Would Lenin be any different?

Quick mod reminder to potential respondents to not engage in speculation about an alternate timeline where Lenin rules instead of Stalin. Rather, confine answers to actual events, philosophy, plans, and so on. Thanks

Another question would be, "Was Marx really a communist?" He wrote the Communist Manifesto, sure, but he also didn't think that communism should follow immediately on the heels of capitalism. He believed there should be a period of socialism in between the two during which the state would acquire the means of production from the capitalist class. Perhaps the label "Communist" is too specific and Stalin could be grouped more as a practical Socialist because his efforts lead to the development of the party (as a stand in for the state) becoming the controller of the means of production.

Besides that, Stalin was also a lot more killy than Lenin. Here's a book you might like, written by one of my college professors.