The Tom Woods Show
Ep. 2480 V.I. Lenin, 100 Years Later
Apr 19, 2024
Vladimir Brovkin, Harvard professor of Russian history, dismantles the 'good Lenin, bad Stalin' myth. The discussion delves into Lenin's governance challenges, impact on ordinary Russian life, the Red Terror, persecution of competing parties, utilitarian views towards peasants and workers, Stalin's political strategies, and Lenin's legacy inspiring Stalin's dictatorship and Deng's economic policies.
51:19
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Quick takeaways
- Lenin's background as a noble's descendant shaped his divergent ideologies into Leninism with concepts like the vanguard of the proletariat.
- Trotsky's protest against territorial concessions highlighted public opposition to surrenders without defined borders in wartime negotiations.
Deep dives
Lenin's Dual Image: Public Persona versus Real Politician
Lenin's legacy presents a dual image, with a carefully crafted public persona portraying him as a revolutionary leader and founder of the Soviet Union. In contrast, scholars like Professor Pipes and Moshe Lewin have delved into the 'real Lenin,' exploring his political decisions and interactions. Lenin's background as a noble's descendant to a bourgeois family shaped his ideologies, diverging from classical Marxism to form Leninism with concepts like the vanguard of the proletariat.
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