Latest News
March 5, 2012
Applications for the NAMUN 2013 Secretariat are now available here.
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February 24, 2012
NAMUN XXVII closes another great year. Thank you to all staff and delegates who participated!
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February 22, 2012
The Wednesday Edition of The Diplomat is now available online! Printed copies will be available in the afternoon.
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February 21, 2012
NAMUN XXVII
University of Toronto
Conference Schedule available here.
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January 31, 2012
Background guides for committees have been posted.
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Characters of the Russian Revolution
Delegates are expected to write a position paper outlining their respective country's or character's position with respect to their committee topics. This should be a minimum 500 word paper (not exceeding 1500 words) outlining the relevance of their country/character in the committee. Delegates must send this paper prior to February 20th to the President of the committee.
Ammar Keshodia, President of the General Assembly: ammar.keshodia@namun.org
Liam Salichuk, President of Special Committees: liam.salichuk@namun.org
Patrick Langille, President of the Historical Council: patrick.langille@namun.org
Vladimir Lenin: Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Russian SFSR
Vladimir Lenin was the leader of the Bolshevik Party. An advocate of world-wide Revolution, Lenin was eager that Communist Revolutions would sprout across the globe. Lenin advocated a policy in which the former Russian Empire would be divided up into smaller, sub-national units. An overarching bureaucracy would implement the policies of the Party Members. Despite believing that the State was created as a mode of oppression by the bourgeoisie, Lenin however believed it would be the best way to begin the “Dictatorship of the Proletariat” the first stage towards the Communist utopia.
Joseph Stalin: People’s Commissar for Nationalities
Born the son of a cobbler in Georgia, Ioseb Jughashvili discovered the readings of Marx while studying at a seminary. As his political career gained momentum, Joseph Stalin found himself People’s Commissar for Nationalities. As a member of Lenin’s Politburo, Stalin sought to solidify his position as a capable leader within the Bolshevik Party. This tactic was implemented through his brutal stance on dealing with Civil War enemies, while denouncing Trotsky and his Red Army agents. While Stalin was not as powerful as other members of the Bolshevik Commissariat, his ambition and determination quickly set him apart from other party figures.
Leon Trotsky: People’s Commissar for Army and Navy Affairs, Chairman of the Supreme Military Council
Assuming more of an infamous role is Leon Trotsky, the People’s Commissar for Army and Navy Affairs, and founder of the Red Army. As second in command of the Bolsheviks, The Civil War will test Trotsky’s abilities to lead the military arm of the Bolshevik Party as well as his abilities to politically outmaneuver his growing number of enemies. No other member of the Bolshevik Party is both so necessary and despised in this time of growing disunity and civil warfare. He contended that government bureaucracy was a hierarchy maintained over the workers, and as long as a strong centralized government existed, socialism would not be able to flourish. His views often put him at odds with other high ranking members of the Bolshevik party, such as Stalin and Kamenev.
Nikolai Bukharin: Editor of Pravda, Member of the Central Committee
Originally from Moscow, Bukharin was born into an intellectual family which served the Tsarist government. A staunch reader, he believed that the worker’s paradise described by Karl Marx could only exist after a worldwide socialist revolution. He was opposed to the uneasy peace forged with Germany as he thought the continuance of the international war would ensure independent socialist uprisings elsewhere. Lenin’s decision to end Soviet involvement in the war made Bukharin despise the Bolshevik leader. At the outbreak of the civil war, Bukharin is the chief editor of Pravda newspaper, the official propaganda and news organ of the Bolshevik party.
Felix Dzerzhinsky: Head of the Cheka
An experienced Polish revolutionary, Dzerzhinsky was freed from a tsarist prison by the revolution of 1917 and became an avid supporter of the Bolsheviks. He was appointed by Lenin to organize a committee which could deal with counter revolutionary activities within the newly formed Soviet State. The All-Russia Extraordinary Commission to Combat Counter-revolution and Sabotage, or the Cheka as it is commonly known, became the first Russian secret and political police, with Dzerzhinsky at the helm. This experienced revolutionary is not without enemies within the party and as his frequent clashes with Lenin over the withdrawal from the war indicate, he may soon be facing disfavour within the party.
Lev Kamenev: Chairman of the Moscow Soviet
Born into a wealthy Jewish family in Georgia, Kamenev was thrown out of university for his radical political views and practices. After his expulsion he devoted all his time to revolutionary activities against the government. He was seen as an opponent to Trotsky, whom he frequently clashed with over party policy. Kamenev was often seen as more of a moderate Bolshevik.
Alexander Shliapnikov: People’s Commissar for Labour
A prominent opposition member within the Bolshevik Party, Shliapnikov brought a sober voice of the people to the upper echelons of power within the party. He emphasized that trade unions and workers should be the primary decision makers within the new government, rather than party leaders. This brought him into frequent conflict with Lenin and Stalin, who saw Shliapnikov as a dissenting and troublesome revolutionary. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Shliapnikov must prove to the Bolshevik Party that his ideas for worker empowerment are imperative for Soviet success.
8. Alexey Rykov: People’s Commissar for Internal Affairs
Rykov was the People’s Commissar of Internal Affairs. He was a moderate within the Bolshevik Party, coming into frequent conflict with Lenin. While acknowledging the need for some party guidance, he contended most power should be vested in the hands of trade unions and workers. Rykov was in charge of the distribution of food to the Red Army during the Russian Civil War, a role which allowed him to see first hand the devastation of the conflict.