Wladimir Lenin was a Russian revolutionary leader and the founder of the Soviet state. Born in 1870, he played a key role in the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, which led to the overthrow of the Provisional Government and the establishment of a communist government in Russia. Lenin's ideas were based on Marxism, and he believed in the need for a vanguard party to lead the working class. As the head of the new government, Lenin implemented significant changes, including land redistribution and the nationalization of industry. He led the country through the Russian Civil War and established the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Lenin's leadership and policies laid the groundwork for the future of the Soviet Union.