WAS LENIN A GREAT LEADER?

He was modest man who did not have personal ambition
He was a very good speaker who could sway audiences
He had excellent leadership qualities
Without him there would not have been a revolution in November 1917.
He persuaded the other Bolsheviks to seize power.
He had superb organising skills. He kept Russia going
It was largely due to Lenin that the Bolsheviks were able to stay in power after 1917.
He had good political judgement and was able to adapt to changing circumstances.
He had to use the Cheka and terror because of the Civil War and chaos between 1917 and 1924.
He was beginning to allow more freedom after 1921.

He seized power with a small group of people without the support of most of the population. This led to dictatorship.
He would not share power with other Socialists, especially the Socialist Revolutionaries, who had won the elections to the Constituent Assembly. This made the Civil War much worse than it might have been.
He used ruthless methods and terror to staty in power.
He was prepared to see millions of Russians suffer for his ideals.
He stopped other people expressing their opinions.
He made the Communist Party an organisation for carrying out orders. Members were not allowed to disagree with the leaders.