How did Lenin fail to establish a totalitarian regime?
To answer this question you first have to build a model of what features a totalitarian regime has, and then you have to examine Lenin’s regime to see if it fits your model. Totalitarianism it mostly about political power, but it is also the desire to control all aspects of life, not just the political sphere. I would argue that all totalitarian regimes contain at least 5 features: 1) The regime must be a one party state 2) The regime must use terror as a political tool 3) The leader must have total control over his subordinates, through political and extra-political means (meaning that they must use fear even on close allies) 4) The regime must control all, or nearly all aspects of the economy. 5) The regime must try to control all aspects of human relations, from trade unions and politics to social groups, education even to marriage and youth groups. There are plenty of other models of totalitarianism, but I think that these 5 sum up the most important features. 1) Other parties were
