The Transformation of Bolshevik Position Between February and October 1917

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The Transformation of Bolshevik Position Between February and October 1917

Most historians think that the Bolshevik’s position went from playing

almost no role in February 1917; they had only 150 members in the

Pultilov Works which had 20,000 workers, to taking control of the

country in October by a combination of luck and skill. It was said of

the Bolshevik party in early 1917 that “The Communist Party existed

solely in the leaders.” Many historians think Lenin’s leadership was

the joint main reason for making the party into the leading

revolutionary group in Russia, along with the luck the Bolsheviks had

in the circumstances under the Provisional Government.

A few historians claim Germany played a major role in the Bolshevik’s

road to power. The Germans helped many previously exiled

revolutionaries to get back to Russia when the Tsar abdicated and the

Provisional Government came to power from March onwards, in the hope

that they would end the war. This included Lenin and an accompanying

group of Bolsheviks being given passage on a train across Germany back

to Russia. Between 1914 and 1917 the German Foreign Office had also

given regular financial support to Lenin and the Bolsheviks. However

other historians point out that by giving Lenin funds it actually

hindered him, as on his return to Petrograd he was branded a spy by

Politicians such as Kerensky, especially in the weeks after the July

Days. It is also argued that Lenin would have been determined to get

back to Russia even if Germany would not let him.

Communist and Marxist historians claim that as well as Lenin’s

leadership, popular support led the party to power. In earl...

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...hevik success as well as the fact

that it was the government who armed the Bolsheviks in the Kornilov

crisis. It was lucky that the Petrograd Soviet had gained a lot of

respectability, support and authority whilst the Mensheviks and SRs

held the majority. The support was shown by autumn when there were

over 900 soviets in Russia and the soviets had authority with decrees

such as “Order Number 1”. It was also lucky that neither the

Mensheviks or SRs attempted to take power whilst they were the

dominant figures in the soviets.

Most historians would agree with the evidence that it was Lenin’s

leadership skills combined with the luck the Bolshevik party had in

the failings of the Provisional Government and how the events out of

their control went that brought the Bolsheviks to power between

February and October 1917.

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