Lenin and Electrification 1925

This Soviet poster is titled “Lenin and Electrification” (1925), created by artists Shass and Kobelev. It prominently features a portrait of Vladimir Lenin against a red circle, symbolizing revolution and leadership. The imagery includes transmission towers, factories, and a large glowing light bulb—visual metaphors for the industrialization and electrification of the USSR. The slogan declares: “Communism is Soviet power plus the electrification of the whole country”, a phrase attributed to Lenin, emphasizing that modern technology and infrastructure were central to building socialism. The poster reflects the GOELRO Plan, the Soviet Union’s first major economic initiative, which aimed to electrify the nation and modernize industry. As propaganda, it links Lenin’s authority with technological progress, promising that electricity would power both factories and the socialist future.