The Rise of the Bolsheviks and the October Revolution

The Bolsheviks (Radicals)

In the 1890s, the Bolsheviks encouraged industrial workers to protest against their living conditions, aiming to trigger a Marxist revolution. Consequently, the Tsar exiled many of them.

During a Social Democrat Conference, members debated whether to become a mass party or remain a small, revolutionary group. They eventually split into:

• Bolsheviks: A small, disciplined group led by Lenin.
• Mensheviks: A larger, mass-membership party.

The Bolsheviks smuggled newspapers to gain influence while maintaining a small, impactful core. Lenin was exiled during the war but returned during the February Revolution.

Lenin authored the April Theses, which promised freedom and advocated for transferring power to the Soviets. He sought to overthrow the Provisional Government.

The Provisional Government

The Provisional Government struggled to maintain power, unable to call for elections due to economic instability. As inflation soared, peasants protested, and soldiers began to mutiny because the government refused to end the war.

The Soviets encouraged workers to strike and ignore government orders. Although the government attempted to continue the war, the army suffered heavy losses against Germany.

Bolshevik support grew among workers. In 1917, an attempted uprising failed, forcing Lenin to flee to Finland after Kerensky accused him of being a German agent. Meanwhile, Trotsky organized the Red Guards, the Bolshevik military force, eventually gaining control of the Petrograd Soviet.

The situation worsened as peasants seized land from the church and nobility, and soldiers deserted the front lines. In September, General Kornilov attempted a coup, forcing the Bolsheviks to arm themselves to defend Kerensky's government.

The October Revolution

• The Red Guards seized key infrastructure, including railways, stations, and telephone exchanges.
• Kerensky fled Petrograd to rally his troops.
• The Winter Palace was attacked by the cruiser Aurora.

The Bolsheviks established control through the following actions:

1. Soviets transferred power to political leaders under Lenin.
2. Soldiers were deployed to work the land to feed the cities.
3. The party seized control of all power centers.
4. National Assembly elections were held, where the Bolsheviks secured 175 out of 707 seats.
5. The Red Guards forcibly closed the assembly.
6. The Bolsheviks established a one-party Communist state.

The Bolsheviks succeeded due to their strong administrative and political influence, particularly in Petrograd, effectively transitioning from a socialist movement to a communist regime.