My YouTube video with the same title: Lenin, Stalin, Putin – Roots of War in Ukraine; Communism vs Capitalism and West Against East https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO0h52SYXRg
War in Ukraine: not an accidental event. Russia: millions of ties with all other countries. As cancer cannot be blamed for one body organ, so is the war in Ukraine. It is the refection of the whole past history, the current state, and even in the vision of Russia, its politics, and its leaders.
Introduction. Before we begin, my past … and now (complex changes).
1. Lenin’s (USSR) positive side
1A. Care about females and women (and how this changed the world)
A. First country where women could vote?
NZ 1893: … the first country in the world to grant the vote to all adult women. (Local and remote – no viral effects)
Russia – March 1917 (not Lenin’s Communists) .. the March 1917 law (by the Provisional Government): Russia became the second nation to grant all adult women the vote.
USA – April 1917 or 1920?
https://history.house.gov/Exhibition-and-Publications/WIC/Women-in-Congress/ April 1917, Jeannette Rankin became a Member of the House of Representatives.
https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/19th-amendment: Passed by Congress June 4, 1919, and ratified on August 18, 1920, the 19th amendment granted women the right to vote.
UK – 1928
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_suffrage_in_the_United_Kingdom: the Representation of the People Act 1928.
Summary: When women got the right to vote?
Russia – 1917
USA – 1920
UK – 1928
First woman to become a cabinet minister:
Russia – 1917
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandra_Kollontai – People’s Commissar for Welfare in Lenin’s government.
UK – 1929
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Bondfield: Minister of Labour.
USA – 1933
https://www.britannica.com/explore/100women/profiles/frances-perkins U.S. secretary of labor.
Why women did not make it to the Russia’s top? Stalin, Khruscev, Breznev, etc. later males (more competition and hidden alliances rather than care)
Yet, Russia changed the world for sure.
Note my order: not starting about the working class care… that divides people) even though both camps (so called followers of “capitalism“ and “communism”, or West vs East division).
Can we say these political changes in Russia created a “viral” effect for the Western world and later the rest of the world?
Does the west and others celebrate this contribution together with modern Russian leaders?
Do Ukrainian officials celebrate this change?
Continue 1. Lenin’s good side:
1B. Free high education for all
USSR – All levels of education – not only free, but the paid stipend for higher education and in universities (stipend or scholarship for all students – usually higher for better or brighter students)
Better use of talents and more possibilities in future life: 100s of students of very poor parents become world’s leading inventors, scientists, composers, artists, etc. in all areas of life.
Vs. USA, the UK, etc. during the 20th century…
1C. Care about homeless
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homelessness_in_Russia
Since the 1930s, the USSR: no homelessness.
What I saw in NYC, Philadelphia, LA (this year), SF, etc. – 2020-2023 – rising every year (COVID+the economic crisis)
The paths to homelessness: alcohol, street drugs, gambling, and so forth – the system allows people to drown.
USSR/Russia – state laws to restrict these paths (prevention of homelessness in their seeds)
1D. Care about working class (“proletariat”, especially the poorest) – healthcare, education+careers
Surely yes, using oppression and liquidation of the rich including the royal family and their closest relatives… (the next part of this video)
Russia’s external effects? The West witnessed the change. Effects (apart from women’s rights):
- Peaceful disappearance of leading roles of monarchies in Europe (history facts – many countries abolished the monarchy in the 20th century and became republics, especially in the wake of either World War I or World War II.)
- Care (with fear) about the working class (Europe and NA). Not a formal law but a lesson from the neighbor
The spiritual part: peaceful transitions from monarchies to capitalism but with care about the working class, liberation of women and their influx into the labor market
– The Roaring Twenties due to women and Russia???
1E. External positive effects: peaceful transitions from monarchies to capitalism, care (with fear) about the working class, liberation of women and their influx into the labor market, and possible the economic boom or the Roaring Twenties.
2. Lenin’s negative side
Personal event: I was 14 or 15 in a high school, when my history teacher “Lenin sent a secret telegram to Sverdlovsk Soviet’s Committee to shot all members of the family” – My teacher probably new well since he was (KPSS Congress, a honorable teacher)
These words sinked into my memory…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_the_Romanov_family
On 1 October 2008, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation rehabilitated them…
- +4 members of the court (physician, cook, footman, lady-in-waiting)
- +In 1918, on the next day after the murder, 6 more members of Romanov’s family were killed (including Grand Duchess Elizabeth).
Total: 7+4+6=17 people
- +”Lenin also welcomed news of the death of Grand Duchess Elizabeth, who was murdered in Alapayevsk along with five other Romanovs on 18 July 1918,…
In other words, innocent people were killed… Back to negative qualities:
2A. Lenin as a criminal and the group leader or organizer of murders of 1,000s and later millions (by Stalin)
How personal psychology intertwined with social psychology and social changes in the whole world:
1887 – Aleksandr Ulyanov, 20 yo, the spiritual leader or ideologist of the group that conspired to assassinate Alexander III of Russia. (6 years after successful assassination of Alexander II). Vladimir was 17 yo at the time.
Result: 1+4 hanged….
Let s back up, modern views: a very harsh punishment indeed….
The whole family was ostracized… lost many friends.
Lenin’s lessons and his historical “We shall choose another way”. What could it mean? My views in the past, now?
Imagine 10 or 100 centuries later… A history student: Who was Lenin? …. Aha, that was the Russian man whose brother was hanged for his unsuccessful attempt, but Lenin gathered millions of the poor to execute the whole royal family…
Like an ancient Greek mythology…
Details: How did Lenin organize and presented this murder?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_the_Romanov_family
Numerous pieces of evidence from internal sources: …Lenin’s reputation was protected by communists and secret services.[24]
2B. Avoidance of responsibilities for killings and framing others
Law in many countries: Aggravating factors can include: Power used, children killed, weapons used, etc.
Later effects: Millions to follow (organized the murder machine + Stalin). Where to draw the line or who is a “capitalist”?
Some historians: Not Lenin alone, but the trio (+ Sverdlov, Dzerzshinsky…) – Later, a common practice of Cheka, NKVD, GRU, KGB: “a trio of local secret agents to decide”.
In 1917-1918, Lenin created the hidden real Soviet government within the formal one: famous historical note written by Lenin: “Do not tell anything to Ioffe so that he can lie smoother.. (about the Tsar family being alive)”
Imagine the real picture (formal leaders vs. “our leaders”), Lenin as a master of chimpanzee politics.
Lenin: a creator of new (?) mentality or style of leadership: “I am so special (smart and wise), and they (people) are so naive and limited (also illiterate) that, for their good (and while creating confusion or the misdirection-of-attention trick), I will secretly kill those people and children pretending that someone else did it.”
Did he really care about people when he was afraid to tell them the truth about the royal family? Were they really that dangerous? Facts from votes… but also military…
Complex personal psychology topics: did his care about people or his revenge really ruled his motivation/actions?
Trios of commissars or secret agents (later):
- No accusation (or verdict) “you are the enemy of the people”
- No ability to defend yourself and no lawyers
- Neutral decision makers.
Back up: World’s development: Russia/USSR vs. USA/UK
Due process (or fair process), different elements, but similar ideas:
Due process is the legal requirement that the state must respect all legal rights that are owed to a person. Due process balances the power of law of the land and protects the individual person from it.
What are components of due process of law? 3, 5 or 7 elements…
We can see USA/UK in the opposite direction and they still argue about what is due process. But now, since 1990’s Western secret services “borrowed” KGB practices after millions of people from the USSR emigrated to the west, complete control of all communication – a separate topic (forget the fair rules and due process). By the way, Lenin’s first decree: to get and control telephone, telegraph, and post.
Later Stalin, since he was not as intelligent, just erased others from the government, military, etc. – Where to draw the line?
2C. Creation of the foundation for Stalin’s purges in which over 20 millions of people died
Back to Lenin. Not only murder, but the new style of presenting his murders to own people… Did any past or later tyrants/“revolutionaries” practiced the same? Probably not,
Lenin’s murder: Fanny Kaplan, a member of SR party, which Lenin betrayed. August 1918 – 3 shots, badly injured, but survived. Why did she do that? A traitor…
1917: October revolution: arrest of SR leaders.
Who is left to lead? Lenin is gone… Those with more guns (aggression) is to rule – Stalin…
Stalin’s vision: murders around 1888, 1918 (2 more), – all drama in front of his eyes… Prior years, a money supplier. How: racketeering in Batumi, Tiflis, and Baku…
Therefore, Lenin attracted all types of people who were unhappy with the rich – indiscriminate movement (not care about people but anger against the rich; exclusive vs. inclusive revolutionaries)
Back up: Any movement: Take away a leader. Who is left to lead? Lenin is gone… The one with more guns and (aggression) is to rule. Again one, think of chimp politics.
Compare Lenin as a leader vs. US presidents and people who were around them… Past or present US presidents. Who would take over? …
Lenin’s personal qualities: poets, writers, historians, etc..
Happy? Smiled? He could squint and smiled slyly (commonly used)…
My view: driven by revenge and anger rather than care.
Mitigating factors?
– violent family? – not formally
– decades of persecutions and hostility?
- revenge? – not formally
Summary:
1. Lenin’s (USSR) positive side:
1A. Care about females and women (and how this changed the world)
1B. Free high education for all
1C. Care about homeless
1D. Care about working class (“proletariat”, especially the poorest) – healthcare, education+careers
1E. External positive effects: peaceful transitions from monarchies to capitalism, care (with fear) about the working class, liberation of women and their influx into the labor market, and possible the economic boom or the Roaring Twenties.
2. Lenin’s (USSR) negative side:
2A. Lenin as a criminal and the group leader or organizer of murders of 1,000s
2B. Avoidance of responsibilities for killings and framing others
2C. Creation of the murder machine that became the foundation for Stalin’s purges in which over 20 millions of people died
Who was Lenin? In my view, he was the most influential man of the last 2 or more centuries who produced the greatest impact on how the modern world functions, but certainly he was not a great man.
Back to Western perception and media stereotypes related to modern Russia or communism:
Compare with how you relate to a person (even a past criminal)… Would dwelling on his criminal past while completely neglecting his other qualities be a productive/constructive activity? Do such people driven by care or showing their righteousness regardless of what the effects are.
Part 3. Why other countries like Russia; Putin; and the KGB Leninist
3a. Many countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America.. Including China and India like/support Russia
They surely see a a different or positive side of Russia. Why?
US people vs people from Russia appear. Effects?
What type of Russians would go to poorer parts? Not the top of the government, but more believers and enthusiasts – real help and cooperation.
US: for money and profits – hence, like Russia…
Care about people: healthcare, education, culture, sport, etc.
Hence, they like Russia more. When taking sides choose Russia…
3b. President Vladimir Putin
Me: very little since 1994, but found 2 instances when V. Putin mentioned Lenin:
1. “Lenin planted the time bomb” (press conference, general Q about your attitude to Lenin – not an extract).
An interesting general view, associations? VP as a builder who got this huge problem from Lenin…
+ one more association… (later)
2. Another case: VP: “don’t touch Lenin’s body”: Should Russia remove the Lenin and Mausoleum?
+ “there would be a noise from Communists or the left”
If a single case, ok, but two on the same topic… These were well-thought-out expressions probably crafted by his team members (agents from FSB/KGB). Why?
1. It was his brother who planted (installed or placed a bomb). Hence, the idea here is to mix events. An average Russian citizen: “There is some historical wisdom in these words… planted the bomb… VP should be a very wise man.”
Real life: he planted or placed not time bombs but corpses of innocent people and children to frame others (blaming extremists).
2. Such places (mausoleums, tomb, etc.) commonly have a sign “Do not touch”… Hence, it is a misdirection trick that uses this authoritarian phrase for a very different purpose: to prove that a murder of children should remain to be a symbol of the country (on the Red Square across the St. Basil’s Cathedral, one of the central symbols of Orthodox Russia).
Back up: Some secret service: How to subvert US Congress or Senate to make then aggressive or more violent? Install Al Capone bust! In front + install scaffolding at minimum height (for the shortest member): to make them to bend their heads… Imagine…
Or in Germany, a bust of Bormann or Goebbels (from the Nazi top, not Hitler). and the same – lawmakers will start to do crazy things…
Both tricks are from the most common modern NSA tricks that I call “midsection of attention to create confusion”.
Another situation in order to understand VP:
What would Putin do if Lenin+ is in opposition?
Murdered children + leader + together with Sverd, Dzer, etc.
3c. KGB Leninist – Organizer of mass killings around the world where 1,000 were killed (up to 2023+)
Spiritual and emotional origins – Lenin’s pupil, started with Lenin murdering children in 1918 – so, it continues now, about a 100 years later…
Lenin’s complex personality and later pupils who select various facets or parts of Lenin’s teaching and actions…