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2. R: The collapse of autocracy 1894-1917 > 12. Establishment of Bolshevik government > Flashcards

12. Establishment of Bolshevik government Flashcards

1
Q

Where was Lenin in 1917, and what prompted his return to Russia?

A

Lenin was in exile in Switzerland; upon hearing about the Tsar’s overthrow, he returned to Russia to shape its future.

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1
Q

What was Lenin’s vision for power and governance in Russia?

A

Lenin advocated for transferring all power to the soviets (councils) and ending cooperation with the Provisional Government.
Bolshevik and Marxist

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2
Q

April Thesis

A

-All land to be relocated to the Peasants.
–immediate end to the war
–all power to the soviets.
PEACE, BREAD AND LAND

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3
Q

Reactions to Lenin’s reappearence?

A
  • Some bolsheviks feared Lenin had grown out of touch + radical proposals = more harm than good
  • Allegations that Lenin was in pay of the germans |(partly true)
    Mensheviks feared Lenin would undermine what they had been doing and by stirring up discontent would provoke a right-wing reaction.
  • Thought Lenin’s call to oppose PG was unrealistic (Bolsheviks had 26k members and still a minority)
  • Bolsheviks were internally divided over whether to cooperate w/OG or not (Stalin did).
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4
Q

How did Lenin gradually build support?

A

with speaches, claimed credit for what was happening.
* By april, Lenin won over majority of central committee of Bols. party by personality.

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5
Q

What significant event happened in July involving Lenin and Trotsky?

A
  • An armed riot involving soldiers, Kronstadt sailors, and factory workers broke out in Petrograd.
  • Lenin was joined by Trotsky.
  • The government used troops to suppress the protest, leading to arrests of prominent Bolsheviks, while Lenin fled to Finland.
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6
Q

How did the Provisional Government react to the July events?

A

The government dispersed the crowd with loyal troops and denounced Bolsheviks in the Soviet newspaper Izvestia, leading to the closure of Pravda and a decline in Lenin’s reputation.

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7
Q

What shift occurred when Kerensky replaced Prince Lvov as Prime Minister?

A
  • Initially, seemed the Bolshevik moment had passed.
  • However, Kornilov affair allowed Bolsheviks to gain reputation for opposing Kornilov’s actions, salvaging their cause.
  • Lenin urged followers from Finland to maintain pressure and save the revolution.
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8
Q

How did Bolshevik support evolve from February to October?

A
  • Bolsheviks gained increased support in urban Russia and Moscow’s Duma elections.
  • increasing their backing by 164% (from 23,000 to 200,000) during this period.
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9
Q

October 1917

A

party producing 41 newsppers & 10k red guards in capital factories

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10
Q

sept 1917

A

Bolsheviks won maj. in PS// control of Moscow Soviet put them in powerful position

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11
Q

mid-sept

A
  • Lenin (still in Finland) bombarded central committee of Bolshevik party w/demands to stage revolution & seize power.
  • Grigorri Zinoviev & Lev Kamenev said no fearing Russia was not yet economically ready for revolution/urged restraint & burned Lenin’s letter
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12
Q

12 sept, what did Lenin write?

A

‘history will not forgive us if we do not assume power now’ - 3 days later committee voted against coup

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13
Q

THE BOLSHEVIK SEIZURE OF POWER, OCTOBER 1917

What did lenin do after secretly returning to Petrograd oct 1917?

A
  • demands vote
  • won 10 to 2.
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14
Q

THE BOLSHEVIK SEIZURE OF POWER, OCTOBER 1917

Bolshevik Rise in Petrograd

A

Bolsheviks become main party in Petrograd soviets.
Trotsky elected chairman of the soviet.
Establishment of the Military Revolutionary Committee (MRC) under Trotsky’s control for Petrograd’s defense.

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15
Q

THE BOLSHEVIK SEIZURE OF POWER, OCTOBER 1917

Kerensky’s Orders and MRC’s Actions

A
  • Kerensky orders arrest of MRC leaders, shuts down Bolshevik party paper.
  • MRC gains control over red guards, Petrograd, Peter and Paul fortress Garrisons, and Kronstadt sailors.
  • Lenin’s statement: Power shifted to the Soviets, declaring end to the Provisional Government.
16
Q

THE BOLSHEVIK SEIZURE OF POWER, OCTOBER 1917

Seizing Control and Kerensky’s Flight

A
  • 8000 red guards and Kronstadt sailors seize key positions.
  • Kerensky disguises as a nurse, flees to the front to gather troops against Bolsheviks.
17
Q

THE BOLSHEVIK SEIZURE OF POWER, OCTOBER 1917

Assault on the Winter Palace

A
  • October 25th: Warship Aurora fires at the Winter Palace, launching the Bolshevik attack.
  • Palace defended by women and cadets, captured by Bolsheviks at 2.00pm with 6 casualties.
18
Q

THE BOLSHEVIK SEIZURE OF POWER, OCTOBER 1917

Formation of New Government

A
  • October 26th: Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets holds its first session.
  • Lenin leads a new Governing Committee to form Sovnarkom (cabinet of important ministers).
19
Q

THE BOLSHEVIK SEIZURE OF POWER, OCTOBER 1917

Trotsky’s Departure and Decree by Lenin

A
  • Trotsky leaves, branding the revolution a coup.
  • Lenin issues a decree advocating for peace and declaring land as property of the people.
  • Bolsheviks had 390 representatives.
20
Q

THE CONSOLIDATION OF BOLSHEVIK GOVERNMENT OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1917

Predictions and reactions

A
  • Menshevik leader Irakli Tsereteli predicted Bolshevik power would not last longer than 3 weeks.
  • Socialist Revolutionaries (SR) were divided: left wing congratulated Lenin, while the right accused him of illegally seizing power.
21
Q

THE CONSOLIDATION OF BOLSHEVIK GOVERNMENT OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1917

voting and selection

A
  • Around 500 delegates supported a socialist government.
  • Majority of positions in the new executive went to Bolsheviks and extreme left-wing SRs.
22
Q

THE CONSOLIDATION OF BOLSHEVIK GOVERNMENT OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1917

Moderates reaction (Trotsky response)

A
  • The ‘moderates,’ including left-wing SRs and a Bolshevik coalition, walked out of the congress.
  • Trotsky famously stated that they were consigned to the “dustbin of history.”
23
Q

THE CONSOLIDATION OF BOLSHEVIK GOVERNMENT OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1917

Bolsheviks established new gov called?

A

Sovnarkom - comprimised of Bols. and included one female commisar Alexandra Kollantai.

24
Q

Lenins decrees

Decree on peace

A
  • outlined measures for Russia’s withdrawal from the First World War without “payment of indemnities or annexations”.
  • aimed to secure support of many soldiers on the disintegrating Russian front.
  • The sincerity of Bolshevik assurance came under scrutiny when Lenin endorsed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk which divested Russia of its Baltic territory.
25
Q

Lenins decrees

Decree on land

A
  • outlined measures by which the peasants were to divide up rural land among themselves.
  • advocated the forceful dissolution of many wealthy estates by peasant forces.
  • contributed to an increase in Bolshevik support amongst the peasantry, but were counterproductive in that the Russian war front disintegrated as soldiers (who were formerly peasants) returned to secure land for themselves.
26
Q

Lenins decrees

workers’ decrees

A
  • outlined measures for minimum wage, limitations on workers’ hours, and the running of factories by elected workers’ committees.
  • consolidated Bolshevik support amongst the working classes in the cities, where they had taken power.
27
Q

Lenins decrees

Nationality decree

A

self-determination to peoples of former Russian Empire (Finland became ind. State & Ukraine got an elected parliament)

28
Q

Lenins decrees

sex discrimination

A

outlawed it
gave woman right to own property

29
Q

Limited Bolshevik support

A
  • Civil; servants refused to serve under them & bankers refused to provide finance
  • Took 10 days to persuade sarare bank to hand over reserves & then only under threat of armed intervention
30
Q

Kerensky threat

A
  • Kerensky established HQ at Gatchina, amassing 18 Cossack regiments and a small force of SR cadets and officers.
  • Bolsheviks seemed weak against this threat; Petrograd garrison members returned home, and Lenin lacked direct contact with front-line troops.
  • 10 days of fighting ensued, with the Bolsheviks initially appearing outnumbered and smaller in force compared to their opponents.
31
Q

Kerensky threat outcome

A
  • K’s troops eventually defected, swayed by Bolshevik agitators, leading to success of revolution.
  • conflict pitted loyalists to the PG against Bolsheviks, with heavy fighting near the Kremlin, causing fear among Muscovites.
  • Kiev = there was staunch resistance to Bolshevik control, w/ railway and communications workers striking against emergence of a one-party government.
  • forced Lenin to agree to inter-party talks, ultimately saving the revolution.
32
Q

End of 1917

A
  • Bolsheviks dominated major towns and railways although large areas of countryside were still outside control.
  • Lenin’s promise to consider coalition w/other socialist parties was barely fufilled - only went as far to allowing left wing SR’s to join Sovnarkom in DEC & made clear to them they had to follow Bolshevik lead.
33
Q

Other means of combatting opposition

Lenin’s method to combatting opposition

A
  • propaganda campaign against political and ‘class’ enemies e.g. bourgeoisie.
  • Closure of anti-bolshevik newspapers
  • Purge of civil service
  • Est of ‘all-Russian Commission for the Suppression of Counter-Revolutionary, Sabotage and Speculation’ in dec 17 (Cheka)
  • Leading kadets (right wing SR’s) and Mensheviks rounded up & imprisoned in dec.
34
Q

Other means of combatting opposition

Lenin’s promise of constitutional assembly

A
  • elections began nov.
  • 41.7 mil turnout.
  • SR’s won most seat.
  • Many votes cast w/out full understanding of political situation in petrograd
  • Lenin = appalled - ‘we must not be deceived by the election figures elections prove nothing’
  • Said constituent assembly was a remnant of bourgeois parliamentary democracy & to accept would be a step back.
  • met for one day 5th Jan 1918, before dissolved by L.
35
Q

Other means of combatting opposition

Maxim Gorky on Lenin

A

Lenin had ‘a ruthless contempt, worthy of an aristocrat, for the lives of ordinary individuals’

36
Q

Other means of combatting opposition

Rosa Luxemborg on Lenin

A

= revolutionary
‘feared that Lenin’s policy had brought about, not the dictatorship of the working classes over the middle classes, which he approved of, but the dictatorship of the communist party over the working classes’

37
Q

Other means of combatting opposition

A

2. R: The collapse of autocracy 1894-1917 (7 decks)

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