How did Lenin became leader of the Bolsheviks?

Answer 1

At the 1903 Congress of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Party in Brussels votes were being taken on various issues. Lenin's supporters were more radical in their goals than others in the party and they were in the minority. Lenin agitated so much that several of the more conservative members of the Congress walked out in protest of Lenin's actions. When those members left, Lenin had a temporary majority which he used to declare his supporters the Bolsheviks of the RSDP. Bolshevik meant majorityite. The name stuck even though in truth, the Bolsheviks were in the minority overall. The opposing majority members for some reason simply allowed themselves to be called Mensheviks, or minorityites, even though they were in the majority.

Answer 2

Lenin becomes leader of the Bolshevik faction of the Social Democrats in 1903. He assumes the leadership of the Bolsheviks (the majority) at the groups meeting in London after he publishes his essay "What is to be done?" which advocates direct action to destabilize the Tsar rather than wait for the overthrow to occur naturally or organically, the position of the Mensheviks within the Social Democrats. This split between Bolshevik and Menshevik will remain throughout the events of 1905 and 1914, and will culminate in the two revolutions of 1917. Lenin emerges on top in Novemeber 1917 as the leader of the Bolsheviks and the head of the Soviets, the committee structure running the countries factories and controlling much of the armed forces.

Answer 3

Most historians cite Vladimir Lenin and Alexander Bogdanov as founders of what became known as the Bolshevik Party. This was a split by these individuals and others from the larger Russian Social Democratic Workers Party.