Alexei Rykov vs Lord Ripon

After Lenin's death, Rykov succeeded him as Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars (Premier) of the Soviet Union in February 1924. He held this position until 1930, overseeing the government during the NEP period and the early stages of Stalin's rise.

Rykov aligned with Bukharin and the Right Opposition, opposing Stalin's forced collectivization and rapid industrialization. He argued for a continuation of the NEP and a more moderate economic approach, but was forced to recant and lost his position as Premier in 1930.

During the Great Purge, Rykov was expelled from the Communist Party in February 1937. He was arrested and accused of involvement in a 'Right-Trotskyist bloc', marking the final stage of his political downfall and leading to his trial.

Rykov was tried alongside Bukharin in the third Moscow Show Trial in March 1938. Found guilty of treason and sabotage, he was executed on March 15, 1938, becoming one of the highest-ranking Soviet officials purged by Stalin.

Lord Ripon's government passed the first Factory Act in India, which regulated child labor by prohibiting employment of children under age seven and limiting working hours for those under twelve. It also required basic safety measures in factories. The act was a pioneering labor reform in colonial India.

Lord Ripon issued a resolution that laid the foundation for local self-government in India. It established municipal and local boards with elected Indian members, aiming to increase Indian participation in administration. This is often called the 'Magna Carta of local self-government' in India.

Lord Ripon repealed the Vernacular Press Act of 1878, which had restricted the freedom of Indian-language newspapers. This action restored press freedom and was welcomed by Indian nationalists, though it was criticized by some British officials as weakening control.

Lord Ripon introduced the Ilbert Bill, which sought to allow Indian judges to try European British subjects in criminal cases. The bill faced intense opposition from the European community in India and was ultimately passed in a diluted form, but it marked a significant step toward judicial equality.