Lenin died in January 1924, leaving a gap as leader of the Soviet Union at a crucial time of Russia’s progression towards communism. However, at the time of Lenin’s death the country had seemed to achieve a reasonable degree of stability, both economically and politically.

During the civil war Lenin imposed “War Communism” which had policies that alienated the peasantry and turned them against the party. For example, the army could requisition grain from farms which they saw as being excess to what the family needed to survive. However, often the army would suspect the workers of hoarding their grain and keeping some by, and so the army took more. This lead to starvation in the agricultural sector, and those who did not starve would hold a bitter grudge against the Bolsheviks.

In 1921, a group of sailors who had previously supported the Bolshevik revolution turned against the dictatorship in an event known as the Kronstadt Rising. The sailors demanded an end to grain requisitioning, freedom of speech and assembly, and free elections among other demands. This showed how unstable the country was at this time, and how unhappy people were as a direct result of the Civil War and War Communism.

As a result, Lenin realised that the government needed to seriously change its policies after the end of the Civil War. Lenin introduced the “New Economic Policy”, a small step back towards capitalism, which would set Russia back on track towards economic recovery. Agriculture was improving well, as peasants were now more encouraged to sell their produce, although, industry was making much slower progress. The improved stability in the country’s agriculture was shown by the lack of famine, unlike in previous years. The NEP successfully abolished the economic discontent of the Russian people.

However, because the peasants, small factory owners and merchants were allowed to produce and sell more of their products to increase their private profits, private capitalists soon emerged in the Russian towns and countryside. Peasants began to employ other peasants to work their farms; these people become known as Kulaks and posed a threat to the entire Communist system, which the Bolsheviks were supposed to be dedicated to enforcing.

Politically the country was suffering. Lenin had used the secret police forced called Cheka to eliminate all those who opposed the dictatorship. However, Lenin did not use it nearly as ferociously as Stalin later would. The Cheka was still an instrument of political terror which kept the party in check. Although, in a way this method of silencing opposition could be said to have stabilised the party by removing any opposition, however it was still a form of oppression. The introduction of the capitalist NEP had caused some hard-line communists to doubt the abilities of Lenin as leader, and a rift started to form within the party.

In conclusion, on the surface Russia would have appeared to be a very stable country at the time of Lenin’s death, with the entire country united in his mourning. Russia’s economy was improving, especially agriculturally, and the peasants were content with the New Economic Policy. There was little opposition to the dictatorship because of the presence of the Cheka. However, at the core Russia had some deep-seated and brooding instability. The rich peasant capitalists threatened the Communist system, and within the Bolshevik party people were beginning to oppose Lenin and his ideals.

_{Grade achieved: B+}

_{Teacher comments: Good intro. and conclusion but stuff in the middle does not focus entirely on issue of stability.}

_{References: “Reaction & Revolutions: Russia 1881-1924″ by M. Lynch.}