How significant were the short-term effects of the October Revolution on Russian politics and society?

by biiilli (student)

The October Revolution was a pivotal point in creating a Soviet Russia. The Provisional Government's failures created an opportunity for the Bolshevik party to attempt a seizure of power which created a Bolshevik regime. The course of the Revolution was smooth - they did not size power; it fell into their hands. The spontaneous nature of the Revolution called for a consolidation of power immediately after leading to decisions such as reforms, the suppression of the opposition, the end of Russia's involvement in the Second World War, economic policies and the Civil War. However, there is debate on the overall significance of the October Revolution in the course of Russian politics.

The success of the Revolution arguably relied predominantly on Lenin. According to Leon Trotsky, “If neither Lenin nor I had been present, there would have been no October Revolution: the leadership of the Bolshevik Part would have prevented it from occurring.”[1] His importance was reaffirmed with his early reforms (spanning between October 1917 and February 1918) aimed to transform Russia intro a Bolshevik society quickly and effectively. Reforms such as the introduction of an 8-hour day, a system of social insurance, the abolishment of titles and class distinctions and ranks in the army, the nationalisation of the banks and schools and the confiscation of church land created societal changes, contributing the Communist promises. However, historian Lionel Kochan argued that although Lenin “had fulfilled his promised of peace and land.. his third promise, bread, had yet to be redeemed”[2] causing means to be criticised. He also argued that the “conditions were so chaotic at the time that many of these measures had no effect at all”[3] undermining Lenin's impact Lenin also implemented the policy of centralisation which is considered to be the most important factor in the success of the Bolsheviks after the October Revolution; Rick B.A. Wise noted that “the centralisation in power coupled with the building of a strong army was largely responsible for the Bolsheviks' success”[4] enforcing the view that centralisation was extremely important.

Lenin kept the promise of peace by issuing a decree for peace ordering that Russian soldiers to stop fighting the Germans although the two countries were still formally at war. The formal peace treaty, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, was signed on 3 March 1918 after considering the possibility of a civil war and the exhaustion of Russia's materials. The terms were harsh with Russia losing a quarter of its territory, a third of its population and over half of its industry. Kochan also argued that “the eventual peace treaty was one of the most ruthless in the world”[5]. However, ...

This is a preview of the whole essay

The Bolsheviks' predictions were accurate as Russia mobilised into civil war. Evan Mawdsley argued that “both the Civil War and Stalinism were likely consequences of the seizure of power.”[6]

“The costs of the Civil War were the costs of the Revolution”[7] and the years of war, and then Civil War, had left Russia's industry paralysed, agriculture ruined and communications disrupted. War Communism was brought in to centralise control over all areas of production and distribution but at the expense of the ruthless treatment of the peasants. This resulted in a terrible famine in 1921 which killed between an estimated 7,500,000 to 10,000,000 Russians. It also saw the introduction of the “Red Terror” which seek to eliminate all counter-revolutionaries and the cruel treatment of the bourgeoisie. This also led to the execution of the Romanov family to finally sever all Russia's ties with Tsarism. As the Bolsheviks began to assert control, they implemented a new strategy of detaining the opposition in concentration camps and programmes of forced labour followed afterwards. J.N. Westwood argued that “probably in 1923 the unpopularity of the government was great as two years earlier; the workers were still underpaid, underfed and unproductive, while the peasants had never forgotten their treatment under War Communism.. In both town and country there was a feeling that every Communist was a little tsar.”[8] This summaries the significance of the Civil War as relatively useless in addressing the people's demands and again, just consolidating the Bolsheviks' absolute power over Russia. However, Mawdsley seemingly disagrees, giving the treatment of the Russian people creditability as it worked: “..the Bolsheviks readiness to use extreme methods against their enemies was an important element in their keeping control of central Russia – at a time when their political base was small and they had little to give the people.”

Wise also agreed that despite the use of terror and the terrible conditions of Russia after the October Revolution, they still had control: “Perhaps they [peasants] did not love the Soviets but they fought for them as their guarantee of their gains from the Revolution.”[9] However, although this use of Terror brought short-term benefits, it was a price as it also made enemies and gave an issue that the opposition could use to condemn the Party.

Within the Bolsheviks' strive for political dominance, Lenin created the New Economic Plan (NEP) as means to ensure adequate food supplies. The NEP “represented a retreat from Bolshevik policy of state control of the economy to a mixed economy where some private ownership was allowed to exist alongside state control”[10]. Another argument for the short-term significance of the NEP is that “Lenin had always said that NEP was a partial and in particular a temporary, restoration of capitalism.”[11] However, not all historians argue that the NEP was detrimental to Russian relations. The the acceptance of the Soviet regime internationally gave the Bolsheviks legitimacy. “During 1921, the great European powers including Britain, Germany, Norway, Austria and Italy gave recognition only to the Soviet government trade relations. This was subsequently followed by de jure recognition by almost every country expect the United States.”[12]

Their consolidation of power also used the policy of War Communism to control industry and notably, use all food for the Red troops around the Civil War. Helene Carreve D'Encausse argued that “War communism thus led to a rejection of communism” strengthening the argument that Lenin's economic policies sacrificed the party's original ideologies.”[13]

The overall significance of the effects of the October Revolution has been criticised by Robert V. Daniels who stated “A host of other circumstances and political events helped shape the Communist regime from this time on – the Civil War, the death of Lenin, the challenge of industrialisation, the threat of foreign enemies and above all the rise to power of Joseph Stalin, who accomplished a new “revolution from above” more far-reaching than the Revolution of 1917.”[14]

In conclusion, the October Revolution insured the establishment of a communist, but most importantly, Lenin-led Bolshevik regime in Russia. After leading to an unstable society, the politics of Bolshevism were changed, moving towards brutal and capitalist policies and the Bolsheviks struggle in keeping and asserting control became the most significant impacts. Although there is controversy in how effective their techniques of controlling Russia were and ultimately whether they really were in control, the October Revolution led to a long ruling Communist regime which although troubled, withstood the opposition and perils that the Russian citizens put towards them.

1394 words

[1] Leon Trotsky, The History of the Russian Revolution, 1933

[2] Lionel Kochan, The Russian Revolution, Wayland Publishers, 1971

[3] Lionel Kochan, The Russian Revolution, Wayland Publishers, 1971

[4] Dr Rick B.A. Wise, The Bolshevik Revolution, Veritas Foundation Publishing Centre, 1991

[5] Lionel Kochan, The Russian Revolution, Wayland Publishers, 1971

[6] Evan Mawdsley, The Russian Civil War, Allen and Unwin, 1987

[7] Evan Mawdsley, The Russian Civil War, Allen and Unwin, 1987

[8] J.N. Westwood, Russia 1917-1964, B. T. Batsford Ltd., 1966

[9] Rick B.A. Wise, The Bolshevik Revolution, Veritas Foundation Publishing Centre, 1991

[10] Michael Lynch, Access to History, From Autocracy to Communism: Russia 1894-1941 for OCR, Hodder Education, 2008

[11] David Evans and Jane Jenkins, Years of Russia, the USSR and the Collapse of Soviet Communism (Second Edition), Published by Hodder Education, 2008

[12] Rick B.A. Wise, The Bolshevik Revolution, Veritas Foundation Publishing Centre, 1991

[13] Helene Carreve D'Encausse, Lenin: Revolution and Power, Longman, 1982

[14] Robert V. Daniels, Red October, Secker & Warburg, 1967