The October Revolution: Rise of the Bolsheviks in Russia

October Revolution: Rise of the Bolsheviks in Russia

Kerensky's government aimed to establish a parliamentary republic in Russia. However, the Bolsheviks and the Petrograd Soviet opposed these plans, seeking to create a new Republic of Soviets.

The Revolutionary Days

The Bolshevik party had been banned, and Lenin was in exile. Despite this, Lenin remained determined to seize power, and the Soviets planned the insurrection. The victory in Petrograd was decisive, and the revolution subsequently spread to Moscow and several industrialized areas.

First Revolutionary Measures

The Second Congress of Soviets overthrew the provisional government and approved the formation of a council headed by Lenin, which became the first government of workers and peasants. The first revolutionary measures included:

• Transfer of land to the peasants.
• Workers would gain control of companies with more than five workers.
• The Tsarist professional army was disbanded.
• Peoples who formed the empire were associated as independent republics with the right to self-determination.

The government expressed the desire to establish peace with Germany (Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, 1918).

The Civil War and War Communism

The revolution had triumphed in many parts of the empire. However, defenders of the old Tsarist regime initiated armed resistance to prevent the consolidation of the Soviet state. These individuals became known as White Russians, in opposition to the Red Russians (Bolsheviks). The Bolsheviks created a real army to promote the revolutionary spirit, leading to the outbreak of a civil war. Tsar Nicholas II and his family were executed by the Bolsheviks in Yekaterinburg. The White Russians initially achieved several victories.

Consequences of the Civil War

The entire economy of the country was geared towards one goal: the abolition of private property and the nationalization of industry to supply the needs of the army. The state controlled the economy, including the distribution of agricultural products.

Consolidation of Bolshevik Power and the USSR

In 1922, Lenin established the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The Constituent Assembly was tasked with transforming the Tsarist regime into a democratic republic. The party was led by a General Secretary, and voices opposing this situation were either eliminated or neutralized. The supreme organ of the state was the Congress of Soviets, while executive power resided in the hands of the Presidium. In 1922, the Union of Soviet Republics was officially created.

The NEP: New Economic Policy

The Soviet economy was in a state of collapse, and weaknesses in cities became widespread. This dire situation prompted Lenin to propose an economic reform. The NEP (New Economic Policy) involved the establishment of a mixed economy. By 1926, the NEP had achieved its objectives, leading to improvements in the Soviet economy.