Industrialism in Russia
The Tsars
The attempts by the Tsars to modernize Russia were well-founded. While they may not have enjoyed success as some Western European countries, they created a degree of industrial independence for the country. They developed their transport and communication systems, which promoted agriculture and other economic activities. The need for industrialization led to excessive borrowing from foreign countries. However, the country benefitted from the investment since, by 1900, the country was the world’s fourth-largest supplier of steel (Llewellyn et al., 2019). Challenges, such as the surge of the urban population, would eventually be detrimental to the regime of the Tsars. Nonetheless, the benefits of industrialism outweighed the demerits.
Lenin’s View of Socialism
Lenin’s concept of socialism arose during the economic and social revolution in Russia. Western European socialism was merely a philosophical construct. However, Lenin believed that socialism was practical, and with a few modifications to Marxism, it could greatly benefit the low-income earners in Russia who suffered social and economic oppression (Westad, 2018). Also, Lenin did not emphasize on elite rights and liberties. Western European socialism reiterated the importance of unlimited freedom for all people. Contrary, Lenin believed that there was a need to control the actions of the people to maintain balance and harmony in society.
Socialism in the U.S
Socialism did not become popular in the United States due to a systematic campaign by the government and corporations at the turn of the twentieth century. Many groups in the country, including Native Americans, industrial laborers, and immigrants, were unhappy with the provisions of the government. Using socialist concepts, they began protesting against the government, making the latter wary of a socio-economic revolution. Thus, the government started instilling the idea that socialism was anti-American. President Glover even went as far as to state that it is not the government’s job to support the people (Merelli, 2020). Eventually, Americans associated socialism as an enemy to their way of life, and many still do even today.
References
Llewellyn, J., McConnell, M., & Thompson, S. (2019). Russian Industrialization. Retrieved from https://alphahistory.com/russianrevolution/russian-industrialisation/
Merelli, A. (2020). How socialism became anti-American. Retrieved from https://qz.com/1802881/how-socialism-became-anti-american/
Westad, O. A. (2018). Lenin. Diplomatic History, 42(4), 517–520. https://doi.org/10.1093/dh/dhy046