The establishment of the Bolshevik government in December 1917 Flashcards
Elections
Bolsheviks elected in increasing numbers to soviets + in Duma elections in Moscow
Support increased by 164% (June - Dec)
Membership increased 23,000 =Feb → 200,000=Oct
producing 41 newspapers + maintaining 10,000 Red Guards
Sept Bolsheviks won a majority in Petrograd soviet + Moscow soviet = powerful position
21st Sept = Trotsky became chairman of the Petrograd Soviet.
Second All-Russia Congress of Soviets (moderates)
The Bolshevik actions had not been universally approved and even Bolsheviks, Zinoviev and Kamenev spoke out against this coup
at the 2nd All-Russian congress Bwon a majority
majority seats went to B+ extreme left-wing SRs for a new executive committee
In protest, moderates walked out of congress leaving the Bolshevik-leftwing SR coalition in control
Sovnarkom established
This was composed exclusively of Bolsheviks with Lenin as chairman and Trotsky as Commissar of Foreign Affairs
in order to survive Lenin gave peasants what they wanted:
- Decree of Peace: immediate peace with no annexation = 27th October
- Decree on Land: abolished private ownership, peasants allowed to seize land without compensation
- Decree on workers: workers control allowed workers to ‘supervise” management
- Decree on Nationality: self-determination to the ppl of the former Russian Empire
The Establishment of control
Taking power in the name of the congress soviets allowed Bolsheviks to pose as the chosen representatives of the peasants and workers but in reality, their support was limited
civil servants refused to serve under them and bankers refused to provide finance
It took 10 days to persuade the state bank to hand over its reserves
Kerensky’s return
After his hasty departure, Kerensky returned with аn army = 18 Cossack regiment
The Bolsheviks looked weak against this threat as many of the Petrograd Garrison had
returned home to the countryside + Lenin had no direct contact with the front line
Lenin didn’t have much military power so his forces were smaller than Kerenskys
There were a total of 10 days of fighting in Moscow ppl loyal to Pgov and Bolsheviks
Many muscovites were afraid to leave their homes
Lenin establishes control after 10 days of fighting
Railway workers went on strike in protest against the emergence of a one-party government
This forced Lenin to agree to inter-party talks and thanks to Bolshevik agitators who persuaded some of Kerensky’s troops to defect, the Bolshevik rev was saved
By the end of the yr B dominated major towns + railways
Lenin’s promise to consider a coalition with the parties was barely fulfilled.
he only allowed left-wing social revolutionaries to join the Sovnarkom in Dec
Combating Opposition
To ensure Bolshevik control Lenin:
- propaganda campaign against political + class enemies - bourgeoise
- closing anti-Bolshevik newspaper
- a purge of civil service
- Cheka was established in Dec 1917
- Kadets, SRs + Mensheviks imprisoned
Lenin’s consolidation of control was so efficient that ops could only hope on his promise of constituent Assembly
Elections for a Constituent Assembly
Nov = elections → SRs win majority = 54%
Lenin only wins 24% = Lenin appalled
5th Jan 1918 = he dissolved it in 1 day
Lenin believed that B understood the needs of the Proletariat better than themselves
