Meghan Woods
September 27, 2004
20th Century World Topics/Pr.1
The Rise of the Bolshevik Party
On the night of October 25, 1917, the Bolshevik Party of Russia seized control of the Winter Palace in Petrograd without firing a single shot. However, this silent successful opportunity had been in the works for many years. The Bolshevik party rose to power in Russia by giving in to the needs of the people, having superb organizational skills, and their ability to take advantage of a weak provisional government, especially after the Kornilov Affair took place. The combination of all of these conditions enabled the Bolsheviks to take control of Russia and keep her in its iron fist for years to come.
The Bolshevik party gained popularity and support by giving in to the needs and wants of the people of Russia. In the early stages of the Bolshevik’s rise to power, Russia was fighting a losing battle in World War One. A majority of the people in Russia wanted Russia to stop fighting, for the war was draining economic sources and reducing Russia’s population due to the death of millions of Russian soldiers. But despite the pleas of the people, the provisional government refused to withdraw from the war. Lenin, the leader of the Bolshevik party, realized that the Russian people desired peace. In December 1917, an armistice known as the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed with Germany, and despite some harsh agreements within the treaty, Russia was out of the war. Furthermore, Lenin passed decrees that immediately satisfied the people. For example, Lenin passed the Land Decree, which called for all land to be withdrawn from commerce and transferred to peasant communities. He also passed the Decree on Peace, guaranteeing the right of self-determination to all people. Lenin introduced an eight hour workday and gave control of the factories to the workers. The Bolshevik party won tremendous support from the masses, as the people saw their life-long wishes come true.
