The influential figure behind the rise of the Soviet Union after the Russian Revolution was Vladimir Lenin. As a leader of the Bolshevik Party, Lenin played a crucial role in the overthrow of the provisional government in 1917, leading to the establishment of a communist state. He ideologically shaped the new regime through his writings and policies, such as the New Economic Policy (NEP), which temporarily eased the harshness of war communism. Following Lenin's death in 1924, his ideas and legacy continued to influence the governance of the Soviet Union, paving the way for future leaders like Joseph Stalin.