Vladimir Lenin role in the Russian revolution was a major factor of the consolidation of power the
Bolsheviks gained in the Russian Revolution. For most of his life, Lenin had been in relative obscurity but
by 1917 Lenin had risen to infamy as a force to be reckoned with. By the end of the year not only was
Lenin a prominent figure whose fame crossed national boundaries, but he was also responsible for the
Bolsheviks triumphant overthrow of the provisional government. This sudden emergence to power came
from Lenin's unflinching belief and charisma to bring out the revolutionary zeal within people at large.
Another one of Russia's defining moments came when he returned in April 1917 from exile in
Switzerland. As the historian Catherine Merridale put it, Lenin’s railway from Zurich to St. Petersburg
"changed the world" Within months of his arrival, Lenin and his band of revolutionaries had done what
they pledged and gotten rid of the provisional government and began to establish a new political order.
Lev Trotsky, a man who played a key part in the Bolshevik movement, later remarked on how important
Lenin's leadership at this time of consolidation was, pointing out that without him in Petersburg, there
"would have been no October Revolution." It is undeniable that Lenin's vision and abilities played a
significant role in the consolidation of the Bolsheviks’ gain of power