Personality and Power

1

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

Revolutionary Leader,
Founder of the Bolshevik State

The immense upheaval created by the First World War had, among its many far-reaching consequences, one which was to reverberate throughout Europe, and in the world beyond, for over seven decades: the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. And at the centre of that earth-shaking event stood Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, known to history by the pseudonym he had adopted around 1902: Lenin.

Lenin has a strong claim to be at the forefront, or very close to it, of any parade of makers of Europe's twentieth century. Yet to state the claim raises obvious questions. How far did an event (and its lasting impact) of such magnitude as the Russian Revolution depend upon a single individual? What was Lenin's personal contribution to the establishment, consolidation and lasting impact of Bolshevik rule? After all, he was not even the most dynamic revolutionary driving force in Russia at the time. That was Leon Trotsky, who has been described as 'a revolutionary genius'. And Lenin was dead by the end of January 1924, after just over six years in power, in the last fifteen months or so of which he was largely incapacitated by a series of strokes. What did he do personally to direct the revolutionary reshaping of Russia, and how could he ensure that his policies were carried out in such a vast country - larger than the rest of Europe put together?

Why did Lenin, in any case, turn out to be the leader of the revolution that changed Russian and European history? It was not as if he stood alone in his determination to transform Russia. The disaffection with Tsarist rule and spread of Marxism in the Russian empire from the 1880s onwards had spawned many would-be revolutionaries, some of them significant figures in the numerous subversive political factions and groupings that sprang up. What was special about Lenin? How and why did he emerge to gain acceptance as the dominant revolutionary leader? What

Ian Kershaw, author of To Hell and Back, The End, Fateful Choices, and Making Friends with Hitler, is a British historian of twentieth-century Germany noted for his monumental biographies of Adolf Hitler. In 2002, he received his knighthood for services to history. He is a fellow of the British Academy, the Royal Historical Society, the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, and the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung in Bonn, Germany.

"[A] Deft and thoughtful work of synthesis."  Wall Street Journal

"Illuminating . . . an insightful series of essays about 12 exceptional leaders who stood at the centre of Europe's 20th century." Financial Times

"Sir Ian Kershaw, the great (in both senses) biographer of Adolf Hitler, makes an important contribution to this debate . . . persuasive and nuanced pen-portraits . . . well-researched, well-written and thought-provoking." Daily Telegraph
 
"Lucid portraits of the leaders who shaped Europe's 20th century . . . There is much to be admired in Kershaw's cogent and astute analysis." The Observer

Enlightening and stimulating . . . These excellent in-depth profiles of major figures and their influence on millions of people help us better understand why the world is as it is today. BookPage

Through sharp profiles of key figures, Kershaw provides an important framework for understanding power and how it is used. Kirkus

Striking an expert balance between personality profiles and political and social analysis, this is a rewarding study of a turbulent century in European history. Publishers Weekly
 
"Few historians are better qualified to answer these questions than Ian Kershaw ... As always, he proves a splendid miniaturist, expertly sketching personalities and philosophies in a few coolly judged lines ... If Kershaw's book has a contemporary lesson, it is that societies are probably happiest and healthiest when leaders matter least." Sunday Times (UK)