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The Bolsheviks: 1917-18

The Bolsheviks: 1917-18. The first precarious months. Why the first few months were so precarious. Most political parties refused to accept their authority They had not been democratically elected The Civil Service went on strike The State Bank refused to open its vaults

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The Bolsheviks: 1917-18

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  1. The Bolsheviks: 1917-18 The first precarious months

  2. Why the first few months were so precarious • Most political parties refused to accept their authority • They had not been democratically elected • The Civil Service went on strike • The State Bank refused to open its vaults • The Constituent Assembly elections were scheduled for November • The War was still going on and needed to be dealt with quickly and effectively • Food crises

  3. Getting the masses on side • Land decree gave legitimacy to the peasants’ actions • Workers’ control decree gave the workers control of the factories • The Proletariat were encouraged to attack Burzkhui homes and businesses • Minorities given autonomy • Populist policies, e.g. 8 hour working day • Women given equal rights with men

  4. Ruthless Behaviour • The Kadets were outlawed • Prominent opposition politicians and civil servants were arrested and killed • Banks were threatened with violence and then nationalised • Opposition newspapers were banned • The CHEKA was set up • Bourgeoisie attacked and blamed for Russia’s problems • Constituent Assembly dissolved at gun point by the Red Guard

  5. Dealing with the Socialists • Lenin bought time by initially agreeing to hold talks on power-sharing • Agreed to hold elections to the Constituent Assembly • Lenin made an alliance with left wing SR to keep peasants on side • Formed the Sovnarkom which did not consult with the Soviets

  6. The Constituent Assembly • Lenin allowed elections to go ahead – this bought him time and prevented criticism • The SR were clear winners with 370 seats compared with the Bolsheviks’ 175 • The Assembly was dissolved after sitting for one day – Lenin justified this by saying the establishment of a representative body was created by the October Revolution • Lenin claimed the results had been rigged by the Kadets • Even leading Bolsheviks, such as Maxim Gorky were disappointed by Lenin’s actions:

  7. Maxim Gorky • “The best Russians have lived for almost 100 years with the idea of Constituent Assembly as a political organ which could provide a Russian democracy… on the alter of this sacred idea rivers of blood have been spilled – and now the people’s commissars’ have ordered the shooting of this democracy”

  8. The First World War • Caused problems for the Tsar, the Provisional Govt. & now the Bolsheviks • Had promised speedy withdrawal before the Revolution • Even Bolsheviks were divided on what to do • Lenin wanted to end the War immediately • Trotsky – ‘neither peace nor war’ • Armistice December 1917 • Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed March 1918

  9. Brest-Litovsk • Treaty was harsh. Russia lost: • A sixth of population • 75% of iron ore and coal reserves • 27% of farm land • 26% of railway lines • A third of European Russian land

  10. Lenin and Germany • Between 1914 and 1917 Germany had been paying Lenin in the hope that if his revolution succeeded he would pull Russia out of the War • Lenin was petrified that the German troops would eventually march on Petrograd • Operation Faustschlag saw a temporary resumption of hostilities by the Germans because of the delaying tactics of Trotsky (February 1918)

  11. Slide in to Civil War • Brest-Litovsk divided Russia • Right-wing nationalists were angry about losing so much imperial land • Far-left SR groups and Bolsheviks were frustrated that Germany had been allowed to gain more imperialist strength (international revolutionaries) • Many ordinary Russians felt humiliated by the terms and conditions • Russia could no longer rely on Western help • Russia could not realistically repair her economy now so much had been ceded to Germany • The Bolsheviks did not have a mandate

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