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.
The Seizure of Power by the Bolsheviks in 1917. How did the Bolsheviks seize power of the Russian Empire in 1917? They were able to do this as a result of taking advantage of the current political and social situations in the country at the time. Through such decisions as disbanding the army and siding with the majority. the peasants, through such promises as land, food, equality and peace.
In February of 1917 a group of female factory workers and led a revolt in which the Tsar was dethroned, only to be replaced by a provisionary government composed of the Russian elite. When this government did not live up to its promises of an end to Russian involvement in World War I, the Bolsheviks (“majority”), a revolutionary movement led by Vladimir Lenin, overthrew the provisionary government in what bacame known as the October revolution.
Understanding the role Bolsheviks play in affecting Britain's soldiers and citizens during World War One first requires background information on both Russian interests and Russia's relationship to Germany. Russia entered World War One after Germany declared war against Russia due to an alliance system between Germany and Austria. The Russians had little success in repelling the Germans, illustrated by the disaster at Tannenberg where more than 30,000 Russians soldiers died (Sherow). Germany subsequently made large gains into Russian territories. Tsar Nicholas II had no choice but to abdicate the throne in March 1917, allowing the Bolsheviks to take power (Sherow). It is very important to note that the Germans allowed "prominent Bolsheviks like Lenin and Trotsky" to pass by rail through their country "to start a revolution and knock Russia out of the war" (Simpson). Due to the Bolshevik revolution not completely coming from a democratic mandate from the people, Britain shows extreme suspicion towards Russian motives henceforth.
Revisionist historians have also benefited from the post-glasnost era and hence have both greater access to more sources as well as the advantage of hindsight. To understand the reasons for the collapse of the Provisional Government it is crucial to be aware of the events leading up to the October Revolution and the atmosphere politically and socio-economically at the time. The year 1917 was a turbulent year of strikes, bad harvests and inflation. ' Week by week food became scarcer'[1] and any that was available usually went to the soldiers. Russian agriculture was primitive and machinery was rarely used hence production was not efficient.
so a treaty would be a minor set back if Germany lost the war to
The most important war in relation to political change of 1855 to 1964 would be the Civil War (1917 – 1922) because it directly led to the Bolsheviks taking power in Russia implanting new ideologies (communism) into the state as well as forming of the USSR and dismantling state religion. For example take this quote from the declaration of the rights of the people of Russia which was drafted by the first Bolshevik government in 1917 "resolve to establish as a basis for its activity in the question of nationalities the following principles will be applied: Equality and sovereignty of peoples of Russia, Right of peoples of Russia of a free self-determination, including secession and formation of a separate state and Abolition of all national and religious privileges and restrictions" This shows that there were political changes in Russian society that would never happen if not the Bolsheviks got in power. The dismantling of state religion shows that the new Bolshevik government were taking strides in replacing the old political structure of society which consisted of state religion and heavily autocratic state Duma with new Soviet administration's at every level of society including the military and at industrial level which ensured a secular Marxist state.
The accumulation of these factors centred on Lenin's leadership helped stamp Bolshevik power across the Soviet Union. Lenin’s pragmatic leadership was the most considerable factor in helping to fortify Bolshevik power. His willingness to take power in October/November 1917 and the successes of the move, through his right-hand man, Trotsky, was critical as it helped give him unquestioned authority within the party despite members of the Central Committee i.e. Zinoviev and Kamenev suggested industrialisation needed to occur first. This highlighted Lenin’s communist ideology, which was essential to the Bolsheviks maintaining power. Following the failure of the Provisional Government, Lenin recognised that it was the Bolshevik’s priority to legitimise their government.
There are many people who have lived through and within the Bolshevik Revolution, so there are a multitudinous variety of perspectives, thoughts, and insights about the revolution. The Bolshevik Revolution is known for many things; some say that the revolution helped women become free of control, and others proclaim that it did nothing but continue to hold women captive of their desired rights. The Bolshevik Revolution article states the side of a history professor Richard Stites, who argues yes the revolution benefited the women whilst the other side is declared no the revolution did no justice for women at all, which was argued by a Russian scholar, Lesly A. Rimmel. The opposing arguments both create an effective view on the revolution, and
I recollect as a child how I cherished the way my mom took care of me and made all my executive decisions. I recall getting excited about my weekly allowances and about her picking out my clothes for school. However, when I became a teenager I wanted my independence. I know longer wanted her to buy my clothing and I wanted to financially support myself by getting a job. I was so tired of her telling me what to do and how to do it that I revolted. At first it was difficult trying to establish independence in my mother's house, but after a while it seemed as if I had won the battle. Unbeknownst to me that battle would be short-lived and ultimately my mom won the war. Basically, I had constructed my own crazy revolution against my mother. You see a revolution is “a fundamental change in political organization; especially: the overthrow or renunciation of one government or ruler and the substitution of another by the governed .Activity or movement designed to affect fundamental changes in the socioeconomic situation (Webster Dictionary).”One revolution that is said to have inspired communism was the Russian Revolutions of 1917.
A temporary government was set up to decide on what kind of government Russia was going to set up. Two political parties were set up. The Bolsheviks were one of the two. The leader of the Bolshevik party was a man named Lenin. Lenin was a firm believer in the theories and ideas of Karl Marx.
By October 1917 the Winter Palace of St Petersburg was overthrown by the Bolshevik party of Russia. Historians have deliberated for years on why this event occurred, one viewpoint taken is it was the fault of the detested Alexander Kerensky, prime-minister of Russia. Accusations that Kerensky handed power to the Bolsheviks are not unfounded, he conducted some disastrous policies, but was this Kerensky's fault, or was he being pressured by the unruly monarchists and rightists of Russia, did fear of a bloody cout d?état force him into passing measures such as the restoration of the death penalty? Was Kerensky's failure inevitable after the miserable spells of Lvov and Milyukov as leaders of the Provisional government? It is too easy to state that the revolution in Russia was one man's fault, despite Kerensky's perpetual mistakes there were a lot of other factors, such as the role of Trotsky and Lenin that must be taken into account.
This caused a great deal of resentment from many people, particularly the peasants who had hoped for immediate land redistribution, and were very dissatisfied with the government. As the PetrogradSoviet had so much more support than the provisional government, they had to consult it before making any decisions, (i.e. a dual government). This was a very dangerous situation as if the two bodies disagreed the provisional government would be unable to stand up alone without the support of the PetrogradSoviet. When Lenin was allowed to return in April by the Germans (in the hope he would help with Russian withdrawal from the war) he encouraged the Bolsheviks to oppose everything the provisional government did, ensuring that as the provisional government lost support the Bolsheviks would gain popularity, and not be associated with any mistakes that the provisional government made. Therefore the return of Lenin was a very important factor in the revolution as he initiated
On March 3, 1918 Russia lost 1/3 of its fertile farm lands, 1/3 of its
Over the next few years, Russia went through a traumatic time of civil war and turmoil. The Bolsheviks’ Red Army fought the white army of farmers, etc. against Lenin and his ways. Lenin and the Bolsheviks won and began to wean Russia of non-conforming parties eventually banning all non-communist as well as removing an assembly elected shortly after the Bolshevik’s gain of power. Lenin’s strict government, however, was about to get a lot stricter with his death in 1924.
As communication was poor to the rural areas of Russia, the peasants had little or no knowledge of political parties and so did not support the Bolsheviks in their takeover. When the Bolsheviks changed to the Communist party in 1918, many peasants believed these to be a new party challenging Bolshevism and so made banners saying ’Down with the Communists, Long live the Bolsheviks!’ The national minorities currently part of the Russian empire, predominately Finland and Poland, were demanding independence and Russia’s allies, Britain, France, USA, Japan, etc. were growing ever suspicious of Bolshevism and so were set to intervene if the Bolsheviks were to pull out of World War 1.