Question

In what ways were Tsar Nicholas and Vladimir Lenin similar in their leadership style?

Answer 1

Answer:

Well, first you'll have to identify themes of their rule.

Style of rule -

NII was obviously an autocrat (even though he, in theory anyway, had a representative  body of the peoples, the Duma. But he hung onto his absolute rule with the Fundamental  Laws (1905)), and Lenin had spoke alot of 'dictatorship of the proletariat,' both pretty absolute.

Repression (secret police, censorship) -

NII had the Okhrana, and tried to continue his father's 'Reaction.' Secret police for the purpose of preserving the status quo, keeping the Tsars in power.  

Lenin's Cheka was far more efficient, and though the total amount of the Cheka's victims in the  civil war are officially 12,000 and something(wiki it), historians widely believe this figure to be in  excess 500,000. Lenin therefore could be judged as the worse of the two.

Reform -

• NII - Illusory Reform (October Manifesto created the Duma, and as mentioned, this had no real authority),  
• Stolypin's land reforms did almost nothing. Lenin issues the Workers Control Decree, and also  
• the Bolshevik Land Decree - however these were only very temporary (before a return to a very  
• authoritarian economic set-up (strict discipline etc). These therefore could also be judged as illusory.

Similarities-  

• Both used concessions/reform in order to maintain control. Nicholas with the October Manifesto and the creation of the Duma and Lenin with the NEP to appease the SR's and the rightists of the Bolsheviks.  
• They both 'backtracked' on the reforms however with Lenin calling the NEP a 'tactical retreat' and would've  
• reverted it had he been alive and Nicholas made the 1906 constitution/ Fundamental laws which limited  the Duma's powers and maintained his position as an autocrat.