Question by : Why did revolution break out in Russia in 1917, and how did Lenin and Stalin carry forward the process of crea?
Why did revolution break out in Russia in 1917, and how did Lenin and Stalin carry forward the process of creating communism between 1918 and 1919?
Answers and Views:
Answer by lwhhow
Revolution broke out in Russia in ‘Oct. 1918’ by the public, troops, and middle class because they could no longer stand the incompetence of the Czars dictatorship and it’s huge losses and hardships for Russia in WWI. It was a spontaneous and ‘popular’ revolution from the people on up. It set up a ‘Provisional Government’ that wanted to make Russia modern and at least semi democratic.
The Communist or Bolshevik Revolution of ‘Nov. 1918’ was totally different. It was not ‘popular’ from the people but from Lenin and his minority group of Communists, they overthrew the new provisional government in a ‘coup’ seized control and forced ‘Communism’ and a new dictatorship on the country. It was a revolution from the ‘top’ (Lenin and his small group who had seized power) and then flowed ‘down’ to the public.
Stalin was then a gunmen/ security chief for Lenin. Lenin and he 1918/19 carried forth Communism by getting rid of the provisional government and any democracy (as well as murdering the Czar and family), forcing Communist dictatorship on the country by propaganda and force. They created the new ‘Soviet Union’ under themselves.
Read all the answers in the comments.
Add your own answer!
Spellbound says
The February Revolution was essentially a bread riot that spiralled out of control. There was no leader, no ideological framework and no political movement dominated or controlled it. The Tsar was away commanding the army on the Eastern Front. On February 23rd the women of Petrograd marched on the Winter Palace, demanding bread. Some factories came out on strike in support and soon all the workers in the great factories of the city were on strike. Soldiers sent to deal with the strikers joined them. The monarchy was doomed when even the normally loyal cossack regiments went over to the revolt. Nicholas came back from the front, but, by the time he got to Pskov – about half way to Petrograd – no-one was prepared to support him. He abdicated in favour of his brother Michael, as the Tsarevitch Alexei was too ill. Michael realised that this was a poisoned chalice and refused the crown – Tsardom ended with a whimper.
The February Revolution was swamped by the the October Revolution because it lacked democratic legitimacy. The Provisional Government was the re-constituted last State Duma. It refused an election to a promised interim government – the Constituent Assembly – saying that Russia would hold elections after the war.
The Petrograd Soviet was seen by many as a genuinely democratic institution, as it’s members were elected to it from the garrisons and factories of the capital.
The Bolshevik slogans “Bread, Land and Peace” and “All Power to the Soviets” sum up the other major factors: The cities were starving as the peasants were now in uniform fighting in the war – they could not plough, sow or harvest the crops. And the food delivery infrastructure had broken down. The peasants wanted the Provisional Government to give them the land they worked on – it didn’t, and the most of the land was still owned by the aristocracy. And Russia was doing badly in the war and most people wanted Russia to withdraw from it.
Soviets were seen as genuinely democratic bodies – they were mostly formed spontaneously and ran everything from factories to city blocks. By demanding All Power to the Soviets the Bolsheviks were tapping into popular democratic demands.
Other factors:
Lenin was a dedicated, determined and capable leader. He motivated his party and, through agitation & propaganda, the Bolsheviks became very popular in the army and in the factories.
Trotsky was an extremely gifted administrator. He was the chairman of the Milrevkom – the Military Revolutionary Committee – this was the organisation that orchestrated the events of October 1917.
The leadership of the party was loyal to Lenin, and they followed his orders with conviction.
The party had a competent propaganda machine, producing newspapers, banners, posters and setting up recruitment drives in the army and factories.
Lenin’s policy of nationalising the banks and large factories, as well as giving all the land to the village soviets was the first steps towards a socialist and communist economy. Stalin’s policy of collectivising agriculture and taking ALL the means of production into state ownershp were a larger step towards a communist economy.
See:
The Bolsheviks in Russian Society – Vladimir Brovkin
The Russian Revolution – Sheila Fitzpatrick
The October Revolution – Roy Medvedev
http://www.soviethistory.org/index.php?page=subject&SubjectID=1917october&Year=1917
http://www.marxists.org/history/ussr/events/revolution/index.htm