The Bolsheviks were successful in coming to power in the end of the 1917 revolution for a number of reasons, which

Similarly, the distinct lack of support for the provisional government among the industrial working class was crucial in it's downfall and the Bolsheviks gaining power. It's inability to solve problems such as famine and the food shortages, outbreaks of civil disobedience in a large scale in major cities and the war with Germany, which continued to go very badly for Russia were also factors in it's lack of support, and therefore consequently support for the Bolsheviks.

The effective use of propaganda by the Bolsheviks was also essential in their rise to power in 1917. Newspapers such as 'Pravda' were extremely effective at winning support for the Bolsheviks among the working class. Similarly, slogans such as 'Peace, Bread, Land' were also extremely effective in gaining support as, these were the three things that working class people needed most yet did not all have. Therefore in promising these essential things, the Bolsheviks gained their support. The simplicity of slogans such as these, which enabled the working class to easily understand them was also important in getting support.

Similarly, Lenin's ability as a brilliant public speaker was also indispensable in gaining widespread support, among people who heard him speak, especially the working class. His ability to inspire people in this way was crucial in gaining support for the Bolshevik organisation.

German money, which was invested in the Bolsheviks in order to destabilise Russia, Germany's opponent on the eastern front of the first world war, was an important factor in the Bolsheviks gaining power in 1917. The money allowed the party to spend money on propaganda, activists and militia all of which themselves were crucial in the Bolsheviks coming to power.

The private army of the Bolsheviks, the Red Guards, ably trained and led by Trotsky, were also important in the Bolsheviks gaining power. The strength and size of the Red Guards allowed the Bolsheviks to intimidate and exert their influence on less powerful political groups and the provisional government itself, as well as being a symbol of the Bolsheviks, which their supporters could rally around.

The Bolsheviks were also brilliantly organised, which was crucial in their attempts to gain power. A central committee (controlled by Lenin and other leading Bolsheviks) sent orders to the soviets, who gave orders to the factories. Membership grew to 2 million in 3 months. Unlike the Provisional Government, the Bolsheviks demanded total obedience from their members, so they were well-disciplined (members did what the leaders wanted). This allowed the Bolsheviks to co-ordinate their members into effective protests and opposition to the provisional government.

The fact that the Bolsheviks had the widespread support of people in industrial cities and cities including the two major centres, Petrograd and Moscow, meant that they had a lot of influence in the major seats of power, which was crucial in them coming to power, as they would ultimately not have been able to assume and maintain command had they not had this strong backing from the proletariat workers.

In conclusion, all of the above factors contributed to the Bolsheviks coming to power in 1917, and subsequently allowed them to govern effectively, mainly with the support of the people of the working class in the large cities and towns.