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Various Thoughts and Theses on the October Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 and its Immediate, Long-term, and Global Reprecussions
When Lenin returned to Russia in April 1917, and in his April Theses' proclaimed uncompromising war on the provisional government and total opposition to the war, everyone thought he was committing political suicide. The Bolshevik Party was small enough as it was with only a few isolated strongholds (notably the naval base of Kronstadt, the Volga city of Tsaritsyn and the Vyborg quarter in Petrograd itself). Surely Lenin's ultra-left stand would reduce Bolshevik influence even further? The opposite proved true.
Because the Bolsheviks were the only major group that opposed the government it was they who benefited from the growing disillusion with that government. But the Bolsheviks were riding a wave they could not control for the growing opposition was essentially spontaneous. In the countryside the peasants who took direct action to obtain land were still loyal to the Socialist Revolutionaries while even in the Bolshevik stronghold of Vyborg the workers could as easily be swayed by anarchist orators.
That spontaneity took it's most dramatic form when the workers and soldiers of Petrograd rose in what came to be known as the July days. The aim of the workers was to overthrow the provisional government and give power to the Soviet. Against this the provisional government was helpless. It was the Soviet (controlled by moderate Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries), who suppressed a rising supposedly in their favour.
The bitter irony of the situation is symbolised by the incident when Chernov, mobbed by a group of Kronstadt sailors was grabbed hold of by a worker. "Take power you bastard!" shouted the worker helpless with frustration.
Frustration indeed! How could the rebels succeed when those they wished to put in power were their main enemy? The Soviet called in fresh troops and the rising was suppressed.
In the wake of July the climate moved dramatically to the right. Lenin fled into hiding while Trotsky and even some Socialist Revolutionaries were arrested.
A group of workers from the Putilov factory graphically expressed their dismay.
"Where is justice. Where are the results of the blood and lives of the fighters who fell in the revolution? Where is the new life? Where is the paradise like green-red bird that so temptingly flew over our land and disappeared ... as if to deceive."
The man of the moment was Kornilov. Promoted by Kerensky to Commander in Chief of the army he soon became the hero of the right. In August he moved on Petrograd with the aim of suppressing the Soviet. But Kerensky got nervous. Afraid that Kornilov wanted a dictatorship for himself Kerensky denounced Kornilov and turned to the Soviet for support. Petrograd mobilised but it was leaflets not bullets that saved Petrograd. Agitators met Kornilov's troops and persuaded them to mutiny. Kornilov was arrested.
With Kornilov defeated it became clear that the right wing mood of the last month had been only on the surface. Now the tide [next page]