OCTOBER REVOLUTION OR BOLSHEVIK: CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES - HISTORY - 2025

The October or Bolshevik Revolution took place in Russia in 1917. It was the second phase of the Russian Revolution, which had begun in February of that same year with the dismissal of the government of Tsar Nicholas II and the implementation of a Parlamentary republic.

The date of the revolution, October 25, corresponds to the Julian calendar then in force in Russia. According to the Gregorian calendar, in force in the rest of Europe, the revolutionary outbreak occurred on November 7.

Armed patrol during the Revolution - Source: Yakov Vladimirovich Steinberg

Despite the removal of the Tsar, the problems that had led to the February Revolution remained. Russia had not abandoned the First World War and the economic situation was precarious. Furthermore, a dual power had been installed in the country, with Parliament on the one hand and the Soviets on the other.

By October, the Bolsheviks had managed to rally strong support within the St. Petersburg soviets and among the military and workers. Lenin, the leader of that party, exposed the need to take the government by force, something that occurred on October 25, without encountering opposition.

The main consequence was the creation of a socialist state that eventually became the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Causes

Participation in the First World War, the almost feudal system that prevailed in the country and the economic difficulties experienced by most of the population were the main causes of the Russian revolution of February 1917. Finally, Tsar Nicholas II found himself forced to abdicate and Russia became a republic.

During that revolutionary outbreak, the soldiers and workers had organized into an assembly, called the soviet. Members of various left-wing parties participated in it and their power, after the abdication of the Tsar, was practically equated with that of Parliament. The most important soviet was the one formed in Petrograd (Saint Petersburg).

The members of the Petrograd Soviet agreed to comply with the legislation issued by Parliament, although only if it did not conflict with what was approved in the Soviet itself. Likewise, they called on the military to give them obedience beyond what the government dictated.

Political instability

After the fall of the Tsar, a provisional government was formed. During the following months, until October itself, political stability was never achieved that would allow for the reforms that the country needed to improve its situation.

At the time the October Revolution broke out, the head of the Russian government was Alexander Kerensky. He had gained great popularity for his performance during the February Revolution and managed to stop Kornilov's coup attempt. However, he could do nothing to prevent the Bolsheviks from seizing power.

The first World War

Russia had entered the First World War on the side of England and France. The conflict, from the first moment, was quite unpopular in the country, and as the defeats followed one another, this unpopularity did not stop increasing.

After the February revolution, the provisional government preferred to stay within the conflict and respect the agreements with its allies.

This decision caused great anger in the population, especially among the young people who could be sent to the front. The desertions multiplied and a good part of the troops did not obey their commands.

In the political sphere, the Mensheviks were in favor of not abandoning the war, while the Bolsheviks maintained the opposite position. Lenin, leader of the latter, returned to the country in April 1917 and published the April Theses. In this appeal he defended the withdrawal of Russia and asked that the provisional government not be obeyed.

July days

In July 1917 there were a series of mobilizations that were on the verge of becoming a real revolution. Its protagonists were the soldiers stationed in Petrograd in fear of having to leave for the war front.

During these days, the protesters shouted slogans favorable to the Bolsheviks, such as "all power to the Soviets" and "peace for the people, war against the rich."

The armed forces loyal to the provisional government managed to calm the situation. As a result, Lenin had to go into exile again. On this occasion, the Bolshevik leader chose Finland as his destination.

Bolshevik party fortress

Thanks to its staunch opposition to the war, the Bolshevik party had gained great influence in Russian society. In addition, he demonstrated together with the people in the July days and his proposals were clearly favorable to the workers.

On the other hand, the Bolsheviks knew how to maneuver to become the majority within the Soviets. Thus, they succeeded in keeping their rivals, Mensheviks and Social Revolutionaries, out of the government created after the revolution.

Lenin's charisma

Along with the growing influence of the Bolsheviks, the charisma of their leader was also essential for the triumph of the October Revolution.

Lenin had lived in exile before the February Revolution and returned after the abdication of the Tsar. Then, in April, he made an appeal to demand the end of the war. In that appeal, the April Theses, also declared the need for the proletariat to come to power.

After the July Days, Lenin went into exile in Finland and did not return to the country until the beginning of October. From Petrograd, his leadership was essential to organize the revolution. Similarly, his charisma helped the Bolsheviks to gain control of the Soviet in the city, beating Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries.

General Kornilov's coup

Russia continued to suffer defeats to the Central Powers, its enemies in the First World War. In September, the Germans entered Riga, prompting some military men to begin conspiring against the government.

The one who decided to step forward was General Kornilov. He tried to carry out a coup and take Petrograd to, according to his words, save the country. However, their advance towards the capital was stopped by government troops and the Military Revolutionary Committee. The latter was made up of volunteers, mostly Bolsheviks.

Development

The context in Russia was extremely unstable. On the war front, the Germans advanced more and more, while the government was weaker and weaker.

Lenin, who was in exile in Finland, decided that it was time for the Bolsheviks to act. From the Finnish capital, in September 1917, the revolutionary leader wrote two letters addressed to his supporters.

In them, he encouraged the Bolshevik party to take power on behalf of the Soviets. However, at that time their requests were not met.

Given this, already in October, Lenin returned to Russia. To evade border surveillance, he disguised himself as a machinist.

Call for insurrection

When Lenin reached Petrograd, he appeared before the Central Committee of the party on October 10. There, he gave a speech in which he asked for an insurrection to be approved to take power.

The proposal was put to a vote. Among those present, in addition to Lenin, were figures such as Stalin and Trotsky. The result was favorable to Lenin's thesis and a body was created to plan the armed uprising.

The proposed date for the insurrection was October 25 (November 7 according to the Gregorian calendar). The Bolsheviks chose that day to coincide with the beginning of the Second Congress of Deputies of the Soviets.

Search for support

Lenin and his supporters were aware that they would need social support for the revolution to succeed. For this reason, they began to negotiate with various groups.

On the 21st, they got the Petrograd military to join the plan and acknowledge the authority of the city Soviet. Similarly, the Bolsheviks formed militias made up of workers. The Red Guard, also made up of volunteers, was responsible for defending the government that emerged from the uprising.

According to historians, many in Petrograd knew about Lenin's plans. Even part of the plan was leaked to the press. The reaction from the Kerensky government was rather tepid. They only ordered the closure of the Bolshevik newspapers and, militarily, they increased the defenses of the Winter Palace.

Take over

The insurrection began as planned on October 25 (Julian calendar), still at dawn. The first movements of the revolutionaries were to take control of the railway stations and the postal and telegraph offices.

The Petrograd military detachments were also in their power and, after this, they closed the communication routes with the Winter Palace.

During those first hours, the Bolsheviks did not have to face any kind of resistance. By 10 o'clock that morning, the revolutionaries published a letter in which they announced that the Petrograd Soviet was going to become the government of the country.

Taking of the Winter Palace

The Bolsheviks had completely isolated the Winter Palace. Several members of the deposed government remained in this building, including Kerensky himself. In front of the Palace, the revolutionaries had placed a war cruiser, the Aurora, awaiting orders.

The cruise ship, at around 9 pm, fired some blank bullets at the Palace. It was a message to those who tried to resist there. Kerensky, realizing that he had no option to stop the revolution, escaped in a nurse's disguise.

That night, well into the 26th, the Bolsheviks stormed the Winter Palace. The ministers still inside were arrested, although there were no episodes of violence.

II Congress of Soviets

While that was happening, the components of the II Congress of Soviets had begun their session. This body, made up of soldiers and workers, confirmed the transfer of power to the Soviets.

However, within Congress there was some opposition to Lenin and his Bolsheviks. The revolutionary leader wanted the new government to be totally controlled by his own, without the participation of the Mensheviks or the Socialists. The latter showed their anger when they learned that Lenin had launched the insurrection.

Abandonment of the Mensheviks

The reaction of the Mensheviks to the accomplished facts presented by Lenin was what he expected. They accused the Bolsheviks of staging a coup and left the meeting. Along with them, some revolutionary socialists also decided to leave.

These absences allowed the Bolsheviks to have a majority in the assembly and, therefore, to elect a government with little opposition. Thus, they created the Council of People's Commissars, at the proposal of Trotsky. This body, called in Russian Sovnarkom, was headed by Lenin, while Trotsky took charge of Foreign Affairs.

Finally, the Sovnarkom consisted only of the Bolsheviks, since the Socialist Revolutionaries who had remained in Congress declined to participate in the government.

Extension of the Revolution

At that time, given the existing technology, news took a long time to get from one place to another. For this reason, many areas of Russia did not find out what happened until days later. This made it difficult for the revolutionaries to control the entire country. Furthermore, the extension of the country did not facilitate this purpose.

Lenin then set out to spread the revolution throughout the Russian territory. In some areas their efforts were successful, while in others they did not succeed in seizing power until after the civil war.

Despite the fact that it was not in Lenin's plans, necessity caused him to admit that the Social Revolutionaries entered the government. It was a way of consolidating the revolution.

Events in Moscow

At that time, Moscow was not yet the capital of the country, although it was its second most important city.

As they did in Petrograd, the revolutionaries tried to seize control of the centers of power in Moscow. However, unlike what happened in the capital, they encountered strong resistance. According to Bukharin later affirmed, the taking of the city supposed the death of some five thousand people.

Consequences

The new Russian government began to legislate from the same October 26. Their first measures corresponded with the promises they had made to the population: to get out of the war and distribute land.

This legislation, and another that would be passed in time, made Russia the first socialist country in the world. Later, the name of the country would even be changed, becoming called the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Decree of Peace

The first measure taken by Lenin was to approve The Decree of Peace. In this, a call was made to the contenders in the war to cease hostilities and reach an agreement. According to the document, everyone should strive to achieve “just and democratic peace”, without territorial or economic repercussions.

The soldiers and workers participating in the Soviets supported this Decree. They had been the most affected by the conflict, some by the economic crisis created and others by the large number of casualties.

Furthermore, Lenin used this Decree as propaganda for the labor movements of other countries. It was about demonstrating that with the new political regime it was possible to live in peace and with more prosperity.

Decree of the Land

Tsarist Russia retained a practically feudal rural structure. Land ownership was in the hands of the nobility and clergy, while the peasants lived in precarious conditions.

The provisional government that emerged from the February Revolution had failed to alleviate this problem, in part due to its political weakness.

The second great decree issued by Lenin was related precisely to this matter. The so-called Land Decree established the conditions for an ambitious agrarian reform. The cultivated land passed into the hands of the peasant soviets and the Agrarian Committees, without any compensation being paid to its previous owners.

The land thus became the property of the people. This meant that it could not be sold or rented. The larger areas became state property, while the smaller ones were handed over to farm workers.

Kerensky-Krasnov uprising

The newly established Sovnarkom, the country's government, had to face several threats since its very constitution. Thus, it had to stop the protests of the railroad workers, who requested the formation of a coalition government in which all the socialists participated.

More serious was the attempt to overthrow the government by military supporters of the former prime minister, Kerensky. The rebel troops were made up of Cossacks and, after organizing themselves, they set course for Petrograd with the intention of returning Kerensky to their charge.

Both sides faced each other in Pulkovo. The victory corresponded to the forces of the new government, which put an end to the threat that loomed over the capital.

Elections

In November 1917, the government called an election from which a Constituent Assembly should emerge. The Bolsheviks did not achieve the result they hoped for and were left with approximately 25% of the vote. The winners, with 37%, were the Socialist Revolutionaries.

The Constituent Assembly began its work in early 1918, in the capital of the country. The winners of the elections lashed out harshly against the Bolsheviks, whom they accused of wanting to maintain power at all costs and of using violence to achieve it. That same day, Sovnarkom military forces dissolved the Assembly.

Ideologically the Bolsheviks were not in favor of Russia being a liberal republic, since they considered it to be a form of bourgeois organization. His intention was the formation of a socialist republic.

To do this, they outlawed the liberal parties and, later, the Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries. Finally, they decided to change the name of their organization, which was renamed the Communist Party in March 1918.

Civil war

Despite all its attempts, the revolutionary government failed to control the entire territory of Russia. This allowed his enemies to organize a grand coalition to try to remove them from power.

In this alliance they participated from liberals to Mensheviks, through landowners or bourgeoisie. In addition, they received help from various countries, as there was fear that Russia's example would spread and socialist revolutions would break out in other parts of Europe.

The civil war lasted almost six years, until 1923. Finally, the Bolsheviks took victory. This, in addition to his permanence in power, led to the creation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR).

Exit from World War I

Despite what was declared in the Peace Decree, the new government had not yet pulled Russia out of the First World War. This, in addition to defrauding her supporters, posed a security problem: the troops assigned to the front could not be used to fight in the civil war.

After several weeks of negotiations, which involved some discrepancies between Lenin and Trotsky, Russia signed peace with the central powers on March 3, 1918. The agreement to end their participation was called the Peace of Brest-Litovsk.

Although through this treaty Russia was able to emerge from a highly unpopular war, the cost was quite high. The country had to cede Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Georgia, Poland and Finland.

World's first socialist state

The triumph of the Bolshevik Revolution in October 1917 meant the establishment of the first socialist government in a country. The importance of this fact was enormous, since Russia was one of the great powers of the time.

The communist government undertook a series of legislative reforms according to its ideology. In this way, the dictatorship of the proletariat was established, lands were collectivized, the means of production passed into the hands of the State, and the right to free education was extended to the entire population.

In just a few decades, the Soviet Union led one of the two camps into which the world was divided after World War II. The communist state was implanted, in the image of those that happened in Russia, in other countries of Eastern Europe. The liberal capitalist, led by the United States, positioned itself against this bloc.

References

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