Why Lenin had to reintroduce capitalism

One hundred years ago, Vladimir Lenin announced the introduction of a “New Economic Policy,” which, in his own words, meant “reverting to capitalism to a considerable extent.” This proved that his socialist experiment had failed.

In February and March 1921, workers downed tools and went on strike across Russia. One of the centers of this industrial action was Petrograd. Special units of the Cheka opened fire on demonstrating workers. Panic broke out among Bolsheviks as workers and soldiers fraternized. Kronstadt, a naval base and port city on an island off St. Petersburg, was the site of a mutiny by marines from two armored cruisers.