Causes of Oct:nov Revolution 1917

Question: Identify the causes for the outbreak of Russian Revolution October/ November
1917(10 marks)
Nadiah BE10 and Farhana
Reasons:
-A committee of the Duma appointed a Provisional Government to succeed the autocracy, but it faced
a rival in the Petrograd Soviet of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies. The 2,500 delegates to this soviet
were chosen from factories and military units in and around Petrograd.
-The existence of two political bodies (Provisional Government and Petrograd Soviet) increased the
potential for political disagreement. This was especially the case as the two bodies held very different
views.
-The Provisional Government took major decisions - Russia continued its military action in World War
One and land reforms were postponed
-The Provisional Government had very limited success in dealing with food and oil shortages
-The Soviets soon proved that it had greater authority than the Provisional Government, which sought
to continue Russia’s participation in the European war.
-On October 24–25 (November 6–7) the Bolsheviks and Left Socialist-Revolutionaries staged a nearly
bloodless coup, occupying government buildings, telegraph stations, and other strategic points.
-weakness of the Provisional Government, economic and social problems, and continuation of the war
led to growing unrest and support for the Soviets. Led by Lenin, the Bolsheviks seized power.
-there are Social + political problems
1. Middle classes: Small number but growing number of merchants, bankers, and industrialists
as the industry developed. The intelligentsia sought more participation in politics!
2. Land and agriculture: Methods were inefficient and backward- still used wooden ploughs and
very few animals and tools. Not enough land to go around, a vast expansion of the peasant
population in the later half of the 19th century led to overcrowding and competition for land.
Peasants wanted social change!
3. Urban workers and industry: Around 58% were literate, twice the national average which
meant that they could articulate their grievances and were receptive to revolutionary ideas.
Wages were a generally low and high number of deaths from accidents and work-related
health issues. The industry production was very low at the start of the 19th century but
increased fast and by 1914, Russia was the fourth-largest producer of iron, steel, and coal.
Instability in cities and the misery of the workers led to social + political instability in the towns.
-there are economic problems:
1. Crisis in cities: Overcrowded + poor housing + poor living and working conditions (created by
economic problems in Russia) led to social tension in Cities
2. Inflation: From 1914-1917 inflation increased by 400 percent
-Weaknesses and failures of the Provisional Government: Political problems, interrelated with
social and economic problems
1. The political failures of the government undermined their power and authority, which created
the circumstances for Lenin's RTP:
2. The nature of PG helped Lenin to power. PG was not elected by the people, it saw itself as a
temporary body, which could not make any binding long-term decisions for Russia.
3. The nature of PG helped Lenin to power. The PG had only power over government affairs,
real power lay in the hands of the soviets (worker's unions). Soviets had all the practical
power in Petrograd such as control over factories and railways.
4. Divisions in PG helped Lenin to power. In PG there were divisions between socialists +
liberals who often blocked each other's decisions. This internal weakness of the PG crippled
their ability to enforce control over the country.
5. The government passes legislation that allowed freedom of speech, press as well as the
dismantling of the secret police. Now political parties could mobilize publically and attract
members more easily. The opposition to the PG got it a lot easier to rebel, and the PG had
dismantled the secret police, so they couldn’t stop the uprisings.
-Ideological appeal of Lenin and Bolshevism, and role of Lenin (appeal of radical alternative,
charismatic and dynamic leader, taking advantage of the crisis situation in Russia in 1917 with all the
problems listed above. Lenin's political ideas attracted widespread support among the Russian
people. On the 16th of April 1917, Lenin held a speech called the April Theses. The speech called for
a
1)World wide socialist revolution
2) Land reform to peasants
3) immediate end to WW1
4) immediate end to cooperation with PG
5) Urged Soviets to take power.
-5) Role of Trotsky in executing the revolution (ruthlessly efficient organizer)
Trotsky was elected Chairman of Petrograd Soviets in 1917, which gave him immense
practical power over the city (control of bridges, railways, etc.), which was a valuable
asset to Bolsheviks. Trotsky also used his position as Chairman to claim that the
Bolsheviks were seizing power in the name of the Soviets, and hence workers accepted
that Bolsheviks conducted the revolution. It was not until Lenin closed down the new
parliament that workers realized that they had been fooled.
Trotsky also played a key role in setting up and organizing the red army, as well as the
actual take over of power. Trotsky also persuaded Lenin to wait until October to conduct
the revolution, when Bolsheviks had firmly established their power in the Soviets.
Trotsky was as also an excellent orator and helped to inspire the masses.

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Question: Identify the causes for the outbreak of Russian Revolution October/ November

Nadiah BE10 and Farhana

-there are economic problems:

1)World wide socialist revolution

2) Land reform to peasants

3) immediate end to WW1

4) immediate end to cooperation with PG

5) Urged Soviets to take power.

-5) Role of Trotsky in executing the revolution (ruthlessly efficient organizer)

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