The Life and Work
of V. I. LENIN

—a brief biography—

In Canada, as throughout the
world, the people who stand for
peace and friendship, and true
social progress, international
humanitarianism are this year
marking the centenary of the
birth of Vladimir Lenin, the man
who towers above all others in
our century and whose name is
destined to ring through the ages
as that of the leader who opened
a new stage in the history of
mankind.

More than three and a half
thousand million people live on
our planet, and it would be no

_ exaggeration to say that every-

where there are people who

ow: about Lenin and honor
Why? :

Because Lenin’s name is asso-
ciated with the October 1917
Revolution which opened the
way ta socialism not only for
Russia but for all mankind .

Because Lenin, as nobody else
after Karl Marx and Friedrich
Engels, fought for the happiness
of those who by their labor are

contributing to the well-being of |

our ~world and multiplying its

material and spiritual wealth.
Let us briefly recall the life

and work of this man of genius

as described by N. Mikhailov in —

a pamphlet titled Stories about
Lenin:
THE ULYANOV FAMILY

Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (Len-
in) was born on April 22, 1870,
in the town of Simbirsk (now
Ulyanovsk), situated on the great
Russian river Volga.

His father, Ilya Nikolayevich
Ulyanov, came from a lower mid-
die-class family. By dint of hard
work he succeeded in taking his
degree at Kazan University and
becoming a mathematics and
physics master at secondary
schools. Eventually, he was ap-
pointed director of public schools.
A man of progressive views and
a dedicated teacher, Ilya Ulyanov
enjoyed general respect.

Lenin’s mother, Maria Alex-
androvna, was the daughter of a
physician. She was educated at
home where she learned several
foreign languages. Shé acquired
an extensive knowledge of liter-
ature, loved music and played
the piano very well.

She was destined to face se-
vere orgeals—her children, hav-
ing taken the path of revolution,
were persecuted by the tsarist
government. But misfortune
could neither break nor bend
this-woman of strong character
and great willpower. She re-
mained by the side of her chil-
dren.

There were six children: Anna,
Alexander, Vladimir, Olga, Dmi-
try and Maria. ;

The personal example set by
the parents helped the children’
to grow honest and appreciative
of human values.

At the age of nine, Volodya
Ulyanov entered the Gymnas-
ium. He took his studies seri-
ously and went t om form to

form with honors. He finished

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The Ulyanev family. On the extreme right, Volodya Ulyanov

(Simbirsk, 1879)

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PEOPLE’S WILL

Times were difficult during
Lenin’s childhood and youth.
The tsarist government, in an
attempt to consolidate its shaky
regime, suppressed every mani-
festation of free thinking. But it
was impossible to quell popular
discontent. In 1881, terrorists of
the secret revolutionary organ-
ization Narodraya Volya (Peo-
ple’s Will) assassinated Tsar
Alexander II.

Vladimir’s eldest brother, Alex-
ander, was a-very gifted young
man, of high principles and un-
bending will.

While in St. Petersburg (then
the capital of Russia) he joined
the Narodnaya Volya organiza-
tion, whose members mistakenly
believed that through terror a
new free life could be attained.
They conspired to assassinate
Tsar Alexander III, but the plot
was uncovered. On March lI,

1887, Alexander Ulyanov and his .

associates were arrested.

Maria Alexandrovna courage-
ously went to St. Petersburg to
attend the trial. Her husband Ilya
Ulyanov had died.

In her reminiscences Maria
Ulyanova wrote that her brother
displayed staunchness at the
trial. Conducting his own defence
he delivered a spirited speech in
which he stressed that the tsarist
regime was doomed.

Alexander Ulyanov and _ his
four associates were executed in
May 1887. ;

His brother’s death was a great
shock to Vladimir, but at the
same time it strengthened his
revolutionary views. He studied
assiduously and was the only one

amon i graduates to receive

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—JANUARY 30. 1970—Paoe 5

In the summer of 1887, the
Ulyanov family left Simbrisk for
Kazan, a big trading centre on
the Volga. Vladimir entered the
University (Faculty of Law). °

REVOLUTIONARY BAPTISM

There he became an active
member of the revolutionary
students’ circle. There he re-
ceived his revolutionary baptism.

Student societies were banned
under the Kazan University Sta-
tutes, and even the slightest
manifestation of democracy was
suppressed. On December 4,
1887, angry students gathered
in the assembly hall and de-
manded that the Statutes be re-
pealed and expelled students
reinstated. For his part in this
meeting Vladimir was expelled
and then arrested.

“What’s the use of rebelling,
young man? Don’t you _ see
there’s a wall before you?” asked
the police officer who escorted

Lenin in his fast year in second-
ary school, Simbirsk (1887).

Vladimir to prison. “Yes, but the
wall is rotten. Give it a good
push, and it will topple over!”
the young man replied.

He was banished to the village
of Kokushkino, Kazan Province
(now the village of Lenino). In
Kokushkino Lenin read a great
deal and continued his studies.

His first exile lasted about a
year. He was then permitted to
return to Kazan but he was not
readmitted to the University.
Shortly afterwards Ulyanov join-
ed a Marxist circle organized by
Nikolai Fedoseyev, a revolution-
ary. Then began a serious study
of Marxism — a revolutionary
teaching named after Karl Marx,
the founder of this doctrine. Par-
ticular attention was paid to
Marx’s chief work, Capital.

From. Kazan the Ulyanovs
moved to Samara (now Kuiby-
shev). ~

ROAD OF MARXISM

Denied entrance to the Uni-
versity, Lenin decided to sit for
his university examinations with-
out attending lectures. In 1891,
he took Law examinations at the
St. Petersburg University in two
stages — in the spring and au-
tumn, and was awarded a first-
class diploma .

Vladimir returned- to Samara
where he resumed his revolu-
tionary activity. He fought
against the Narodniks who op-
posed the doctrine of Karl Marx
and underrated the strength of
the working class. —

In Samara Lenin translated
the Communist Manifesto (by
Marx and Engels) from German
into Russian, and organized a
Marxist circle, where he upheld
an advanced revolutionary out-
look on history and advocated
revolutionary methods of fight-
ing the autocracy.

The Samara period was mark-
ed by intense activity, but he
wanted wider scope for revolu-
tionary work and to. be in a
major industrial centre with a
numerous proletariat.

In August 1893, he left for St.
Petersburg.

WORKERS’ CONDITIONS

At the end of the 19th century
the development of capitalism
brought a rapid increase in the
numerical strength of the work-
ing class. Conditions for workers
were wretched. They toiled for a
twelve or even fourteen-hour
day. Children’s labor was exten-
sively exploited, their workday
was eight, ten and sometimes
twelve hours.

The workers’ wages from which
all kinds of deductions and fines
were taken were a mere pittance.
The employers of many indus-
trial enterprises kept their work-
ers in special barracks. These
were large dimly-lit rooms, filled
with rows of bunks separated
from each other by cotton cur-
tains. Adults and children were
huddled together in such dwel-
lings.

The appalling living conditions
drove the working masses to pro-
test. But these sporadic out-

bursts against capitalist exploi-

tation usually ended in defeat

It was necessary to organiZ
the workers, to explain to thet
their historical role, and to edt!
cate them politically.

NEED FOR PARTY

The proletariat needed its ow!
revolutionary party — the Com
munist Party. With tremendo!
energy and passion Lenin plung
ed into the work of creating i

In St. Petersburg he estab
lished contact with advan
workers and conducted politica
study-groups. Among the work
ers Lenin found capable peoplé
good organizers, propagandis!
who eventually became prom
nent revolutionaries, people likt
I. Babushkin and V. Shelgunov

Early in 1894, Vladimir Ilyich
met Nadezhda Krupskaya wil
taught at an evening Sun

school. The cause they served # |

common sealed their friendshif
She became his wife and
gether they traversed the glott
ous and difficult road of ‘revolt!
tion. :
The creation of an independel!
workers’ party was no easy t
There existed in Russia dur
those years the Narodniks (PO?
ulists) movement. Its adheren#
believed that capitalism woul!

not develop in Russia and deni@

the decisive role of the wor
class in revolutionary stru
The makers of history, the)
claimed, were individual “he
oes,” and the role of the mas
was to follow them blindly.

Of course, an individual wit!
a correct understanding of
toric developments can do
great deal for society, but tht
real makers of history are
people. iJ

Lenin considered it essentl
to arm the masses ideologically)
to show that only the. work!
class, led by its party and in (
ance with the peasantry, cou!
topple tsarism. To this end th
working class should, first ati
foremost, master the ideas 0
scientific socialism.

LEAGUE OF STRUGGLE

In the spring of 1895 Lem!
went abroad for the first tit!
in order.to study the experie?
of the working-class movemeélt
in other countries. He visi
Switzerland, France and Gel
many where he met workers al
leading revolutionaries. d

That same autumn he returt
to Russia, and united the Mi
ist circles of St. Petersburg it!
a single political organizat!
the League of Struggle for th
Emancipation of the Work!
Class.

Similar organizations and uf
ions soon appeared in 0
cities of Russia—Moscow, FK!
Tula, Yaroslavl, etc. Fr

The creation of the Leaé
was of signal importance site
it laid the foundation for a wo!
ing-class party.

To broaden the revolution
struggle a newspaper needs ;
in order to ma ly Cle

tes a
rea rat
f