The ideology foundational to the establishment of the Soviet Union was Marxism, developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Promoted by the Bolshevik leaders, particularly Vladimir Lenin, this ideology called for the overthrow of capitalism and the establishment of a classless, stateless society through the collective ownership of the means of production. After the October Revolution of 1917, the Bolsheviks implemented Marxist theory by nationalizing industries and distributing land among peasants. This led to the formation of a socialist state in Russia, setting the stage for the later emergence of a one-party communist regime that characterized the Soviet Union.