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The Establishment of Bolshevik Government

LENIN’S RETURN AND THE GROWTH OF BOLSHEVIK SUPPORT

Lenin was in exile in Switzerland in 1917. he heard about the overthrow of the Tsar and returned to Russia to reshape its future. The provisional government could not stop him because they agreed on political amnesty and abolition of exile as punishment. Lenin was a Bolshevik and a key supporter of Marxism. Lenin wanted all power to the soviets and an end to the cooperation with the provisional government. Lenin worked hard to make the Bolsheviks the minority party in the soviet to the majority party.

He issued the April Theses on his train journey back to Russia.

The Germans provided Lenin and other Bolsheviks a sealed train so that they could travel back to Russia. The Germans hoped Lenin would hinder war effort.

The theses stated: 

-All land to be relocated to the Peasants.

–An end to the war

–all power to the soviets.

‘peace, bread and land’ was a slogan commonly used by Lenin

The theses was based on Marxist ideas and Lenin’s own beliefs. They stated what Russian people wanted to hear which helped Lenin to gain mass support. 

REACTION to the reappearance was mixed:

  • Some bolsheviks feared Lenin had grown out of touch and that radical proposals would do more harm than good
  • Allegations that Lenin was in pay of the germans |(partly true)
    Mensheviks feared Lenin would undermine what they had been doing and by stirring up discontent would provoke a right-wing reaction
  • Thought Lenin’s call to oppose PG was unrealistic (Bolsheviks had 26k members and still a minority)
  • Bolsheviks were internally divided over whether to cooperate w/OG or not (Stalin did)

Lenin gradually built support w/speeches : claimed credit for what was happening.

APRIL: Lenin had wqo over the maj of the central committee of the bolshevik party by sheer force of personality

‘All-Russian Congress of Soviets’ first meeting in Petrograd 3 JUNE – passed a vote of confidence in PG by 543 to 126

Lenin won a key adherent when Trotsky threw weight behind Bolsheviks at the beginning of July

Kerensky’s determination to continue war played into Bolshevik’ hands – although frustrations & disappointments of works/soldiers/sailors resulted in July Day rioting

By July Lenin had been joined by Trotsky. An armed riot broke out by soldiers, Kronstadt sailors and factory workers in Petrograd on 3rd-4th July which attracted some Bolshevik followers. The provisional government used troops to break up the protest. Prominent Bolsheviks like Trotsky were arrested and Lenin escaped to Finland.

  • Troops loyal to soviet dispersed cwod & soviet newspaper Izvestia denounced role of Bolsheviks (Lenin was working for Germans & against interests of Russia)

Pravda closed, & bolshevik propaganda burnt// Lenin’s reputation fell

When Kerensky replaced Prince Lvov as PM – it appeared Bolshevik moment had passed

Cause was saved by Kornilov affair – Bolsheviks able to bask in reputation of having being the only group that opposed Kornilov// Lenin sent orders from Finland urging followers to keep up pressure & committees to save the revolution est throughout country

Bolsheviks elected in increased #’s in urban Russia and Duma elections is moscow – support increased by 164%

FEBRUARY 23k ———-> OCTOBER 200k

OCTOBER: Party producing 41 newspapers & 10k red guards in capitals factories

SEPTEMBER: Bolsheviks won maj. in PS// control of Moscow Soviet put them in powerful position

BOLSHEVIKS were not tight organised/disciplined group at this time – went along w/events rather than org them

MID-SEPT Lenin (still in Finland) bombarded central committee of Bolshevik party w/demands to stage revolution & seize power

Grigorri Zinoviev & Lev Kamenev said no fearing Russia was not yet economically ready for revolution/urged restraint & burned Lenin’s letter

12 SEPTEMBER: Lenin wrote claiming that ‘history will not forgive us if we do not assume power now’ – 3 days later committee voted against coup

Zinoviev & Kamenev believe they should not act before results of the Constituent Assembly elections were known

TROTSKY: should work w/PS & wait fro Congress of Soviets in Oct.

  • Believed they could win the support of all socialist parties for a society govt w/out violence

THE BOLSHEVIK SEIZURE OF POWER, OCTOBER 1917

  • Lenin returns secretly to Petrograd in October and demands another vote. They won 10 to 2. Lenin appeases them by convincing them that ‘history would never forgive them’ if they did not stage the revolution. Kerensky fearing uprise orders ‘disloyal’ troops to leave Petrograd.
  • The Bolsheviks become the main party in Petrograd soviets. Trotsky was elected chairman of the soviet. They set up Military revolutionary committee (MRC) under Trotsky. It controlled the defence for Petrograd.
  • Kerensky orders the arrest of MRC leaders and close Bolshevik party paper
  • MRC gain control over red guards, Petrograd, Peter and Paul fortress Garrisons and Kronstadt sailors. Lenin issues statement ‘the Provisional Government is no more and all power has been passed to the Soviets.
  • 8000 red guards and Kronstadt sailors seize key positions like post office, bridges, railways etc.. Kerensky flees to the front disguising himself as a nurse to bring troops and defeat Bolsheviks
  • 25th October: Warship Aurora fires at winter palace and Bolshevik attack begins. The palace is defended by women and cadets. At 2.00pm the Provisional government are captures and 6 people die in the attack.
  • October 26th the second ‘all Russian congress of soviets’ held its first session. Lenin would head up a new Governing committee who would form Sovnarkom (cabinet of important ministers)
  • Trotsky taunts Lenin and leaves claiming the revolution was a coup. Bolsheviks had 390 representatives.
  • Lenin issues a decree calling for peace and land was the property of the people.

THE CONSOLIDATION OF BOLSHEVIK GOVERNMENT OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1917

26 OCTOBER 1917 – 670 delegates arrived for Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets

  • Bolshevik actions not universally approved
  • Zinoviev & Kamenev spoke out against coup
  • Irakli Tsereteli, Menshevik leader predicted Bolshevik power would last not longer than 3 weeks
  • SR were split: left congratulated Lenin, right accused him of using violence to seize power illegally
  • 500 voted in favour of a socialist govt, Mensheviks & right wing SRs dismayed to find the maj of estas for new exec went to Bolsheviks & extreme left wing SRs
  • ‘Moderates’ walked out of congress (left wing SR & Bolshevik coalition) – Trotsky told them they were in the ‘dustbin of history’

The Bolsheviks establish Sovnarkom (new government)

  • Comprised of Bolsheviks & include one female commisar ‘Alexandra Kollontai’

LENIN’S DECREES

Divorce and abortions were permitted. Education was open to workers and there was a drive for literacy and education. The working class was also greatly encouraged to go to university. The NEP was introduced as a result of the devastating effects of the famine in 1921. Labour resources were geared up to the war effort through the militarization of labour. Workers were expected to focus on producing goods that would be essential to winning the war. Decrees passed included; the decree on peace, civil marriage and divorce made easier, institute for the protection of mothers and children formed, commissariat of public education took education out of the hands of the Church. All titles were abolished – everyone was a ‘comrade’ – signified an attempt to establish equality in Russia a traditionally socialist principle.

The Decree on Peace outlined measures for Russia’s withdrawal from the First World War without “payment of indemnities or annexations”. This decree aimed to secure the support of many soldiers on the disintegrating Russian front. The sincerity of this Bolshevik assurance came under scrutiny when V.L Lenin endorsed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk which divested Russia of its Baltic territory.

The Decree on Land outlined measures by which the peasants were to divide up rural land among themselves. It advocated the forceful dissolution of many wealthy estates by peasant forces. Such measures no doubt contributed to an increase in Bolshevik support amongst the peasantry, but were counterproductive in that the Russian war front disintegrated as soldiers (who were formerly peasants) returned to secure land for themselves.

The Workers’ Decrees outlined measures for minimum wage, limitations on workers’ hours, and the running of factories by elected workers’ committees. This consolidated Bolshevik support amongst the working classes in the cities, where they had taken power.

NATIONALITY DECREE – self-determination to peoples of former Russian Empire (Finland became ind. State & Ukraine got an elected parlia)

OUTLAW OF SEX DISCRIMINATION & gave women the right to own property

THE SUPPRESSION OF OPPOSITION TO THE BOLSHEVIK GOVERNMENT, OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1917

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CONTROL

Bolshevik position precarious//support limited

  • Civil; servants refused to serve under them & bankers refused to provide finance
  • Took 10 days to persuade sarare bank to hand over reserves & then only under threat of armed intervention

After departure Kerensky set up HQ at Gatchina & org an army of 18 cossack regiments & a small force of SR cadets & officers

  • Against this threat, Bolsheviks looked weak
  • Many of petrograd garrison and return home to country and Lenin had no direct contact w/ troops at the front – forces were smaller compared to opponents

10 days of fighting followed but soon Kerensky’s troops defected (persuaded by Bolshevik agitators). Revolution was a success.

  • Fight between those loyal to PG & BOLSHEVIKS
  • Fight was heavy around Kremlin & many muscovites were scared to leave homes
  • KIEV: strong resistance to bolshevik control// railway & communications workers went on strike to protest against emergence of one party govt
    • Forced Lenin to agree to inter-party talks & revolution is saved

END OF THE YEAR: Bolsheviks dominated major towns and railways although large areas of countryside were still outside control – It would take 4 years of civil war before communists claim victory and military control.

Lenin’s promise to consider coalition w/other socialist parties was barely fufilled – only went as far to allowing left wing SR’s to join Sovnarkom in DEC & made clear to them they had to follow Bolshevik lead

OTHER MEANS OF COMBATTING OPPOSITION

Lenin moved quickly to ensure Bolshevik control, his method included :

  • A propaganda campaign against political and ‘class’ enemies particularly bourgeoisie
  • Closure of anti-bolshevik newspapers
  • Purge of civil service
  • Est of ‘all-Russian Commission for the Suppression of Counter-Revolutionary, Sabotage and Speculation’ in DECEMBER 17 (more often known as Cheka)
  • Leading kadets (right wing SR’s) and Mensheviks were rounded up & imprisoned in December

Lenin’s consolidation of control was so efficient that opponents could only pin their hopes on his promise of a constituent assembly

  • ELECTIONS BEGAN IN NOV
  • 7 MILLION TURNOUT
  • Sr’s won the most seats
  • Many votes cast w/out full understanding of political situation in petrograd
  • Lenin was appalled – ‘we must not be deceived by the election figures elections prove nothing’
  • Said constituent assembly was a remnant of bourgeois parliamentary democracy & to accept would be a step back
  • Constituent Assembly was allowed to meet for one day only (5th JAN 1918) after which Lenin dissolved it
  • Lenin believed Bolsheviks understood needs of proletariat more than themselves

MAXIM GORKY: Lenin had ‘a ruthless contempt, worthy of an aristocrat, for the lives of ordinary individuals’

ROSA LUXEMBURG – revolutionary ‘feared that Lenin’s policy had brought about, not the dictatorship of the working classes over the middle classes, which he approved of, but the dictatorship of the communist party over the working classes’