Events

In the winter of 1917, the situation in Petrograd was grim. There was food shortage in the workers’ quarters.

22 February: Lockout took place at a factory. Workers of factories joined in sympathy. Women also led and participated in the strikes. This came to be called the International Women’s Day. The government imposed a curfew.

24, 25 February: The government called out the cavalry and police to keep an eye on them. 25 February: The government suspended the Duma and politicians spoke against this measure. The people were out with force once again.

27 February: The police headquarters were ransacked.

Cavalry was called out again.

An officer was shot at the barracks of a regiment and other regiments mutinied, voting to join the striking workers gathered to form a Soviet or council. This was the Petrograd Soviet.

A delegation went to meet the Tsar. The military commanders advised him to abdicate.

2 March: The Tsar abdicated.

A provisional government was formed by the Soviet and Duma leaders to run the country.

Restrictions on public meetings and associations were removed.

Soviets were set up everywhere.

In individual areas, factory committees were formed which began questioning the way industrialists ran their factories.

Soldiers’ committees were formed in the army.

The Provisional Government saw its power declining and Bolshevik influence grew. It decided to take stern measures against the spreading discontent.

It resisted attempts by workers to run factories and arrested leaders.

Peasants and the socialist revolutionary leaders pressed for a redistribution of land.

Land committees were formed and peasants seized land between July and September 1917.

No political party was involved in the February Revolution. It was a combined effort of the workers of fifty factories along with women who took up the leadership.

October Revolution:

16th October 1917: Lenin persuaded the Petrograd Soviet and Bolshevik Party to agree to a socialist seizure of power. A Military Revolutionary Committee was appointed by the Soviet to organise seizure.

24th October: Uprising began. Prime Minister Kerenskii left the city to summon troops. Military men loyal to the government seized the buildings of two Bolshevik newspapers. Pro-government troops were sent to take over telephone and telegraph offices and protect the Winter Palace.

In response Military Revolutionary Committee ordered to seize government offices and arrest ministers.

The ‘Aurora’ ship shelled the Winter Palace. Other ships took over strategic points.

By night, the city had been taken over and ministers had surrendered.

All Russian Congress of Soviets in Petrograd approved the Bolshevik action.

By December: Heavy fighting in Moscow. The Bolsheviks controlled the Moscow-Petrograd area. The people involved were Lenin, the Bolsheviks and pro-government troops.

Effects

Most industries and banks were nationalised in November 1917.

Land was declared social property and peasants were allowed to seize the land of the nobility. Use of old titles was banned.

New uniforms were designed for the army and officials.
Russia became a one-party state.
Trade unions were kept under party control.

A process of centralised planning was introduced. This led to economic growth.

Industrial production increased.

An extended schooling system was developed.

Collectivisation of farms started.

Lenin led the October Revolution along with Leon Trotskii. Bolshevik supporters in army, Soviets and factories were mobilised for mass struggle. Lenin rose to power and set up a Bolshevik government in Soviet Russia.