Russian Revolution: How and why did the Bolsheviks gain power in October 1917? Flashcards
The Dual Authority - Weaknesses
-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
Role of the Petrograd Soviet
-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
Soviet Order Number 1
-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
Early political co-operation
PG moved more to the right, soviet moved to the left -> tensions between the two grew
Early achievements of PG
-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
Why did Lenin publish his thesis?
- 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
Lenin’s April Thesis
-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
Problems of PG - The War
-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
Emergence of Kerensky
-while Lvov was head of government, kerensky held major influence
-kerensky was war minister
-had made passionate speaches to the troops
Kronstadt
on island of kronstadt, sailors and workers set up their own government
-tempted revolutionaries to bring down PG
The July days events and failure
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
National Minorities Issues
-no of minorities set up their own government and claimed independence
-breakaway of Ukraine
Consequences of July Days
-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
The Land Question
-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
Bolshevik Position on the Land Question
-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
The Kornilov Affair events
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
Kornilov Affair - Bolshevik Gains
-able to portray themselves as defenders of the revolution
-damaged the image of the PG as it showed it political and military weakness
The political shift in Petrograd
-bolshevik recovery was visible in their majority in the Petrograd and Moscow soviets
Lenin’s Strategy
lenin was convinced bolsheviks had to take power before
-meeting of the All-Russian Congress Soviets
-Elections for the Constituent Assembly in November
The pre-parliament
-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
Lenin urging a rising
-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
Kerensky made the first move
-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
Trotsky’s role
-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
Collapse of the Provisional Government
25-27 october
pg did not have any loyal military forces, no resistance to red guards
The Bolsheviks take power
- 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
How did the Bolshevik take power
-PG weaknesses
-weaknesses of non-Bolshevik parties
-Bolshevik ruthlessness
-mutual misunerstanding
-lenin’s importance
How did the Bolshevik take power: PG weaknesses
-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
How did the Bolshevik take power: weaknesses of non-Bolshevik parties
-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
How did the Bolshevik take power: Bolshevik ruthlessness
-exploited and crisis that arouse
-Bolsheviks very self confident and scornful of other parties ideas -> hard for other parties to oppose them
Mutual misunerstanding
-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
How did the Bolshevik take power: Lenin’s importance
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
