Russian Revolution: How and why did the Bolsheviks gain power in October 1917?

Question 1

The Dual Authority - Weaknesses

Answer 1

-PG was duma in new form

Weaknesses:
-not an elected body->no legitimate authority -> no loyalty from russian people

-authority limited by unofficial partnership with the Petrograd soviet

Question 2

Role of the Petrograd Soviet

Answer 2

-did not wnat to be an alternative government
-acted like a supervisor to ensure needs of soldiers and workers were met

-However, PG sometimes was unsure of their own authority-> gave soviet more prominance

Question 3

Soviet Order Number 1

Answer 3

-declared that the military orders of the PG were to be obeyed if they did not go against the soviet’s values

SIGNIFICANCE:
-declared PG orders not binding unless aproved by Petrograd

-PG had to compromise with the soviet to get support of the army

-February-April 1917 - arrangement worked pretty well

Question 4

Early political co-operation

Answer 4

PG moved more to the right, soviet moved to the left -> tensions between the two grew

Question 5

Early achievements of PG

Answer 5

-amnesty for all political prisoners (turned against PG later)
-legal recognition of trade unions
-8 hour work days for industrial workers
-tsarist police replaced with people’s militia
-full civil and religious freedom granted
STILL DID NOT TOUCH ON WAR AND LAND -> WHICH WILL DESTROY THEM

Question 6

Why did Lenin publish his thesis?

Answer 6

• to gain support from the soldiers
• to gain support from peasants
• to undermine the PG further
• to offer an alternative for the Russian people
• to encourage revolution
• to give the Bolsheviks a clear slogan: peace, bread, land / power to the proletariat / national self-determination - increase their support base

Question 7

Lenin’s April Thesis

Answer 7

-BREAD, PEACE AND LAND and ALL POWER TO THE SOVIETS
significant because these were the problems not being addresed by the PG, offered better alternative

-overthrow PG
-abandon cooperation withall other parties and work for a revolution by themselves
-transfer power to the workers

Question 8

Problems of PG - The War

Answer 8

-had to keep fighting to maintain supplies and war credits from allies
-tsardom left government bankrupt

->could not concentrate and did not ave resources necessary to deal with the domestic social and economic issues

Question 9

Emergence of Kerensky

Answer 9

-while Lvov was head of government, kerensky held major influence
-kerensky was war minister
-had made passionate speaches to the troops

Question 10

Kronstadt

Answer 10

on island of kronstadt, sailors and workers set up their own government
-tempted revolutionaries to bring down PG

Question 11

The July days events and failure

Answer 11

government no longer in control :
-spread of soviets
-workers cotrolling factories
-peasants seizing land
-internal governnemtn disputes

->uprising confused and disorderly
->loyal troops quickly restored order

Question 12

National Minorities Issues

Answer 12

-no of minorities set up their own government and claimed independence

-breakaway of Ukraine

Question 13

Consequences of July Days

Answer 13

-showed bolsheviks were still far from being the dominant revolutionary group
-the PG still had enough strength to put down an armed insurrection
-kerensky became prime minister
-put bolsheviks under pressure, closed down pravda, leaders arrested, lenin fled to finland
-kerensky usedpropaganda to brand bolsheviks as traitors

Question 14

The Land Question

Answer 14

-peasants assumed PG would redistribute the land -> PG did nothing

-peasants disturbed daily

-> PG had no real answerr , to big of a task for the Land Commission

Question 15

Bolshevik Position on the Land Question

Answer 15

-Lenin said peasants were acting as a true revolutionary force -> adapting Marxist theory to add Russian peasants in the proletariat cause

-produced slogan ‘Land to the Peasants’ -> increasing support for the Bolsheviks in the countryside

-some SR’s started to align with the Bolsheviks- Left SR’s

Question 16

The Kornilov Affair events

Answer 16

Kornilov declared russia was in danger of socialis insurrection

intended to bring toops to petrograd to save PG

in fear of an attack, kerensky called on all loyal citizens to fight

bolsheviks freed from prisons and received weapons

railway workers refused to let kornilov throuh

kornilov gave up and was arrested

Question 17

Kornilov Affair - Bolshevik Gains

Answer 17

-able to portray themselves as defenders of the revolution
-damaged the image of the PG as it showed it political and military weakness

Question 18

The political shift in Petrograd

Answer 18

-bolshevik recovery was visible in their majority in the Petrograd and Moscow soviets

Question 19

Lenin’s Strategy

Answer 19

lenin was convinced bolsheviks had to take power before
-meeting of the All-Russian Congress Soviets
-Elections for the Constituent Assembly in November

Question 20

The pre-parliament

Answer 20

-kerensky’s plan for a body advising a government

-Lenin accused it of a method of strengthening’s th PG’s grip on power
->all bolsheviks mocked it and walked out

Question 21

Lenin urging a rising

Answer 21

-Lenin slipped into petrograd on 7 october
-spent time convincing central committe members
-10 october - pledged to an armed insurrection, but failed to agree on a date

Question 22

Kerensky made the first move

Answer 22

-an article by bolsheviks stated it would be a mistake to attack the PG in its current state

-PG interpreted as if date was already set for attack

-ordered a pre-emptive attack on bolsheviks

23 October - Lening ordered the planned insurrection to begin

Question 23

Trotsky’s role

Answer 23

-bolshevik plan made by trotsky
-Trotsky was chairman of Petrograd Soviet ->had military force at his disposal
-at lenin;s orders, trotsky directed red guards to seize vantage points around petrograd

Question 24

Collapse of the Provisional Government

Answer 24

25-27 october

pg did not have any loyal military forces, no resistance to red guards

Question 25

The Bolsheviks take power

Answer 25

• Kamenev informed them they were the supreme authority in russia
  lenin made head of russian inisters
• SR’s and Mensheviks walked out saying it was a Bolshevik Coup
• all government officials were bolsheviks or Left SR’s

Question 26

How did the Bolshevik take power

Answer 26

-PG weaknesses
-weaknesses of non-Bolshevik parties
-Bolshevik ruthlessness
-mutual misunerstanding
-lenin’s importance

Question 27

How did the Bolshevik take power: PG weaknesses

Answer 27

-no military support->easy for bolsheviks to take control

-the warrrrrrrrr - couldn’t fight it successfully but also could not focus on peoples needs - social and economic issues - inflation famine

Question 28

How did the Bolshevik take power: weaknesses of non-Bolshevik parties

Answer 28

-many acceoted the February revolution as an actual revolution-> co operating with the PG

-wakened by their support for war-> no one opposed the continuation of the struggle

Question 29

How did the Bolshevik take power: Bolshevik ruthlessness

Answer 29

-exploited and crisis that arouse
-Bolsheviks very self confident and scornful of other parties ideas -> hard for other parties to oppose them

Question 30

Mutual misunerstanding

Answer 30

-Both PG and Bolsheviks overestimated eachother

-delayed their moves in fear of oppositioj
-Kornilv regarded as bigger threat than lenin , because pg was afraid of the Right

-leni was constantly absent for his safety

Question 31

How did the Bolshevik take power: Lenin’s importance

Answer 31

He criticised the war , solved the land question -> gained support for th ebolsheviks

he recognised the urgency of the matter - before constituent assembly was elected