Final answer:
The events that led to the start of communism in the Soviet Union were principally the overthrow of the Russian monarchy by the Bolsheviks in 1917, the establishment of a state based on the communist model, and Stalin's consolidation of power into a strict police state.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Start of Communism in the Soviet Union
The events that led to the start of communism in the Soviet Union included the overthrow of the Russian monarchy through the Russian Revolution. Specifically, the February Revolution began in 1917, leading to the abdication of Czar Nicholas II and the establishment of a provisional government. This provisional government was soon overthrown by the Bolsheviks, a group of revolutionaries led by Vladimir Lenin. Afterward, a state based on the economic and social system of communism was enacted, and the country's name was changed to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), marking the beginning of the Soviet era.
In the years that followed, Joseph Stalin emerged as the country's leader, creating a powerful police state that monitored and controlled all aspects of Soviet life. This period saw a complete reordering of Russian society to align with socialist principles, and the Communist Party promoted propaganda, while dissenters faced repression and violence. This era of the USSR existed until the late 1980s and early 1990s, when Mikhail Gorbachev initiated reforms resulting in the cessation of the Communist rule and the start of a transition towards capitalism and democratic processes.