In the beginning Communism seemed to the people of Russia as a utopian

ideal. The promise of the elimination of classes, of guaranteed employment ,The creation

of a comprehensive social security and welfare system for all citizens that would end the

misery of workers once and for all. Lenin's own interpretation of the Marxian critique

was that to achieve Communism there would first have to be a socialist dictatorship to

first suppress any dissent or protest. Through coercive tactics this new government seized

power and in 1917 Lenin came to power. Under his rule the Soviet Union underwent

radical changes in it's economic doctrines adopting a mixed economy which was termed

the New Economic Policy also referred to as NEP, this economy called for some private

ownership of the means of production, but the majority of industry was made property of

the people, which meant the majority of the means of production was controlled by the

government. Lenin's government made many achievements. It ended a long civil war

against the remnants of the old Czarist military system and established institutions in

government. During this period, and in fact throughout the majority of the Communist

rule, censorship and the subordination of interest groups such as trade unions was

imposed to stop dissension and increase conformity to the new governments policies.

Lenin died in 1924, and was quickly followed by Joseph Stalin as head of the Soviet

Communist Party, the oppressive reforms started by Lenin were continued and at length

became completely totalitarian.