Seminar paper from the year 2001 in the subject Politics - Political Systems - History, grade: 1,0, University of Sussex, language: English, abstract: The term revolution can be either defined as an attempt [] to change the government of a country or as a great change in conditions, ways of working, beliefs, etc. that affects large numbers of people. In conducting the Russian revolution of 1917 and its aftermath, Lenin has fulfilled both conditions for the first time in history, the capitalist system was challenged by a Communist state. In this essay, I will firstly concentrate on Lenins theoretical approach to the dictatorship of the proletariat and its realization throughout the period of the October Revolution (section II). Thereupon, section III describes the use of Communism during the civil war and its consequences, whereas section IV considers the implication of the New Economic Policy on various parts of the Russian population.