Slavery Essay - 1964 Words

Slavery Essay From the 17th century until the 19th century, almost twelve million Africans were brought to the New World against their will to perform back-breaking labour under terrible conditions. The British slave trade was eventually abolished in 1807 (although illegal slave trading would continue for decades after that) after years of debate, in which supporters of the trade claimed that it was not inhumane, that they were acting in the slaves’ benefit, etc. Slavery was a truly barbaric, and those who think that they can control what another group of people eat, where they sleep, whether they are to live or die, or even whether they are to be bought or sold, are acting on a totally inhumane level. Slaves in the British colonies in†¦show more content†¦They often intentionally destroyed equipment. Slaves were kept intentionally uneducated, to avoid chance of rebellion which meant their skills were limited and industry was not an option. The largest problem with slavery was that it involved the oppression of a human being by another. Many people in 1807 after the Atlantic slave trade was abolished may have thought Britain should apologise for their role in the trade and how they removed Africans from their homes and villages just so they could work long hours into the day for a richer economy and be poorly treated by their masters. These people have many reasons for Britain to apologise for their actions against the African slaves one of them could be on how we used cramped conditions which can easily spread disease between the slaves and gave them poor food rations, chained them up with shackles for weeks and made them sleep on hard wood surfaces with less than half a meter between each other. They get sold for auction like farm animals would which is an inhumane thing to do. One of the main things that the integrity of the slave ships were British owned which shows that Britain came up with the living conditions for slaves and how they are fed and cleaned and transported across the Atlantic. Another reason for people thinking this is because we really just used them for labour and produce cheap products like sugar, tobacco and cotton which would then beShow MoreRelatedSlavery in Sparta vs. Slavery in Athens Essay1563 Words   |  7 PagesSlavery has been a major component of human civilization all throughout history. People turn to slavery for many reasons, such as fear of different ethnicities and fear that these new foreign people will take over land that is not theirs. The conditions under which slaves work and live varies greatly by the time and location of which the slaves lived. Slaves play a major role in their society and contribute greatly to their communities, often forming one of the largest masses of the population. ThoughRead MoreEssay on Slavery1251 Words   |  6 PagesSlavery Slavery in America brought about a successful south but also proved to be one of the most terrible things done by humans to humans. Slavery became a way of life in early America. Eight out of the first twelve presidents owned slaves. People in the south benefited from slaves the most. Harvesting those huge cotton fields took many hands. That’s were the slaves became key to the success of the south. Slaves were predominately black Africans. Africans made up the majority but they were notRead More Racism Or Slavery Essay953 Words   |  4 Pages Racism or Slavery, which came first? nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Racism or slavery, neither, this essay will document the prejudice against Africans from Europeans that led into slavery and racism. Prejudice issues in a dislike for an individual or group of these individuals. This dislike can simulate from many differences that are shared, religion, culture, system of living (government and social practice), or in some cases looks. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;â€Å"Initially English contact withRead MoreSlavery Essay1945 Words   |  8 Pageshorror, loathing and indignation on examining the record of African slavery. How was it possible? How could it have gone on for so long, and on such a scale? A tragedy of such dimensions has no parallel in any other part of the world. The African continent was bled of its human resources via all possible routes. Across the Sahara, through the Red Sea, from the Indian Ocean ports and across the Atlantic. At least ten centuries of slavery for the benefit of the Muslim countries (from the ninth to the nineteenth)Read MoreDefending Slavery Essay2484 Words   |  10 PagesDefending Slavery The purpose of this paper is to discuss the issue of African slavery in America in the antebellum by late eighteenth century and before the antebellum crisis as discussed in Paul Finkelman’s book: Defending Slavery. This paper will summarize the first part of book taking as a main topic racial aspects of the slavery. After the introductory summary , this paper will focus in two specific sections found in the second part of the book: â€Å"Religion and Slavery† and â€Å"RacialRead MoreEssay on Honor And Slavery2418 Words   |  10 PagesCritical Essay Honor and Slavery Perhaps one of the strongest elements of slavery is honor. Honor has had a wide range of impact in history, whether it was shaping major dynasties and hierarchies, deciding an individuals’ role in society, or family ties and marriages. This sense of worth, high esteem, or virtue was also manipulated by slave masters in order to control their slaves. â€Å"The slave could have no honor because of the origin of his status, the indignity and all-pervasivenessRead More Slavery Essay3127 Words   |  13 Pages The Slaves’ And The Slaveowners’ Views Of Slavery â€Å"That face of his, the hungry cannibals Would not have touched, would not have stained with blood;-- But you are more inhuman, more inexorable, Oh! ten times more than tigers of Hyrcania.† Shakespeare I chose the topic about slavery for my research paper because I thought it would be an interesting experience doing research about slavery. It is American history and the more we know about it, the be tter we can understand what is going on today inRead More Slavery Essay850 Words   |  4 Pagesinstitutionalized slavery ended. Introduction I Can anyone of you imagine owning a slave? Can anyone of you imagine being a slave? Regardless of your answer, slavery no longer exists as an institution. Why? Thesis Statement: Technological advances brings an end to institutional slavery. Body 1 In the 1700s Britain emerges as a superpower. A. The British Industrial Revolution was the height of technology. 1. The Industrial Revolution loosened the grip of slavery. 2.Read MoreEssay about Indian Slavery and Islamic Slavery1504 Words   |  7 Pagesimportance in the development of the slavery as institution. However, as Cooper has pointed out, it is important take in account that there is not such â€Å"Islamic societies† as an homogeneous group of communities ruled by the Sacred Law. Instead, on each different place, the â€Å"Islamic slavery† was shaped by the local conditions and reshaped by the economic and social changes.1 The Islam was one of the â€Å"ideological frameworks† used in the African continent to justify the slavery of other human beings.2 The mainRead MoreSlavery Essay839 Words   |  4 PagesSlavery Essay Slavery was ongoing in the southern states. In the 1800’s many white slave owners believed that the African Americans were inferior to them despite the fact that â€Å"†all men are created equal†. They were forced into labor and treated like property. The slave owners justified their behavior and believed they acted caring and conscientious to their slaves. Truthfully, however, the slaves were mostly treated very badly, as Fredrick Douglas, a black slave, testifies. There were select

Deeper Insight by Use of Point of View - Summary - 1074 Words

Deeper Insight by Use of Point of View The majority of authors use literary elements to build up their story. However, the author of the short story â€Å"Barn Burning† uses one particular element to build up his own story in a very unique format. William Faulkner uses various literary elements in the story, but the most critical one is point of view. Faulkner uses point of view to develop characters, the theme, and the plot of the story. Faulkner’s use of point of view helps the reader understand who the characters are, how the characters develop, and aids in understanding the characters actions throughout the story. Faulkner uses a nonparticipant narrator as well as Sarty’s thoughts and views for point of view. This unique usage provides†¦show more content†¦However, the size of the house does not faze his father. Only a few moments later Abner purposely steps in horse manure, walks into the house, and soils an expensive rug. Faulkner’s use of point of view is critical to the development of the plot of the story. By entering Sarty’s mind the reader understands how he is developing. The narrator aids in the plot build-up by describing the events occurring in the story. The reader learns at the beginning of the story (scene of courtroom) that Sarty is already conflicted between family loyalty and his own morals. At this point the reader understands that Sarty will eventually have to choose between family loyalty and his own morals. All of this sets up the plot of the story due to the fact that the climax of the story is Sartys final decision of this confliction. He struggles with this confliction throughout the story which first establishes itself at the beginning in the courtroom. Sarty’s decision to tell Major de Spain of his father’s plan to burn his barn exposes his ultimate choice of his own morals over family loyalty. Major de Spain shoots and kills his father because of Sartys warning that Abner was going to burn his barn. It is only after Abner’s death when Sarty finds something related to, but not quite peace. Although there will be no more fires, lies, beatings, and violence, his father is no more as well. The use of point of view is crucial toShow MoreRelatedMisreading Scripture With Western Eyes844 Words   |  4 Pagessame following points and given a summary about the misreading’s and hidden points in the bible. â€Å"Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes† gives the reader well enlightened concepts to the bible that before might have been obscured, but now have been broken down into terms that people from the western part of the world can comprehend â€Å"such as ice bergs.† The author uses many a resemblances to the bible and how other supportive countries of our world see it inversely. The author uses these metaphorsRead MoreWhat ´s Knowledge Management?1166 Words   |  5 Pagesthus, what is really entailed is a rethink with a pro minence on the people side of knowledge management and such approach is the use of a knowledge cafà ©. David Gurteen and Dan Remenyi (2004) defined a knowledge cafà © as a mode of bringing a group of people together to have an open, ingenious conversation on a topic of mutual interest to share ideas and to gain a deeper collective understanding of the subject and the issues related to and surrounding that subject. This technique is all about theRead MoreCharles Baxter s The Art Of Subtext848 Words   |  4 PagesA story is only as good as the way it is told. The way a writer uses his or her words to say something is just as important as what they don’t say. Charles Baxter, author of plethora of books and university teacher, writes a craft book that goes deeper than the surface of writing and deeper than the words written down. In Charles Baxter’s The Art of Subtext, he discusses how authors can use the words they do write just as much to express what they don’t write. The first chapter, â€Å"The Art of Staging†Read MoreCritique of Woman as Storyteller in Wide Sargasso Sea758 Words   |  4 PagesSource Roper, Valerie. Woman as Storyteller in Wide Sargasso Sea. Caribbean Quarterly, 34:1/2 (1988:Mar./June) p.19 URL: http://pao.chadwyck.com/PDF/1319462795559.pdf Summary In her article, Woman as Storyteller in Wide Sargasso Sea Valerie Roper asserts that Antoinette is much more than just a narrator. Antoinette tells the story of her life but also illuminates the plight and circumstances of women as increasing self awareness dawns. The duality of Antoinettes identity representsRead MoreAssessment Of Teaching And Learning1400 Words   |  6 PagesAssessment for Learing (AfL) forms a critical feature of teaching in the present day – more and more it is becoming a focal point of the teaching practice. It is becoming a key component of lesson planning and is an aspect of teaching and learning AfL forms part of teaching standard 6 â€Å"make accurate and productive use of assessment† (Department for Education, 2011) and this includes both summative and formative assessment. Formerly, the focus of teaching and of lesson planning was heavily weightedRead MoreAnalysis Of Alice Munro s How I Met My Husband 1487 Words   |  6 Pagesdepict that the narrator has learned much from her experiences from when she was 15 years old. Munro does this to allow the reader to have deeper insight of the theme. In â€Å"How I Met My Husband† Alice Munro portrays the theme of delusion and self-deception by using an abundance of literary devices such as various forms of irony, characterization, and point of view. Munro is able to craft the emotional complexity of the story by utilizing the literary devices that are important to the creation of theRead MoreSweat by Zora Hurston Essay1650 Words   |  7 Pagesgets exactly what he deserves when his nasty plan for Delia backfires on himself, ironically becoming the victim of his own terrible prank. Hurston’s short story â€Å"Sweat,† depends significantly on her brilliant use of four literary elements: tone/style, character development, Point of view, and symbolism to reveal the themes of empowerment, faith, and justice. The story begins in a normal tone that prepares you for anything. It then switches to a different dialect of old African American cultureRead MoreShakespeare s Sonnets Of William Shakespeare1006 Words   |  5 Pagesthe perspective and views reflecting his personal life and feelings, others believe him to have written the sonnets from the invented narrator’s perspective. 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Emotional Vs Logical Reasoning

Question: Which one is more conducive when it comes to making life decisions? Answer: Emotional Reasoning People are emotional beings. Given this simple fact without pondering any further, the implication is that decisions made on emotional grounds create a better balance in our lives since we are feeding our feelings, without negating too far from our hearts desires (Gaudine and Thorne, 2001). Focusing on the example of a mother who decides to steal to feed her hungry children, logical thinking would probably lead this woman to find better ways, given the pros and cons of her actions. In this case, emotions play a significant role in leading her to the decision of committing a crime, as logic would see it. On the other hand, emotional reasoning tends to be too impulsive. It is those decisions that are made in the snap of a finger, especially in the case of danger of a loved one or self. Emotional presentations move the masses to action. Words that have deeply analyzed by ones own heart and presented in this way, lead proposals to acceptance and leaders to big seats. According to Gaudine and Thorne (2001), leaders that make most of their decisions based on emotional are grounds are often re-elected in democratic regimes. When the emotions of the masses are stirred, even decisions made will be profoundly affected by ones emotions, in the subconscious pursuit of contentment (Zeelenberg et al., 2008). Compassion and goodness encompass emotional reasoning. Given this, emotional thinkers are often carried in high esteem, as most of their decisions are compassionate and generous, only leading to good effect. Most emotional thinkers listen to their hearts and follow accordingly. Given that one is content with their decisions and bears no regrets even chances of disease and illness are reduced, leading to a stress-free life (Zeelenberg et al., 2008). However, this depends on the decision made. Finally, According to Damasios theory of the somatic-marker, defined bodily states may frequently occur in the experience of certain feelings or sight of individual objects (Becharra et al., 2001). For example, a ring from a loved one would consequently cause a sense of joy, warmth, and nostalgia to the owner. It is impossible to escape feelings and emotions as they are attached to everything we see and possess. In the light of this, emotional thinking is compatible with the situation and would result in better rational life choices. In the essay by Sweitzer et al. (2008), different individuals have different emotions and therefore different impulses when it comes to decision making. It is these feelings and sentiments that form the underlying factor after which logically comes in. Because we are emotional beings and based on the arguments above, emotional decision making is more conducive to making lifes decisions. Logical Reasoning When logic is incorporated into decision making, with the complete elimination of sentiments, an individual has a perfect and conducive model for making good lifes decisions. Consistent use of logic is even better, as a person stands a better chance of having no regrets at all even in the face of failure. Rational methods are used in logical thinking, where each viable option is critically weighed and analyzed. According to Anderson (2003), logical thinking is what builds people and nations by showing them the consequences of decision avoidance due to emotions. He further explains that we can live a healthy and full life if we are not slaves to our emotions. First, logic allows an individual to reflect on the values and beliefs pertaining the decision to be made. As such, it is because logic is typically armed with facts that can only be disputed by emotions within the person, of course, due to inherent bias (Hastie and Dawes, 2010). According to Phat (2007), logical thinking that is consistent and dependable always picks the best option available in the given decision situation. There are certain areas where emotional thinking would not, in any way supersede logical thinking; instead, it would just degrade the type of decisions made, as most of these decisions involve many different people. If a court magistrate were to make her decisions with emotional thinking, much bias would be included in the act. For one, no one would understand why the judge made a particular decision, giving the reason that it felt right. For one to make a decision with the feeling of it feels right, this person must be psychic, over confident and unwise. This is where logical thinking provides credibility to a decision, given the statistics, the testimonies, examples and case studies. In school, a student who thinks logically has a creative edge over the rest of his comrades and a better chance at succeeding by conquering more opportunities. Imagine that logic is the laying block for emotion. While using logic, individuals are easily persuaded into submission within their minds. However, within these same individuals, lies emotions attached to almost every smell, color, person, object, circumstance or even sight. Given that the mind lies in the individuals body, so does the heart, and both have powerful influences over the person, finding a balance between rational thinking and emotional thinking is probably the most conducive way of making lifes decisions. References Anderson, C. J. (2003). The psychology of doing nothing: forms of decision avoidance result from reason and emotion. Psychological Bulletin, 129(1), 139. Bazerman, M. H., Moore, D. A. (2008). Judgment in managerial decision making. Bechara, A., Damasio, H., Damasio, A. R. (2000). Emotion, decision making, and the orbitofrontal cortex. Cerebral Cortex, 10(3), 295-307. Gaudine, A., Thorne, L. (2001). Emotion and ethical decision-making in organizations. Journal of Business Ethics, 31(2), 175-187. Hastie, R., Dawes, R. M. (2010). Rational choice in an uncertain world: The psychology of judgment and decision-making. Sage. Pham, M. T. (2007). Emotion and rationality: A critical review and interpretation of empirical evidence. Review of general psychology, 11(2), 155. Sinclair, M., Ashkanasy, N. M. (2005). Intuition: myth or a decision-making tool? Management Learning, 36(3), 353-370. Sweitzer, M. M., Allen, P. A., Kaut, K. P. (2008). Relation of individual differences in impulsivity to nonclinical emotional decision making. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 14(05), 878-882. Zeelenberg, M., Nelissen, R. M., Breugelmans, S. M., Pieters, R. (2008). On emotion specificity in decision making: Why feeling is for doing. Judgment and Decision-making, 3(1), 18.

Lenin Research Paper Essay Example

Lenin Research Paper Essay Lenin was and remains a highly controversial figure. Some demonized him, while for many other he was (and for very few contemporaries remains) nearly an idol and a symbol of the fight for liberation and freedom. The history turned this figure from once successful revolutionary into a person mocked or hated by many. Once his statues stood all over Eastern Europe, several decades later they were turned down in euphoria. Lenin, although now not as exciting and respected as once before, remains one of the most influential and divisive figures of the twentieth century. Origins of Leninism Leninism sometimes referred to as Marxism-Leninism, is a doctrine including political, social, and economic principles developed by Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin at the beginning of the 20th century. Experts argue that it is not merely a philosophy and not a pure political theory, but rather a collection of ideas, approaches, and strategies composed for a revolutionary purpose. What later became known as Leninism is mainly Lenin’s interpretation of Marxism to some extent influenced by the Russian anarchist Narodnik movement. Leninism was the leading ideology of the Bolshevik party and later in the Soviet Union and had a significant influence on the entire development of communism and history of the USSR. The core ideas of Lenin’s teaching or Leninism were developed throughout his life and reflected in his pamphlets What is to be Done?, Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism, and State and Revolution. These works became something like a Bible for several ge nerations of communists. We will write a custom essay sample on Lenin Research Paper specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Lenin Research Paper specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Lenin Research Paper specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In 1848 Marx and Engels wrote in their Communist Manifesto that communism is â€Å"the most advanced and resolute section of the working-class parties of every country, that section which pushes forward all others.† This idea became the cornerstone of Leninism. Marxism is not something completely new or unnatural for our civilization. Its foundation is â€Å"a ‘moral economy’ of sharing and helping each other† (Le Blanc, p.94) which developed when people still were gathering and hunting because they would not be able to survive otherwise. Both for Marx and Lenin, this idea seemed the only fair way of our existence. Vladimir Lenin adjusted Marx’s theory to suit Russia’s mainly agricultural society. In the very beginning of the 20th century, Russia did not have what Marx considered to be prerequisites of a revolution – nationalism, irredentism, class warfare. Marxism was based mainly on urban or industrial workers, while Russia was predominantly an agrarian society. Consequently, Lenin had to adjust Marx’s learning to the needs of his country. He developed it further and revived â€Å"revolutionary content of Marxism.† Unlike many other Russian Marxists, Lenin did not merely predict a proletarian revolution but was eager to make it happen as fast as possible. Stalin later said that Leninism is not purely Russian phenomenon and can be applied internationally. Both Lenin and Marx saw in which terrible unfair conditions are working people lived, exploited by a wealthy minority. They both believed that under capitalism proletariat would never be able to live well and earn reasonably. They both knew that a minority is ruling the society and wanted this to change. Marxists believed that capitalism would eventually degrade and â€Å"only the working class could prevent this degradation and reconstruct society† (Le Blank, 2006, p.94). Lenin’s Goals and Vision Lenin has correctly evaluated the situation in the country. Dissatisfaction with the ruling monarchs was growing, and the economy was in a terrible condition. One of the Lenin’s primary goals was to fight against tsarism, and under this purpose, he was able to unite many dissatisfied classes of society. Everyone in Russia seemed to be unhappy with the regime. The workers were unhappy about the social order and low pay, soldiers were unhappy about the military system and the war, peasants felt deprived and were unhappy about their poverty, the middle class wanted more civil rights and reforms, and national minorities wanted their state. Russia had enormous internal problems, and the situation was aggravated by the involvement of Russia in Russian-Japanese War in 1905, and the World War I. Dissatisfaction with the tsar as well as the popularity of Bolsheviks’ revolutionary ideas were continually growing. Lenin wanted to establish a country of workers and peasants. Proletariat largely supported his and Bolsheviks’ interpretation of Marxism. Workers played the major role in every stage of the revolution. Bolsheviks were once only a fraction of the leftist movement. However, they have managed to win over many peasants and workers. Bolsheviks often used propaganda to gain over workers and were quite successful. The promised socio-economic reforms, better pay, working hours and conditions. Lenin promised the workers that they will be in charge of the means of production and that the working class, not the rich people, will rule the society – what he called â€Å"dictatorship of the proletariat and peasantry.† That was precisely what most people in Russia wanted to hear. Lenin was sure that trade-unions could not improve the situation and protect the rights of working people and summoned the workers to take power in their own hands. He explained that after a revolution his party would free working people and give them economic and democratic rights. Lenin wanted to create a republic instead of a monarchy and abolish private property. Peasants and workers massively joined in the Red Army. Some of them did not support the Bolsheviks, but they did not support the monarchists. Lenin believed that capitalism needs to be overthrown and it is possible only with a revolution – he did not find in a peaceful transition. Unlike Mensheviks, he did not think that capitalism could be adjusted or reformed, but rather that the power needed to be taken with force, even if the price to pay was a bloody civil war. In other words, revolution and seizure of power were the goals, and all the means to reach it were justified. Lenin was convinced that violence is necessary for self-defense. Nowadays, it seems almost hard to believe, but Lenin at some point in his life did want to establish a democracy and noted that it would exist when â€Å"all members of society, or at least the vast majority, have learned to administer the state themselves, have learned to take this work into their own hands.†(Le Blank, 2006, p.94) Under such conditions, Lenin believed, that a need for a government apparatus will become obsolete and that is when real â€Å"communism† will come. Lenin, as well as other Marxists, came to a conclusion that a highly disciplined and professional group of revolutionaries is needed to guide the masses through the revolution on its way to communism. He envisioned a state governed by â€Å"dictatorship of the proletariat.† In Communist Manifesto this idea was also reflected -â€Å"the most advanced and resolute section of the working class of every country, that section which pushes forward all others† (Marx Engels, 1848) Rosa Luxembourg called it â€Å"the most enlightened, most class-conscious vanguard of the proletariat† (Franzosi, 1995, p.136) Some historians believe that this idea of one party dictatorship was not a central doctrine of Leninism. It became necessary under given circumstances to reach set political goals. In 1902 in pamphlet What Is To Be Done? Lenin wrote that working class if left on its own, would accept bourgeois ideas. To prevent this, he believed that a vanguard party of professional revolutionaries is needed to lead the proletariat. In his early years, Lenin still believed in â€Å"the full application of the democratic principle in the Party organization† (Le Blank, 2006, p.96). Later, in 1917, in State and Revolution Lenin confirmed that he preferred dictatorship governing style. Since a small group of trained revolutionaries was to guide the masses, it obviously meant that democracy and open voting are unnecessary. Moreover, after coming to power, Lenin and Bolsheviks were so scared of counter-revolution that they wanted to protect themselves in every possible way. As a result, the Bolshev iks, and later the Communist Party, built a totalitarian state, where the ruling party controlled all aspects of life. It is possible that dictatorship was one of the biggest mistakes Lenin made. Rosa Luxembourg wrote about it that â€Å"the elimination of democracy as such is worse than the disease it is supposed to cure; for it stops up the very living source from which alone can come to the correction of all the innate shortcomings of social institutions.† (Le Blank, 2006, p. 104) It seems like Lenin was a great democrat until 1917 and a great dictator afterward. On paper, he described almost perfect democracy, and in practice, he turned out to be completely the opposite. Maxim Gorky explains it in this way: â€Å"Lenin, Trotsky, and their supporters have already been poisoned by the corrupting virus of power† (Gorky, 1917) Lenin had a low opinion of Russian peasants, workers, and even doctors. Lenin knew that most of the workers had shallow level of education and too ignorant to effectively govern themselves. Of course, some of the important posts in the Party were occupied by the representatives of the working class. Eventually, what was promised as â€Å"dictatorship of the proletariat† became â€Å"dictatorship of the Party.† Lenin considered that authority, centralism and discipline are the three main cornerstones of the party. He disregarded democracy and saw it as decentralization and was fighting for political autonomy and reformism. He favored top-down approach and preferred bureaucracy over democracy: â€Å"Bureaucracy versus democracy is in fact centralism versus autonomism; it is the organizational principle of revolutionary Social-Democracy as opposed to the organizational principle of opportunist Social-Democracy† (Read, 2005, p.69). By bureaucracy Lenin most probably meant the small central decision-making part of the party. He expected all the others including the lower levels of the side to obey. Terror After the Revolution Russia was the first country to try to build communism, and there were no ready-made solutions. When Lenin and Bolsheviks came to power, they did not have any experience and were not ready to deal with many of the problems. So terror became one of the solutions. When Lenin came to power, all other political parties were eliminated. Coercion, repressions, and terror played a significant role in implementing Lenin’s policies. Albert Rhys Williams, an American journalist, wrote, â€Å"They have abolished free speech, free press, free assembly. They have imposed drastic military conscription and compulsory labor. †¦ They have lowered their Communist ideals†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Le Blanc, p.89) Alter the revolution, Bolsheviks from liberators became oppressors. Lenin was very well aware of the terror that was going on after the revolution. Only in the years between 1917 and 1922 140,000 opponents of Bolsheviks were executed by the secret police, the Cheka. These persecutions were carried out in ‘the name of the interest of the workers’. When Lenin came to power, Bolsheviks were a minority, so to preserve power, they tried to eliminate all their enemies, which included anarchists and Mensheviks among others. Some historians argue that terror was done not only to protect the achievements of revolutions but also to eliminate other revolutionaries and political opponents. Lenin even in his early writings before the revolution admitted that terror might be a necessary weapon. In the 1920s he wrote in one of his letters: â€Å"It is a great mistake to think that the NEP put an end to terror; we shall again have recourse to terror and economic terror† (Lewin, 2008, p.133). No doubt, Lenin knew about the terror and considered it appropriate. However, unlike Stalin for example, Lenin hated terror and repressions and saw them only as defense instruments. Lenin closed the Cheka in 1922. Personal Portrait Whatever is being said about him, Lenin was no doubt a genius. Max Eastman, an American writer, wrote about him â€Å"He is simple in his heart like a peasant who knows proverbs, but in his mind subtle and mighty.† (Le Blanc, p.90) Edna Ferber, an American novelist, admitted that „Lenin is sheer intellect — he is absorbed, cold, unattractive, impatient at the interruption.† (Le Blanc, p.80) Some biographers write that Lenin was a kind person who liked children and cats. At the same time, Stefan T. Possony, one of Lenin’s biographers, described him as â€Å"Self-righteous, rude, demanding, ruthless, despotic, formalistic, bureaucratic, disciplined, cunning, intolerant, stubborn, one-sided, suspicious, distant, asocial, cold-blooded, ambitious, purposive, vindictive, spiteful, a grudgeholder, a coward†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Le Blank, 2006, p.78). Nikolai Bukharin admitted that Lenin â€Å"didn’t give damn for the opinions of others† and Anatoly Lunacharsky noted that Lenin intentionally â€Å"surrounded himself with fools† so that they will agree with everything he says. (Le Blank, 2006, p. 106) At the same time, there are also opinions of others that Lenin did like an open debate. Tsar Tsar Nicholas II underestimated Lenin and his supporters. The last Russian tsar believed that the power to rule the country was given to him by God and was convinced that the people would remain loyal to him. Even after the Revolution of 1905, he was very reluctant to introduce reforms that would improve workers’ and peasants’ lives. He continued to order to shoot protestors and limit civil rights. Nicholas II ignored the warning about people’s growing discontent. He was sure that people still regard him as â€Å"god† and could not imagine that Lenin will come to power and never considered him a dangerous opponent. The tsar underestimated not only Lenin but other proponents of change and reform n Russia, the Cadets and the Social Revolutionaries. Nicholas II seemed to be wholly detached from the reality and turned both leftists and liberals against himself. He was convinced that Russians worship their tsars and are devoted to the church, who’s supported he had. Nicholas did not agree to democratize Russia because he was afraid to lose his throne. Despite all the signs, he continued to believe that Russian people wanted autocracy and monarch’s unlimited power. He missed his only chance to retain control by intruding reforms and modernizing Russia. The ruler agreed to establish a new legislative organ, the State Duma, which did not exist more than two years. Under such circumstances, Lenin’s ideas very even more welcomed by the masses. Lenin is one of the most widely published authors and one of the most controversial historical figures. Seen by some as an â€Å"enemy of civilization† or as a hero, most probably he was neither a demon nor an idol. Lenin had good intentions and high ideals before coming to power but was not able to execute the desired. Lenin’s efforts to build a society where â€Å"the free development of each would be the condition for the free development of all† turned out to be one of the greatest disasters of the 20th century. He wanted to create a free and equal society of peasants and workers, but when he came to power, he did not have enough experience, means, and knowledge to do it. As a result, especially during Lenin’s successor, the power has been completely taken away from the proletariat, and most of the achievements of the revolution were crossed out. Some historians hold Lenin accountable not only for his sins, but also for the fact that he inspired anoth er dictator of the century, Stalin, Mussolini, and Hitler.