How successful was Lenin by January 1924?

Question by BmwA5H: How successful was Lenin in solving problems by January 1924 HISTORY ?
Hi all, can you please give me a few points on this question…

How successful was Lenin in solving Russia’s problems by January 1924

Thank you
Ashley

Answers and Views:

Answer by Spellbound
By 1924 Lenin had been very successful in solving Russia’s problems.

Russia’s problems before 1924 can be summarised as a lack of political stability – warring factions attempting to wrest control of the country from the Bolsheviks, economic and agricultural failures, independence movements in some of the fringe areas of the country – leading to self-declared full independence for Ukraine and Georgia. There are plenty of other problems faced by the Bolsheviks, some inherited from the Tsarist regime, and some of their own making and even some ideological problems that Lenin did not / could not resolve, but these are the problems as seen by the Bolsheviks.

By 1924 the White armies had been defeated in the Civil War and the warring factions disarmed and rendered politically impotent. Lenin also brought in the ban on factions within the party. This led to a unified party, who did not disagree with each other or with government policies in public. So politically he had achieved stability.

The economic and agricultural problems began during WWI and continued throughout the war. The Civil War Policy of War Communism further weakened the economy and reduced agricultural output. By changing tack to the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1921 the Bolsheviks were able to both re-ignite Russian industry and to increase agricultural yields. There was a crisis in 1921 caused by rising agricultural output and industry not recovering as quickly – the peasants simply ate or stored the surplus – this was called the “Scissor Crisis”. But, by 1924, the scissor crisis had been solved and the country was benefiting from NEP.

Ukraine and Georgia had been successfully invaded and re-absorbed back into the country by 1922. Other independence movements were also stamped out by 1924. Poland & Finland, the Baltic States and Moldova remained independent – there was little will from Lenin to attempt to invade these countries – especially as they had been guaranteed their independence by Britain, France or neighbouring countries.

The other major issues facing Russia were the electrification of the country and ideological concerns about NEP – these would be addressed by Stalin in the Five Year Plans of the late 1920s & 1930s.

See:
The Soviet Union 1917 – 1991 by Martin MacCauley

Read all the answers in the comments.

Give your own answer to this question!