How did the Bolsheviks consolidate their rule?

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How did the Bolsheviks consolidate their rule?

The Bolsheviks led by Lenin first came into power after the revolution in November 1917 when they stormed the Winter Palace without much opposition. The Bolsheviks were only in control of two cities when they first came in. These two cities were Petrograd and Moscow. They had no experience running a country before. They did not have the support of most of the Russian people. So they were in a weak position and had to do something to get more support.

Lenin’s slogan was ‘Peace, Bread and Land’ and he knew that he had to deliver otherwise the Russian people would turn against him. He set up the Council of People’s Commissars. Russia asked for peace with Germany and over the next few weeks 11 decrees were issued.

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To keep the peasant happy, they decreed that land belonging to Tsar, Church and nobles must be handed over to peasants.

To keep worker happy they decreed that a working day would be limited to 8 hours, workers to be insured against illness or accident, and factories put under control of workers committees.

To keep Bolshevik control, they decreed that all non Bolshevik newspapers be banned the opposition constitutional democratic party banned and its leaders arrested, Cheka (Bolshevik secret police) set up to deal with spies and counter revolutionaries and banks were put under Bolshevik government ...

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