October revolution 1917
causes and course
The weaknesses of the provisional government and the defeat in WW1, political manoeuvres of the bolsheviks, the deterioration of the economic condition and resentment of workers, soldiers and peasants
24th october:5000 soldiers and sailors from kronstadt moved into the city and red guards took over government buildings
25th october: bolshevik soldiers surrounded and stormed the winter palace
26th october: capture of the winter palace and arrest of members of the provisional government. Lenin's decree on peace to stop the war was adopted unanimously.
27th october: Lenin's decree on land was agreed. A new “all russian central executive committee” was established, with 62 bolshevik members out of 101.
bolshevik leadership
Comprised of exclusively soviets
Lenin deliberately sidelined the petrograd soviet in an attempt to not share power with the mensheviks or social revolutionaries.
Sovnarkom ruled by decree without seeking Soviet approval, so Lenin immediately initiated peace talks with germany.
The sovnarkom met once or twice a day, compared with the soviets increasingly less frequent meetings, undermining its power.
consolidation of bolshevik rule
The bolshevik position was far from secure; it took 10 days to persuade the bank to hand over reserves.
Bolshevik position appeared weak due to soldiers from petrograd garrisons returning home to the countryside
October 29th: an army cadet rising against the bolsheviks was quickly defeated by the red guard
November 2nd: kerensky’s opposition forces were defeated.
November 3rd: the kremlin in moscow was taken, ending a battle for moscow. Kamenev ,zinoviev and rykov left the government.
By the end of 1917, bolsheviks dominated the major towns and railways.
Lenin's decrees
October: workers decree (established working day), social insurance decree, press decree (banned opposition press), decree on peace, decree on land (abolished private ownership)
November: rights of the people of russia decree (abolished titles and ranks), nationality decree, decree on workers controls of factories, judicial decree, decree to outlaw sex discrimination
December: decree to establish the all russian commission for the suppression of counter revolution (the cheka was established), bank decree, military decree, decrees on church
Lenin wished to have a long transition to socialism, with the first stage being “state capitalism”; state control of the economy but private markets remaining.