not included in Lenin’s theories were the lack of motivation from workers, how far The Soviet Union was in the revolution and the revolt in the government to have a more capitalist government. During the early 1900’s many countries including Russia began industrial revolutions. Russia was not as far in the revolution as thought by Lenin, and the lack of advancement in the industrial revolution was an unaccounted problem Lenin had to deal with. unevolved in the Baldwin 3 industrial revolution unlike Britain, or North America. Russia had been divided for a long time into two groups, the small group of educated elite, and the poor peasants. Authour Michael Kort states that “Despite Russia’s great size and natural resources, most of it people lived in poverty.” During the industrial revolution, this large gap began to decrease. Poor owners were able to increase production and make bigger profits. Companies which individually made profits were an example nation, they must first become a capitalist nation. Marx was intent on the belief “Democracy is the of capitalism. Capitalism was used in Marx’s theories. Marx believed that to become a communist or socialist road to socialism.” Lenin did not believe in this idea. Lenin belief was Russia would be able to go straight to communism. Lenin’s idea would have worked, if the industrial revolution in Russia had further developed. There were not enough people in the upper class and the new middle class to compensate for the poverty of the lower class. Consequently when Lenin placed communism in effect and all classes became equal, the quality of living became very low. Unless directly profiting from communism all Russians lived in very poor conditions with very little money. Lenin did not know of this effect when he put the communist style of government into effect. Lenin did not account for the stage of revolution Russia was in when deciding to follow his own theory in surpassing capitalism before becoming a communist Baldwin 4 country. The bad economy and low economic living, led to many problems including lack of competition in the workplace. Equal pay and property ownership was another problem Lenin did not account for. All Russian residents worked as equals with same pay checks and property, food was distributed equally in a 4:3:2:1 ratio to the manual workers in harmful trades, workers who performed hard physical labour, workers in light tasks/housewives and professional people. Rationings were low to begin with so housewives and professional people began to starve. Lack of food and nutrients greatly affected the citizens’ work. Citizens would work long hours on no food which was very hard. Communism caused equality throughout the workplace making an increased pay or promotion almost impossible. Companies could not surpass other companies in production therefore leaving a lack of motivation to work hard. Statistics taken in 1920 showed that “Small factories were in 1920 producing just 43% of their 1913 total. Large factories were producing 18 of their 1913 figure. Coal production was at 27% of its 1913 figure in 1920.” With little food to nourish them, it could not be expected that the workers could work effectively. By 1920, “the average worker had a productivity rate that was 44% less than the 1913 figure.” Citizens did not see the reason to work hard because of malnutrition and equality given to every worker. In rural areas farmers were given specific amounts of land where food and animals would be grown. The small areas of land equally distributed to farmers were used to produce the Baldwin 5 countries means of nutrition. Food that was not given to the military or citizens after harvest would be given to the government. Excess food being taken away, farmers were unable to make a profit off their farming. Many started to only grow enough food for themselves and the military. Underproduction led to the famine of 1920 which killed thousands of Russians due to starvation and malnutrition related deaths. Ineffectively Lenin’s use of equally actually caused more chaos and destruction than before. The destruction brought on by Lenin over food does not stop there but only continues on to the type of government used to run the country. In the beginning of Lenin’s power, a civil war began in Russia; the red army (Lenin’s army) was at war with the white (counter Lenin). Due to the civil war, a new type of government was introduced called war communism. War communism centralized in the victory of the red army in Russia. Much of the food grown and products made went to the military to increase their chances of success. Lenin states “Communism is Soviet power plus the electrification of the whole country” War communism also suppressed all other government parties within the country of Russia. Due to the amount of supplies being given to the military and suppression of other government parties, many citizens became upset with the style of government. One group of individuals known as the Kronstadt rebelled against the government. Kronstadt wanted a government more run on democracy unlike Lenin’s ruling through Baldwin 6 dictatorship. A rebellion broke out with many people killed and injured. After the rebellion Lenin changed the government to New Economic Policy (NEP). NEP was a new policy put into lace which moved away from communism to capitalism and inequality. Citizens were able to sell surpluses of food for profit, join other government parties and small companies were given back to the original owners to run. Competition between companies gave motivation to work and the quality of living increased. This change in government strictly went against Marxism, because Karl Marx’s belief was that everyone person is equal, while capitalism beliefs are that every person for themselves. Communism still was in some effect, all major corporations, including banks still stayed under government control. The slight change in economy and ruling increased. Companies eventually did not have to supply the army and government with rationings of food. The small companies were able to sell and trade, increase production. The competition in between the small companies, increased the economic living, but further went away from Marx’s ideologies. Therefore the failure of Vladimir Lenin was not only because of failing health but additional circumstances that were not accounted for on paper in Lenin and Marx’s writings. Part of Lenin’s failure as a leader was due to his lack of ability to identify problems that were unseen on paper. These situations included lack of motivation in a job, malnutrition of food and the change into a communism democracy, from a communist dictatorship. Lenin did not only show specific cases where he was unable to successfully run a communist nation, but showed that Baldwin 7 death would happen in replacement of the rule. Lenin tried to use Karl Marx’s ideas in conjunction with his own ideas, but was doomed to failure. In conclusion, when using any ideas that have not been tested out on real life, have a person who is able to pinpoint problems that needs to be fixed for less controversy later. Vladimir Lenin was able to use the revolutionary work of Karl Marx as the foundation for the communist government running and was almost successful Baldwin 8 Bibliography Communism. (n.d.). Collins English Dictionary- Complete & Unabridges 10th edition. Retrieved October 18, 2010, from Dictionary.com website: http://dicitonary.reference.com/browse/communism Daniels, Robert, Russia’s Transformation: Snapshots of a Crumbling System. Boston: Rowmans and Littlefields, 1998. Figes, Orlando. A People’s tragedy, Retrieved October 15, 2010, from Kronstadt Mutiny: http://www.johndclare.net/Russ8_Kronstadt.htm Graham, Keith. Karl Marx: Our Contemporary Social Theory for a Post-Leninist World. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1992. Haller, Francis. “Famine in Russia: The Hidden Horrors of 1921” in Le Temps, August 12, 2003. Kort, Michael. Marxism in Power: The Rise and Fall of a Doctrine, Brookfield: The Milbrook Press, 1993, 47. Kreis, S. (2000). Lecture 7. 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