How and why did the Bolsheviks gain power in October 1917
v Crises of the Provisional Government
§ The provisional government faced several challenges while
trying to establish itself.
§ Russia was internally unstable, and the government lacked the
strength to overcome this.
§ Uprisings and army unrests were not uncommon.
§ Food distribution was still an issue and peasants demanded
that land was distributed equally.
§ After the fall of the tsar Peasants expected that they would
acquire some land, but they did not.
§ Due to this, many peasants did not support the provisional
government in the countryside or in rural areas, so the
government lost support from that area.
§ Distribution of food was extremely difficult during wartime.
§ Further problem was posed by Lenin's return to Russia in April
of 1917.
§ The Bolsheviks, who did not have a worked-out policy of their
own towards the peasants, adopted the ideas of the socialist
revolutionaries on land redistribution
§ This means they recognized land seizures based on
revolutionary legality.
§ This increased Bolshevik support in the countryside, in rural
areas.
The government and the war
§ It was the continuation of the wall that led to the eventual
failure of the provisional government.
§ It is believed that continuing a fight is both that of honour and
national survival.
§ Russia was praised to remain in the war by its allies.
, § Government hoped that war might appeal to Russian
nationalism and unite the country. It had the opposite effect
and soldiers lost their sense of loyalty
§ Heavy casualties were growing due to the war and troops were
open to the Bolsheviks rule who encouraged them to disobey
their officers and abandon the war.
§ In April, the foreign minister, Pavel Milyukov leader of the
kadets, provoked uprisings by declaring that the government
intended to fight until victory.
§ Forced out beginning of May
§ Prince Lvov tried to broaden government by including
moderate socialists
§ War minister Alexander Guchkov replaced by Kerensky
§ After a disastrous offensive against Germany in June 1917,
became clear that the army was in no condition to fight
The July Days
§ Sailors at Kronstadt, the naval base close to Petrograd,
established their own government in defiance of the
Provisional Government.
§ 3 and 6 July by numerous demonstrations by workers and
soldiers in Petrograd.
§ It is not clear who instigated these disturbances.
§ The Bolsheviks later claimed that they were started by the SRs
and Mensheviks.
§ The rising was poorly organised and the participants were
divided.
§ The Provisional Government gathered enough soldiers to put
down disorder
§ Lenin fleeing to Finland
The Kornilov Affair
§ It was the Kornilov Affair that restored Lenin’s fortunes.
v Crises of the Provisional Government
§ The provisional government faced several challenges while
trying to establish itself.
§ Russia was internally unstable, and the government lacked the
strength to overcome this.
§ Uprisings and army unrests were not uncommon.
§ Food distribution was still an issue and peasants demanded
that land was distributed equally.
§ After the fall of the tsar Peasants expected that they would
acquire some land, but they did not.
§ Due to this, many peasants did not support the provisional
government in the countryside or in rural areas, so the
government lost support from that area.
§ Distribution of food was extremely difficult during wartime.
§ Further problem was posed by Lenin's return to Russia in April
of 1917.
§ The Bolsheviks, who did not have a worked-out policy of their
own towards the peasants, adopted the ideas of the socialist
revolutionaries on land redistribution
§ This means they recognized land seizures based on
revolutionary legality.
§ This increased Bolshevik support in the countryside, in rural
areas.
The government and the war
§ It was the continuation of the wall that led to the eventual
failure of the provisional government.
§ It is believed that continuing a fight is both that of honour and
national survival.
§ Russia was praised to remain in the war by its allies.
, § Government hoped that war might appeal to Russian
nationalism and unite the country. It had the opposite effect
and soldiers lost their sense of loyalty
§ Heavy casualties were growing due to the war and troops were
open to the Bolsheviks rule who encouraged them to disobey
their officers and abandon the war.
§ In April, the foreign minister, Pavel Milyukov leader of the
kadets, provoked uprisings by declaring that the government
intended to fight until victory.
§ Forced out beginning of May
§ Prince Lvov tried to broaden government by including
moderate socialists
§ War minister Alexander Guchkov replaced by Kerensky
§ After a disastrous offensive against Germany in June 1917,
became clear that the army was in no condition to fight
The July Days
§ Sailors at Kronstadt, the naval base close to Petrograd,
established their own government in defiance of the
Provisional Government.
§ 3 and 6 July by numerous demonstrations by workers and
soldiers in Petrograd.
§ It is not clear who instigated these disturbances.
§ The Bolsheviks later claimed that they were started by the SRs
and Mensheviks.
§ The rising was poorly organised and the participants were
divided.
§ The Provisional Government gathered enough soldiers to put
down disorder
§ Lenin fleeing to Finland
The Kornilov Affair
§ It was the Kornilov Affair that restored Lenin’s fortunes.
