Lenin's views were heavily influenced by Karl Marx's The Communist Manifesto. Lenin along with his close friend, Leonid Trotsky, took key theories from Marx's writing and adapted them to help revolutionize Russia. The Bolsheviks principles were a mold of Marx, filled with the toughness of Lenin. By manipulating these theories he changed Russia, the ideology, and power.
Lenin's close friend Leonid Trotsky was a very important part in the Russian Revolution, he was considered Lenin's right hand man. Trotsky disagreed with Lenin on who should lead the revolution; he didn't believe that an elite group was needed and that the leadership should be left to the proletariat. When the Russian Socialists split into the two groups, Bolsheviks and Mensheviks, he joined Mensheviks because he did not agree that the middle class should lead the initial stages of the revolution. Trotsky agreed with Lenin that the proletariat of Russia could bypass the capitalistic phase and go straight into communism from imperialism.
Cover of the Communist Manifesto’s initial publi...
Karl Marx (1818-1883)
RussiaDuring the early 1920s the two men had a disagreement over the roles of trade unions but this was a small disruption in their relationship. By agreeing with many of Lenin's alterations to Marx's Communist Manifesto Trotsky becomes a key member of the Bolsheviks. Lenin faced a difficult challenge when attempting to socialize Russia. He was unable to completely utilize the works of Marx since his were aimed at the industrialized nations such as Britain and Germany. To suit his purpose Lenin adjusted Marx's theories. These adjustments were used to deal with Russia's backwards people and government and to jump over the capitalist phase. Trotsky, while disagreeing on some of Lenin's theories, agrees with the most and became a loyal companion to the Bolsheviks. Leninist-Marxism became the blueprint for the USSR. Lenin was thoroughly familiar with Marxist ideas, he...