Vladimir Ilich Lenin - biography.

Vladimir Ilich Lenin - biography. Russian revolutionary and first leader of Soviet Russia Birth April 22, 1870 Death January 21, 1924 Place of Simbirsk, Russia Birth Political Communist Party Term 1918-1924 Official Title Chairman of the People's Council of Commissars Known for Organizing the revolutionary movement that overthrew the Russian imperial leadership and contributing to the movement's ideological foundation, which was based on Marxist theory Developing techniques for recruiting and training a disciplined professional revolutionary party, creating a model that influenced revolutions in China and Cuba Milestones 1887 Was expelled from Kazan' University for participating in a student demonstration 1895 Was jailed for his involvement in organizing Marxist activities; after 15 months in prison, was sentenced to three years of exile 1899 Published The Development of Capitalism in Russia, which he wrote while exiled in Siberia 1902 Published a pamphlet titled What Is To Be Done? outlining the need for highly trained professional revolutionaries 1903 Created a rift at the Second Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party by insisting that membership be limited to a small core; his supporters were thereafter known as Bolsheviks, his opponents known as Mensheviks 1916 Published Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism, attributing World War I to capitalist nations' need to constantly expand 1917 Convinced a majority of the Bolsheviks to seize power from the provisional government; founded the Socialist state, and formed a coalition government with the Left Socialist Revolutionaries 1918 Split with the Left Social Revolutionaries and renamed the Bolsheviks the Russian Communist Party; launched the Red Terror, a campaign to eliminate political opponents among the civilian population; survived an assassination attempt 1919 Organized the Third International, popularly known as the Communist International or Comintern, to promote world revolution according to the Russian Communist model 1921 Introduced a policy of economic liberalization known as the New Economic Policy 1922-1923 Experienced declining health after suffering a stroke; authored his 'testament,' which included criticism of Joseph Stalin, then general secretary of the Communist Party Quote 'Liberty is precious, so precious that it must be rationed.' Attributed to Lenin in Soviet Communism by Sidney and Beatrice Webb, 1936 Did You Although Lenin and Stalin were political enemies by the end of Lenin's life, Stalin created a personality cult around Lenin after his death to Know glorify the history of the revolution. Saint Petersburg was known as Leningrad from 1924 to 1991, when it was renamed after the collapse of the Communist government. Lenin's brother Alexander was arrested and executed in 1887 for his involvement in a plot to assassinate Emperor Alexander III. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.