What's the Difference Between Lenin and Stalin?

Prof. Catherine Merridale looks at the differences between the two leaders, in particular their attitudes towards violence.

#GreshamLectures #Russia #History #Lenin #Stalin

[josephstalin]

There is no difference between me and Lenin

[germancarrasco]

A British "specialized" in Russia... I would like to hear about a Russian specialized in the UK... Or any from the many countries the UK destroyed...

[nishantbirari]

Why everyone judging the author's personal deductions ? "Lenin was as bad as Stalin" ... Bad according to whom ? According to people ? Or according to you ? Remember Might is always right and will to power is more than will to life. So everyone would do the same thing in similar circumstances to get the power.

[DC-zise]

Lenin: Badass
Stalin: Hardass
End of story.

[ld_Scratch]

I'm *sure* the victims found comfort in Lenin not enjoying it...

[britndayz]

This is fantastic! Please keep going, there is so much propaganda against him

[TheDarkIllumination]

"But no advance in wealth, no softening of manners, no re-form or revolution has ever brought human equality a millimeter nearer. From the point of view of the Low, no historic change has ever meant much more than a change in the name of their masters.”-George Orwell.
Bakunin had predicted all of this happening fifty years before, and Orwell was lamenting Socialism's ultimate failure because of it

[souhardyaadhikari]

Whatever they are... We cannot forget the retrieve of Russia.... And Lenin made Russia independent and Stalin it strong

[aninditapaul]

Ah yes, another westerner calling Stalin bad without anything to back up her statement with.

[TechToWatch]

Stalin was in power for much longer and achieved total personal authority. Who knows how Lenin would have developed had he lived longer. And Stalin stayed in power because he was so willing to use any amount of violence for any possible defence of his position. The same calculation that dictators, inc absolute monarchs, have used before and since. Make the prospect of resistance so risky that nobody risks it. Or the risk of anything other than fawning sycophancy too risky. To argue that Lenin was somehow a “better” person than Stalin, which I assume is the thrust of this, is to ignore the nature of the regime he introduced. Many were arrested, brutalised executed or imprisoned under his regime simply for being political opponents and expressing a view. This included other Bolsheviks who were best positioned to replace him. If it hadn’t been Stalin, it would have been someone else. The regime was not going to produce a social democrat leader. If Trotsky had won instead of Stalin, would he have been any better?

[danielintheantipodes]

I take your point about the difference, but nevertheless, murder is murder. They were butchers, both of them. Poor Russia. Poorr occupied territories. Thank you for the video.

[antoniochiappetta]

Oh, one was a more sympathetic murderer

[aug]

Diference between them ... in the end all kill a lot

[TheDarkIllumination]

"But no advance in wealth, no softening of manners, no reform or revolution has ever brought human equality a millimeter nearer. From the point of view of the Low, no historic change has ever meant much more than a change in the name of their masters."-George Orwell