The document summarizes key decisions made by Lenin and the Bolsheviks to consolidate power in Russia after the October Revolution in 1917. These included forming an exclusively Bolshevik government called Sovnarkom instead of ruling through the Soviet congress; banning opposition press and political parties like the Kadets; refusing to include other socialist parties in government despite pressure; implementing the decree on land to redistribute estates to peasants; granting workers control of factories; recognizing rights of national minorities; and accepting the punitive Treaty of Brest-Litovsk to exit World War I. These moves helped the Bolsheviks establish sole control over the government but also sparked opposition and protests.
1. The Bolshevik Consolidation of
Power
Key Terms, Events, Names:
Sovnarkom, Alexandra Kollontai,
Aleksandr Shlyapnikov, Josef
Stalin, Anatoli Lunacharsky,
Constituent Assembly
2. Not every one was
happy
“The insane attempt of the Bolsheviks is on the eve of collapse…the
Bolsheviks are alone”
(soldier section of SR party, October 1917)
“The Bolshevik party will last no more than a few days”
(SR leader November 1917)
“A revolution is a rising of the people.. But what have we here?
Nothing but a handful of poor fools deceived by Lenin and Trotsky…
Their decrees and their appeals will simply add to the museum of
historical curiosities.”
(Petrograd Newspaper, October 1917)
“Trotsky was greeted with ironic laughter when he arrived at the
Ministry of foreign affairs and introduced himself as the new minister;
when he ordered them back to work, they left the building in
protest.”
(Orlando Figes, A People’s Tragedy, 1997)
“The insane attempt of the Bolsheviks is on the eve of collapse…the
Bolsheviks are alone”
(soldier section of SR party, October 1917)
“The Bolshevik party will last no more than a few days”
(SR leader November 1917)
“A revolution is a rising of the people.. But what have we here?
Nothing but a handful of poor fools deceived by Lenin and Trotsky…
Their decrees and their appeals will simply add to the museum of
historical curiosities.”
(Petrograd Newspaper, October 1917)
“Trotsky was greeted with ironic laughter when he arrived at the
Ministry of foreign affairs and introduced himself as the new minister;
when he ordered them back to work, they left the building in
protest.”
(Orlando Figes, A People’s Tragedy, 1997)
4. Background:
Lenin had proclaimed power through the Soviet. The
October Revolution was presented to the Russian people
as a rising of the Petrograd Soviet in which many parties
were represented, including Mensheviks and Socialist
Revolutionaries.
In addition, there were also upcoming elections to the
Constituent Assembly. The Bolsheviks had criticized the
Provisional Government for delaying elections to a
Constituent Assembly. However, would the election
results be favourable to the Bolshevik party?
Problem 1: Forming a new
Government
5. Lenin’s decision
Instead of exercising power through the
Soviet, Lenin formed a new body: the
SOVNARKOM. It was nearly exclusively
made up of Bolsheviks.
Lenin allowed the elections to the
Constituent Assembly to go ahead in
November 1917. However, the Bolsheviks
won only 175 seats against 410 for the
Socialist Revolutionaries.
Lenin declared that his form of
government represented a higher stage
of democracy than an elected
assembly.
The Assembly was allowed to meet for
one day – 5 January 1918 – then it was
closed down and the deputies told to go
home.
A
6. The Council of People’s
Commissars
‘We shall now proceed to build on the space cleared of
historical rubbish, the airy, towering edifice of socialist
society’
‘We shall now proceed to build on the space cleared of
historical rubbish, the airy, towering edifice of socialist
society’
Council of the Peoples Commissars
•Alexandra Kollontai – Commissar of Social Welfare
•Aleksandr Shlyapnikov – Commissar of Labour
•Josef Stalin – Commissar of Nationalities
•Anatoli Lunacharsky – Commissar of Enlightenment (Art
& Education)
•Trotsky – Commissar of Foreign Affairs
•Lenin – Chairman
27 October – Soviet Central Executive Committee –
made up of 29 left wing SRs, 6 Mensheviks and 62
Bolsheviks
Council of the Peoples Commissars
•Alexandra Kollontai – Commissar of Social Welfare
•Aleksandr Shlyapnikov – Commissar of Labour
•Josef Stalin – Commissar of Nationalities
•Anatoli Lunacharsky – Commissar of Enlightenment (Art
& Education)
•Trotsky – Commissar of Foreign Affairs
•Lenin – Chairman
27 October – Soviet Central Executive Committee –
made up of 29 left wing SRs, 6 Mensheviks and 62
Bolsheviks
8. Background:
Lenin and the Bolsheviks were aware of how important
political press was. The Bolsheviks had pumped enormous
amounts of money into their own papers and periodicals
before and during 1917.
By banning other opposition papers, they may prompt
significant protests especially from other Socialist parties.
However, they may face an even greater threat by
allowing it to continue….
Problem 2: The Press
9. Lenin’s decision
Lenin decided that he
could not allow
opposition press to
continue to be
published.
It was banned in
October 1917, firstly the
newspapers of the
centre and right, and
later the socialist press.
A
10. Background:
Lenin and the Bolsheviks were aware that other political
parties enjoyed considerable support, especially the
Kadet party and the Socialist Revolutionary Party (both of
whom had done well in the elections to the Constituent
Assembly).
By banning other political parties, the Bolsheviks risked
sparking a civil war. However, if they remained, they
posed a continued threat to the newly formed
Sovnarkom.
Problem 3: Political Parties
11. Lenin’s decision
The Kadet party was outlawed.
Leading Kadets were arrested
and two were brutally put to
death by Bolshevik sailors.
They were soon followed into
prison by leading right-wing
Socialist Revolutionaries and
Mensheviks – all this before the
end of 1917.
At this stage, however, other
socialist parties were not
banned outright although their
future was very uncertain.
C
12. Background:
There was enormous pressure on the Bolsheviks to form a
democratic government representing all the socialist
parties. Hundreds of petitions flooded in from factory
committees and army units demanding that there be
cooperation between parties to avoid civil war.
The railway men’s union, backed by the post and
telegraph union, threatened to cut off communications if
the party did not hold talks with other parties.
Quite a few of the leading Bolsheviks, including Kamenev
and Zinoviev were in favour of a coalition with other
socialist parties.
Problem 4: Role of other
socialist parties in Govt.
13. Lenin had no intention of seriously
including other parties. He was not
prepared to see his vision diluted by
other socialist parties.
Also he feared that he may be
sidelined in a coalition government.
So, he deliberately made sure that
talks with other socialist parties
collapsed. He wanted the Bolsheviks
to rule alone.
However, he did make an alliance
with the left Socialist Revolutionaries
and brought them in as junior
partners in the Sovnarkom.
He saw this as useful because, with
them on board, he could claim to
represent the interests of the
peasantry.
Lenin’s
decision
A/C
14. Background:
Lenin had built up Bolshevik support by promising land to
the peasants.
He was aware of the tide of popular opposition that had
undermined Kerensky and the Provisional Government.
But handing land over to the peasants immediately
could lead to an economic crisis, violence and
lawlessness in the countryside. How would Lenin square
his socialist vision with economic reality?
Problem 5: Land
Ownership
15. Lenin’s decision
In October 1917, the Sovnarkom
passed the ‘decree on land’. This
gave peasants the right to take
over the estates of the gentry,
without compensation, and to
decide for themselves the best
way to divide it up.
Land could no longer be bought,
sold or rented, it belonged to the
‘entire people’. Privately owned
land was not part of the Bolshevik’s
socialist vision.
B
16. Background
Lenin and the Bolsheviks believed firmly in the principle of
power being passed to the ‘workers of the world’. But
they ran the risk of inefficient production, disputes and
violence and economic disaster.
There had been a great deal of unrest in the factories
with factory committees demanding an eight-hour day,
better working conditions and better pay.
Problem 6: Running
Industry
17. Lenin’s decision
In November 1917, the
Bolsheviks passed the ‘Workers
Control Decree’. Factory
committees were given the
right to control production
and to ‘supervise’
management.
In October 1917, the
Bolsheviks also agreed to a
maximum eight-hour day for
workers as well as social
insurance (unemployment
and sickness benefits).
B
18. Background:
The collapse of the Romanov dynasty had prompted
many national groups to present demands for more self
government (independence). The Finns and the
Ukrainians were the first to do this.
Was the future of the empire at stake?
Problem 7: Nationalities
Question
19. Lenin’s decision
‘The Rights of the People of
Russia’ decree gave the right
of self-determination to the
national minorities in the
former Russian Empire.
Of course, the Bolsheviks did
not have control of the areas
in which most of the people
lived, so this was nothing more
than a ‘paper measure’.
A
20. Background:
The promise that had brought so many people to the
Bolshevik banner was the pledge to end war. Lenin was
convinced that revolutions in Europe would ensure that
equal peace settlements would be reached. But the
reality proved more problematic.
At the peace-negotiations held at Brest-Litovsk, the
German demands were excessive. Any peace treaty
would result in the loss of a quarter of Russia’s farm land
and three-quarters of her iron and coal reserves as well
as 62 million people within its population. Trotsky refused
to even consider such a cost. What should Lenin do?
Problem 8: War & Peace
21. Lenin’s decision
Lenin adopted a position of
‘peace at any price’ and so
accepted the terms of Brest-
Litovsk in March 1918.
Russia pulled out of World War
I. But the consequences of
the treaty caused deep
discontent amongst those
who saw it as a shameful
peace.
B
Hinweis der Redaktion
From what you have learnt so far, why do you think there was this attitude toward the Bolsheviks?
SR (land to be given to village communes – supported the peasants) and Menshevik (Believed party should be a mass party on socialist lines with as many working class members as possible – run democratically – members electing leaders and policies). Bolsheviks – organised by a small group of dedicated and skilled revolutionaries – these should lead the party and make the decisions).
Meeting of the all Russian Congress of Soviets – SR and Menshviks denounced the Bolsheviks uprising – walked out of conference – call for Soviet Coalition – Trotsky delivered one of his most famous speeches state that there would be no compromise from the Bolsheviks with other political parties. READ EXTRACT FROM TROTSKY SPEECH. – With that Bolsheviks now had control of the Soviet Congress
Kadets made up of liberals – wanted a democratic monarchy – similar to the UK – formed much of the early Duma