Participants in the revolutionary events of 1917. October Revolution (1917)

Event that happened October 25, 1917 in the capital of the then Russian Empire, Petrograd, became just an uprising of the armed people, which stirred up almost the entire civilized world.

A hundred years have passed, but the results and achievements, the impact on the world history of the October events remain the subject of discussions and disputes among numerous historians, philosophers, political scientists, specialists in various fields of law, both in our time and in the past twentieth century.

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Briefly about the date October 25, 1917

Officially in the Soviet Union, this ambiguously assessed event today was called - the day of the October Revolution of 1917, it was a holiday for the entire vast country and the peoples inhabiting it. It brought about a radical change in the social and political situation, transformation of political and social attitudes on the position of peoples and each individual individually.

Today, many young people do not even know what year the revolution took place in Russia, but it is necessary to know about it. The situation was quite predictable and brewed for several years, then the significant main events of the October Revolution of 1917 took place, the table briefly:

What is the October Revolution in the historical concept? The main armed uprising led by V. I. Ulyanov - Lenin, L. D. Trotsky, Ya. M. Sverdlov and other leaders of the communist movement in Russia.

The revolution of 1917 is an armed uprising.

Attention! The uprising was carried out by the Military Revolutionary Committee of the Petrograd Soviet, where, oddly enough, the Left Socialist-Revolutionary faction represented the majority.

The success of the coup was ensured by the following factors:

Significant level of popular support.
The provisional government was inactive and did not solve the problems of Russia's participation in the First World War.
The most significant political aspect compared to previously proposed extremist movements.

The faction of the Mensheviks and the Right SRs could not organize a more or less real version of an alternative movement in relation to the Bolsheviks.

A little about the causes of the October events of 1917

Today, no one refutes the idea that this fateful event practically turned not only the whole world upside down, but also radically changed the course of history for many decades to come. Far from being a feudal, bourgeois country striving for progress, it was practically turned upside down directly during certain events on the fronts of the First World War.

The historical significance of the October Revolution, which took place in 1917, is largely determined by the termination. However, as modern historians see it, there were several reasons:

The influence of the peasant revolution as a socio-political phenomenon as an aggravation of the confrontation between the peasant masses and the landowners who remained at that time. The reason is the “black redistribution” known in history, that is, distribution of land to the needy. Also in this aspect, the negative impact of the redistribution of land allotments on the number of dependents has affected.
Working sections of society experienced significant city government pressure on the inhabitants of rural areas, state power has become the main lever of pressure on the productive forces.
The deepest decomposition of the army and other power structures, where the majority of the peasants went to serve, who could not comprehend certain nuances of the protracted hostilities.
revolutionary fermentation of all sections of the working class. The proletariat at that time was a politically active minority, constituting no more than 3.5% of the active population. The working class was largely concentrated mainly in the industrial cities.
The national movements of the popular formations of imperial Russia developed and reached their climax. Then they sought to achieve autonomy, a promising option for them was not just autonomy, but a promising autonomy and independence from the central authorities.

To the greatest extent, it was the national movement that became the provoking factor in the beginning of the revolutionary movement on the territory of the vast Russian Empire, which literally disintegrated into its constituent parts.

Attention! The combination of all causes and conditions, as well as the interests of all sections of the population, determined the goals of the October Revolution of 1917, which became the driving force behind the future uprising as a turning point in history.

Popular unrest before the start of the October Revolution of 1917.

Ambiguous about the events of October 17

The first stage, which became the basis and the beginning of a worldwide change in historical events, which became a turning point not only in the domestic, but also on a global scale. For example, the assessment of the October Revolution, the interesting facts of which are the simultaneous positive and negative impact on the socio-political world situation.

As usual, every significant event has objective and subjective reasons. The overwhelming majority of the population had a hard time experiencing wartime conditions, hunger and deprivation peace became necessary. What were the conditions in the second half of 1917:

Formed in the period from February 27 to March 03, 1917, the Provisional Government headed by Kerensky didn't have enough tools to solve all problems and questions without exception. The transfer of land and enterprises into the ownership of workers and peasants, as well as the elimination of hunger and the conclusion of peace, became an urgent problem, the solution of which was inaccessible to the so-called "temporaries".
The prevalence of socialist ideas among the general population, a noticeable increase in the popularity of Marxist theory, the implementation by the Soviets of the slogans of universal equality, the prospects for what the people expected.
The emergence of a strong opposition movement led by a charismatic leader, which was Ulyanov-Lenin. This party line at the beginning of the last century became the most promising movement for achieving world communism as a concept for further development.
In the conditions of this situation, they became as much as possible in demand radical ideas and the problems of society requiring a radical solution - the inability to lead the empire from the thoroughly rotten tsarist administrative apparatus.

The slogan of the October Revolution - "peace to the peoples, land to the peasants, factories to the workers" was supported by the population, which made it possible to radically change the political system in Russia.

Briefly about the course of events on October 25

Why did the October Revolution happen in November? The autumn of 1917 brought an even greater increase in social tension, political and socio-economic destruction was rapidly approaching its peak.

In industry, financial sector, transport and communication systems, agriculture a complete collapse.

Russian multinational empire broke up into separate nation-states, contradictions between representatives of various peoples and intra-tribal disagreements were growing.

Significant influence on the acceleration of the overthrow of the Provisional Government had hyperinflation, rising food prices Against the backdrop of lower wages, increased unemployment, a catastrophic situation on the battlefields, the war was artificially dragged out. Government of A. Kerensky did not submit an anti-crisis plan, and the initial February promises were practically abandoned.

These processes in the conditions of their rapid growth only increased influence leftist political movements throughout the country. These were the reasons for the unprecedented victory of the Bolsheviks in the October Revolution. The Bolshevik idea and its support by the peasants, workers and soldiers led to the deputy majority in the new state system - the Soviets in the First Capital and Petrograd. There were two directions in the plans for the Bolsheviks to come to power:

Peaceful diplomatically conditioned and legally confirmed the act of transferring power to the majority.
The extremist trend in the Soviets demanded armed strategic measures, in their opinion, the plan could only be implemented power grab.

The government, created in October 1917, was called the Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies. The shot of the legendary cruiser "Aurora" on the night of October 25 gave signal to start the assault Winter Palace, which led to the fall of the Provisional Government.

October Revolution

October coup

Consequences of the October Revolution

The consequences of the October Revolution are ambiguous. This is the coming to power of the Bolsheviks, the adoption by the Second Congress of Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies of the Decrees on Peace, Land, the Declaration of the Rights of the Peoples of the Country. Was created Russian Soviet Republic, later the controversial Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed. In various countries of the world, pro-Bolshevik governments began to come to power.

The negative aspect of the event is also important - the protracted that brought more destruction crisis, famine, millions of victims. The collapse and chaos in a vast country led to economic destruction of the global financial system, a crisis that dragged on for more than a decade and a half. Its consequences fell heavily on the shoulders of the poorest segments of the population. This situation has become the basis for a decrease in demographic indicators, a lack of productive forces in the future, human casualties, and unplanned migration.

To understand when there was a revolution in Russia, it is necessary to look back at the era. It was under the last emperor from the Romanov dynasty that the country was shaken by several social crises that caused the people to rise up against the government. Historians single out the revolution of 1905-1907, the February revolution and the October year.

Background of revolutions

Until 1905, the Russian Empire lived under the laws of an absolute monarchy. The king was the sole autocrat. The adoption of important state decisions depended only on him. In the 19th century, such a conservative order of things did not suit a very small stratum of society from intellectuals and marginals. These people were guided by the West, where the Great French Revolution had long since taken place as a good example. She destroyed the power of the Bourbons and gave the inhabitants of the country civil liberties.

Even before the first revolutions took place in Russia, society learned about what political terror is. Radical supporters of change took up arms and staged assassination attempts on top government officials in order to force the authorities to pay attention to their demands.

Tsar Alexander II ascended the throne during the Crimean War, which Russia lost due to systematic economic lagging behind the West. A bitter defeat forced the young monarch to embark on reforms. The main one was the abolition of serfdom in 1861. Zemstvo, judicial, administrative and other reforms followed.

However, the radicals and terrorists were still unhappy. Many of them demanded a constitutional monarchy or even the abolition of tsarist power. The Narodnaya Volya organized a dozen assassination attempts on Alexander II. In 1881 he was killed. Under his son, Alexander III, a reactionary campaign was launched. Terrorists and political activists were severely repressed. This calmed the situation for a while. But the first revolutions in Russia were still just around the corner.

Mistakes of Nicholas II

Alexander III died in 1894 in the Crimean residence, where he improved his failing health. The monarch was relatively young (he was only 49 years old), and his death came as a complete surprise to the country. Russia froze in anticipation. The eldest son of Alexander III, Nicholas II, was on the throne. His reign (when there was a revolution in Russia) from the very beginning was overshadowed by unpleasant events.

First, in one of his first public speeches, the tsar declared that the desire of the progressive public for change was "meaningless dreams." For this phrase, Nikolai was criticized by all his opponents - from liberals to socialists. The monarch even got it from the great writer Leo Tolstoy. The count ridiculed the emperor's absurd statement in his article, written under the impression of what he heard.

Secondly, during the coronation ceremony of Nicholas II in Moscow, an accident occurred. The city authorities organized a festive event for the peasants and the poor. They were promised free "presents" from the king. So thousands of people ended up on the Khodynka field. At some point, a stampede began, which killed hundreds of passers-by. Later, when there was a revolution in Russia, many called these events symbolic allusions to a future big trouble.

The Russian revolutions also had objective reasons. What were they? In 1904, Nicholas II got involved in the war against Japan. The conflict flared up over the influence of the two rival powers in the Far East. Inept preparation, extended communications, a capricious attitude towards the enemy - all this became the reason for the defeat of the Russian army in that war. In 1905, a peace treaty was signed. Russia gave Japan the southern part of Sakhalin Island, as well as lease rights to the strategically important South Manchurian Railway.

At the beginning of the war, there was a surge of patriotism and hostility to the next national enemies in the country. Now, after the defeat, the revolution of 1905-1907 broke out with unprecedented force. in Russia. People wanted fundamental changes in the life of the state. Discontent was especially felt among the workers and peasants, whose standard of living was extremely low.

Bloody Sunday

The main reason for the start of the civil confrontation was the tragic events in St. Petersburg. On January 22, 1905, a delegation of workers went to the Winter Palace with a petition to the tsar. The proletarians asked the monarch to improve their working conditions, increase wages, etc. There were also political demands, the main of which was to convene a Constituent Assembly - a popular representation on the Western parliamentary model.

The police dispersed the procession. Firearms were used. According to various estimates, between 140 and 200 people died. The tragedy became known as Bloody Sunday. When the event became known throughout the country, mass strikes began in Russia. The dissatisfaction of the workers was fueled by professional revolutionaries and agitators of leftist convictions, who until then had carried out only underground work. The liberal opposition also became more active.

First Russian Revolution

Strikes and strikes had different intensity depending on the region of the empire. Revolution 1905-1907 in Russia, it raged especially strongly on the national outskirts of the state. For example, the Polish socialists managed to convince about 400,000 workers in the Kingdom of Poland not to go to work. Similar riots took place in the Baltic States and Georgia.

The radical political parties (Bolsheviks and Social Revolutionaries) decided that this was their last chance to seize power in the country with the help of an uprising of the masses. The agitators worked not only on peasants and workers, but also on ordinary soldiers. Thus began the armed uprisings in the army. The most famous episode in this series is the uprising on the battleship Potemkin.

In October 1905, the united St. Petersburg Soviet of Workers' Deputies began its work, which coordinated the actions of the strikers throughout the capital of the empire. The events of the revolution took on a most violent character in December. It led to battles on Presnya and other parts of the city.

October 17 Manifesto

In the autumn of 1905, Nicholas II realized that he had lost control of the situation. He could suppress numerous uprisings with the help of the army, but this would not help get rid of the deep contradictions between the government and society. The monarch began to discuss with those close to him measures to reach a compromise with the dissatisfied.

The result of his decision was the Manifesto of October 17, 1905. The development of the document was entrusted to a well-known official and diplomat Sergei Witte. Prior to that, he went to sign peace with the Japanese. Now Witte needed to have time to help his king as soon as possible. The situation was complicated by the fact that two million people were already on strike in October. Strikes covered almost all industries. Rail transport was paralyzed.

The October 17 Manifesto introduced several fundamental changes to the political system of the Russian Empire. Nicholas II had previously held sole power. Now he has transferred part of his legislative powers to a new body - the State Duma. It was supposed to be elected by popular vote and become a real representative body of power.

Also established such public principles as freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, freedom of assembly, as well as the inviolability of the person. These changes became an important part of the basic state laws of the Russian Empire. Thus, in fact, the first domestic constitution appeared.

Between revolutions

The publication of the Manifesto in 1905 (when there was a revolution in Russia) helped the authorities to take the situation under control. Most of the rebels calmed down. A temporary compromise was reached. The echo of the revolution was still heard in 1906, but now it was easier for the state repressive apparatus to cope with its most implacable opponents who refused to lay down their arms.

The so-called inter-revolutionary period began, when in 1906-1917. Russia was a constitutional monarchy. Now Nicholas had to reckon with the opinion of the State Duma, which could not accept his laws. The last Russian monarch was a conservative by nature. He did not believe in liberal ideas and believed that his sole power was given to him by God. Nikolai made concessions only because he no longer had a way out.

The first two convocations of the State Duma never completed their legal term. A natural period of reaction set in, when the monarchy took revenge. At this time, Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin became the main associate of Nicholas II. His government could not reach an agreement with the Duma on some key political issues. Because of this conflict, on June 3, 1907, Nicholas II dissolved the representative assembly and made changes to the electoral system. III and IV convocations in their composition were already less radical than the first two. A dialogue began between the Duma and the government.

World War I

The main reasons for the revolution in Russia were the sole power of the monarch, which prevented the country from developing. When the principle of autocracy remained in the past, the situation stabilized. Economic growth has begun. Agrarian helped the peasants to create their own small private farms. A new social class has emerged. The country developed and grew rich before our eyes.

So why did subsequent revolutions take place in Russia? In short, Nicholas made the mistake of getting involved in World War I in 1914. Several million men were mobilized. As in the case of the Japanese campaign, at first the country experienced a patriotic upsurge. When the bloodshed dragged on, and reports of defeats began to arrive from the front, society began to worry again. No one could say for sure how long the war would drag on. The revolution in Russia was approaching again.

February Revolution

In historiography, there is the term "Great Russian Revolution". Usually, this generalized name refers to the events of 1917, when two coup d'etat took place in the country at once. The First World War hit hard on the country's economy. The impoverishment of the population continued. In the winter of 1917 in Petrograd (renamed because of anti-German sentiment) mass demonstrations of workers and townspeople began, dissatisfied with the high prices for bread.

This is how the February Revolution took place in Russia. Events developed rapidly. Nicholas II at that time was at Headquarters in Mogilev, not far from the front. The tsar, having learned about the unrest in the capital, boarded a train to return to Tsarskoye Selo. However, he was late. In Petrograd, the disgruntled army went over to the side of the rebels. The city was under the control of the rebels. On March 2, delegates went to the king, persuading him to sign his abdication. So the February Revolution in Russia left the monarchy in the past.

Restless 1917

After the beginning of the revolution was laid, the Provisional Government was formed in Petrograd. It included politicians previously known from the State Duma. They were mostly liberals or moderate socialists. Alexander Kerensky became the head of the Provisional Government.

Anarchy in the country allowed other radical political forces, such as the Bolsheviks and Socialist-Revolutionaries, to become more active. The struggle for power began. Formally, the Provisional Government was supposed to exist until the convocation of the Constituent Assembly, when the country could decide how to live on by a general vote. However, the First World War was still going on, and the ministers did not want to refuse to help their allies in the Entente. This led to a sharp drop in the popularity of the Provisional Government in the army, as well as among the workers and peasants.

In August 1917, General Lavr Kornilov tried to organize a coup d'état. He also opposed the Bolsheviks, regarding them as a radical left-wing threat to Russia. The army was already moving towards Petrograd. At this point, the Provisional Government and Lenin's supporters briefly united. Bolshevik agitators destroyed Kornilov's army from within. The rebellion failed. The provisional government survived, but not for long.

Bolshevik coup

Of all domestic revolutions, the Great October Socialist Revolution is best known. This is due to the fact that its date - November 7 (according to the new style) - has been a public holiday on the territory of the former Russian Empire for more than 70 years.

At the head of the next coup stood Vladimir Lenin and the leaders of the Bolshevik Party enlisted the support of the Petrograd garrison. On October 25, according to the old style, the armed detachments that supported the communists captured the key communication points in Petrograd - the telegraph, post office, and railway. The Provisional Government found itself isolated in the Winter Palace. After a short assault on the former royal residence, the ministers were arrested. The signal for the start of the decisive operation was a blank shot fired on the Aurora cruiser. Kerensky was not in the city, and later he managed to emigrate from Russia.

On the morning of October 26, the Bolsheviks were already the masters of Petrograd. Soon the first decrees of the new government appeared - the Decree on Peace and the Decree on Land. The provisional government was unpopular precisely because of its desire to continue the war with Kaiser's Germany, while the Russian army was tired of fighting and was demoralized.

The simple and understandable slogans of the Bolsheviks were popular with the people. The peasants finally waited for the destruction of the nobility and the deprivation of their landed property. The soldiers learned that the imperialist war was over. True, in Russia itself it was far from peace. The Civil War began. The Bolsheviks had to fight for another 4 years against their opponents (whites) throughout the country in order to establish control over the territory of the former Russian Empire. In 1922 the USSR was formed. The Great October Socialist Revolution was an event that heralded a new era in the history of not only Russia, but the whole world.

For the first time in contemporary history, radical communists came to power. October 1917 surprised and frightened Western bourgeois society. The Bolsheviks hoped that Russia would become a springboard for starting a world revolution and destroying capitalism. This did not happen.

The October Revolution of 1917 in Russia is the armed overthrow of the Provisional Government and the coming to power of the Bolshevik Party, which proclaimed the establishment of Soviet power, the beginning of the liquidation of capitalism and the transition to socialism. The slowness and inconsistency of the actions of the Provisional Government after the February bourgeois-democratic revolution of 1917 in solving labor, agrarian, national issues, Russia's continued participation in the First World War led to a deepening of the national crisis and created the prerequisites for the strengthening of extreme left parties in the center and nationalist parties in the outskirts countries. The Bolsheviks acted most vigorously, proclaiming a course for a socialist revolution in Russia, which they considered the beginning of a world revolution. They put forward popular slogans: "Peace to the peoples", "Land to the peasants", "Factories to the workers".

In the USSR, the official version of the October Revolution was the version of "two revolutions". According to this version, in February 1917, the bourgeois-democratic revolution began and ended in the coming months, and the October Revolution was the second, socialist revolution.

The second version was put forward by Leon Trotsky. While already abroad, he wrote a book on the united revolution of 1917, in which he defended the concept that the October Revolution and the decrees adopted by the Bolsheviks in the first months after coming to power were only the completion of the bourgeois democratic revolution, the realization of what the insurgent people fought for. in February.

The Bolsheviks put forward a version of the spontaneous growth of the "revolutionary situation". The very concept of a "revolutionary situation" and its main features were first scientifically defined and introduced into Russian historiography by Vladimir Lenin. He called the following three objective factors its main features: the crisis of the "tops", the crisis of the "bottoms", the extraordinary activity of the masses.

Lenin characterized the situation that developed after the formation of the Provisional Government as "dual power", and Trotsky as "dual anarchy": the socialists in the Soviets could rule, but did not want to, the "progressive bloc" in the government wanted to rule, but could not, being forced to rely on the Petrograd Council, with which he disagreed on all issues of domestic and foreign policy.

Some domestic and foreign researchers adhere to the version of the "German financing" of the October Revolution. It lies in the fact that the German government, interested in Russia's withdrawal from the war, purposefully organized the transfer from Switzerland to Russia of representatives of the radical faction of the RSDLP headed by Lenin in the so-called "sealed car" and financed the activities of the Bolsheviks aimed at undermining the combat capability of the Russian army and disorganization of the defense industry and transport.

To lead the armed uprising, a Politburo was created, which included Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, Joseph Stalin, Andrei Bubnov, Grigory Zinoviev, Lev Kamenev (the last two denied the need for an uprising). The direct leadership of the uprising was carried out by the Military Revolutionary Committee of the Petrograd Soviet, which also included Left Social Revolutionaries.

Chronicle of the events of the October Revolution

On the afternoon of October 24 (November 6), the junkers tried to open the bridges across the Neva in order to cut off the workers' districts from the center. The Military Revolutionary Committee (VRK) sent detachments of the Red Guard and soldiers to the bridges, who took almost all the bridges under guard. By evening, the soldiers of the Keksholmsky regiment occupied the Central Telegraph Office, a detachment of sailors captured the Petrograd Telegraph Agency, and the soldiers of the Izmailovsky Regiment - the Baltic Station. The revolutionary units blocked the Pavlovsk, Nikolaev, Vladimir, Konstantinovskoye cadet schools.

On the evening of October 24, Lenin arrived at Smolny and directly took charge of the armed struggle.

At 1 h 25 min. On the night of October 24-25 (November 6-7), the Red Guards of the Vyborg region, soldiers of the Keksgolmsky regiment and revolutionary sailors occupied the Main Post Office.

At 2 a.m., the first company of the 6th reserve engineer battalion captured the Nikolaevsky (now Moscow) station. At the same time, a detachment of the Red Guard occupied the Central Power Plant.

On October 25 (November 7), at about 6 o'clock in the morning, the sailors of the naval guards' crew took possession of the State Bank.

At 7 o'clock in the morning, the soldiers of the Keksholm regiment occupied the Central Telephone Exchange. At 8 o'clock. the Red Guards of the Moscow and Narva regions captured the Varshavsky railway station.

At 2:35 p.m. An emergency meeting of the Petrograd Soviet was opened. The Soviet heard a report that the Provisional Government had been overthrown and state power had passed into the hands of an organ of the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies.

On the afternoon of October 25 (November 7), revolutionary forces occupied the Mariinsky Palace, where the Pre-Parliament was located, and dissolved it; the sailors occupied the Military Port and the Main Admiralty, where the Naval Headquarters was arrested.

By 6 p.m. the revolutionary detachments began to move towards the Winter Palace.

On October 25 (November 7), at 21:45, on a signal from the Peter and Paul Fortress, a gunshot rang out from the Aurora cruiser, and the assault on the Winter Palace began.

At 2 am on October 26 (November 8), armed workers, soldiers of the Petrograd garrison and sailors of the Baltic Fleet, led by Vladimir Antonov-Ovseenko, occupied the Winter Palace and arrested the Provisional Government.

On October 25 (November 7), following the victory of the uprising in Petrograd, which was almost bloodless, an armed struggle began in Moscow. In Moscow, the revolutionary forces met extremely fierce resistance, and stubborn battles were going on in the streets of the city. At the cost of great sacrifices (during the uprising, about 1,000 people were killed), on November 2 (15) Soviet power was established in Moscow.

On the evening of October 25 (November 7), 1917, the II All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies opened. The congress heard and adopted Lenin's appeal "To the Workers, Soldiers and Peasants", which announced the transfer of power to the Second Congress of Soviets, and in the localities - to the Soviets of Workers', Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies.

On October 26 (November 8), 1917, the Decree on Peace and the Decree on Land were adopted. The congress formed the first Soviet government - the Council of People's Commissars, consisting of: Chairman Lenin; people's commissars: Lev Trotsky for foreign affairs, Joseph Stalin for nationalities, and others. Lev Kamenev was elected chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, and after his resignation, Yakov Sverdlov.

The Bolsheviks established control over the main industrial centers of Russia. The leaders of the Party of Cadets were arrested, the opposition press was banned. In January 1918, the Constituent Assembly was dispersed, and by March of the same year, Soviet power was established in a large part of Russia. All banks and enterprises were nationalized, a separate truce was concluded with Germany. In July 1918, the first Soviet Constitution was adopted.

The government took full power into its own hands and took a number of measures that expanded civil rights. But in Petrograd and in the localities the Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies and the Soviets of Peasants' Deputies acquired great influence.

Due to the war and revolutionary events, the economic crisis intensified, worsening the already difficult situation of the working people. This gave rise to mass despair, the desire to break out of the current situation in one leap, unrealistic expectations and, as a result, the desire for quick and decisive measures that would qualitatively change society - social radicalism. The Bolsheviks became the force that took over the consolidation of the radical soldier and worker masses.

Of particular importance for the fate of the revolution was the return to Russia on April 3, 1917 of the leader of the Bolsheviks, who, despite the resistance of the more moderate leaders of Bolshevism, insisted on a new course - the course towards a socialist revolution. Despite the preservation of significant influence in the party of moderate Bolsheviks (, N. Rykov and others), Lenin's line did not win. This predetermined the alliance and subsequent merger of the Bolsheviks with a group of social democrats-mezhraiontsy, whose leader adhered to the same concept as Lenin, the development of the "bourgeois" revolution into a "socialist" one.

The Soviets were dominated by moderate socialist parties ((Socialist-Revolutionaries, AKP) and Social Democrats -). The socialists were looking for a compromise between the radical masses of workers and the "qualified elements" - the wealthy intelligentsia and entrepreneurs, without whom the effective functioning of the economy was doubtful. However, the desire of the socialists to consolidate society ran into its growing polarization. Having confirmed Russia's readiness to fight until victory, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the leader of the constitutional democrats, provoked unrest and clashes in Petrograd). The socialists and the broad masses of Petrograd hoped for an early peace "in a draw" without annexations and indemnities. In order to restore the stability of the government, the liberals had to attract socialists to it on May 5, 1917 (, M. Skobelev,). However, the liberals blocked the proposals of some of the socialists to carry out social reforms that could somewhat reduce tension in society. The government, for the most part, was in favor of abandoning social reforms before convocation.

The authority of the government was falling. In May, the All-Russian Congress of Peasants' Soviets was held, and in June -. These congresses relied on millions of active citizens and could become a "provisional parliament", which would give the new government additional support and begin social reforms. The idea of creating a socialist Soviet government was supported by the Bolsheviks and part of the Socialist-Revolutionaries and Mensheviks.

The government hoped to rally the citizens of the country around itself with the help of successes at the front. On June 18, 1917, the offensive of the Russian army near Kalush was launched. But the Russian army had already lost its combat effectiveness, the offensive failed, and on July 6, 1917, the enemy launched a counteroffensive.

On July 3 - 4, 1917, the socio-political instability in Petrograd led to, which ended in the political defeat of the Bolsheviks and left socialists. Lenin and some other Bolshevik leaders had to go underground.

After the defeat of the radical left, the leaders of the socialists saw the main threat from the right. The socialist parties restored a coalition with the liberals, this time under the leadership of A. Kerensky, who headed the government on July 8, 1917.

Liberal political circles hoped, relying on the military strength of the commander-in-chief, to establish "firm order" and solve the problems facing the country by militarizing the rear and restoring the offensive capability of the army. leading political forces failed to stop the political polarization. On August 26, 1917, a conflict began between L. Kornilov and A. Kerensky. Kornilov's speech ended with his defeat on September 1, 1917. These events again upset the balance in the system of power. On September 26, 1917, this discussion continued on the left and democratic forces, but Prime Minister Kerensky, contrary to the position of his Socialist-Revolutionary Party, formed a coalition with the Cadets on September 26, 1917. By doing this, he further narrowed the political base of his government, since he was no longer supported by either the Cadets or the left and center wings of the socialists, and the Soviets, in the face of government inaction in the face of the crisis, began to come under the control of the Bolsheviks.

October Revolution

On October 24 - 26, 1917, the October Revolution took place, which brought the Bolsheviks to power, laid the foundations of Soviet power, became the beginning of the October Revolution as a stage of the Russian Revolutionary Revolution and the initial stage in the development of Soviet society. Under the conditions of the coup, he transferred power to the Bolshevik People's Council (SNK), headed by Lenin, elected (All-Russian Central Executive Committee), which played the role of a temporary representative body of power. The congress adopted the first decrees of the Soviet government. proclaimed the transfer of land to the peasants without any redemption, and proclaimed a readiness to immediately conclude peace without annexations and indemnities, for which to enter into peace negotiations with Germany and its allies.

Immediately after the October Revolution, a struggle between supporters and opponents of Soviet power unfolded throughout Russia. A. Kerensky still made attempts to recapture Petrograd, but his campaign ended in failure due to the low popularity of the prime minister among the troops.

National movements also played a significant role in the fight against Bolshevism, but their tasks were territorially limited. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and the Civil War led to the disintegration of Russia as a single state. In the space of the former Russian Empire, several Soviet republics were formed, controlled from Moscow through the structures of the RCP (b), as well as states independent of Soviet power: Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland.

The “war communism” regime that existed in Russia in 1918-1921 was perceived by the Bolsheviks as a direct road to communism. This policy concentrated in the hands of the leadership of the RCP(b) the resources necessary for waging war. In 1919, the troops of Denikin and Kolchak dangerously approached Moscow. But in the course of fierce battles, by the end of the year, the main White forces were defeated, despite the help of weapons and equipment from abroad, as well as the direct military intervention of foreign states in some areas of the former Russian Empire. The "White" movement continued the war, but in November 1920, the troops under command were defeated in the Crimea, and on October 25, 1922, the "Whites" left Vladivostok. In Russia, the Bolshevik alternative won. The defeat of the whites was predetermined primarily by their elitism, social revanchism, which frightened the masses, and the great-power slogans that mobilized the national minorities of Russia to fight them, as well as the fears of the peasantry to lose land in the event of the victory of the "generals". Having discarded the democratic and socially oriented program of the socialists, the "whites" in the eyes of the majority of the population did not have significant advantages in comparison with the Bolsheviks. Speaking for "order", the white generals could not stop the robberies, they practiced mass arbitrary arrests and executions. Under these conditions, the Reds seemed to the significant masses of the population still the "lesser evil."

The final stage of the revolution

Victory over the armies of Denikin, Yudenich, Wrangel, Kolchak, etc. deprived of sense the state of "single military camp". In the RCP (b) turned around. At the same time, insurgent movements intensified on the territory of Russia and Ukraine, in which hundreds of thousands of people were involved (see, West Siberian uprising of 1921,). The rebels put forward demands for the termination of the surplus, freedom of trade, and the elimination of the Bolshevik dictatorship. Labor unrest intensified. The culmination of this phase of the revolution was. in March 1921, he decided to switch to (NEP) and prohibit factions and groups in the party. With the introduction of the NEP, the attempt at an immediate transition to communism ended.

By 1922, the victory of the Communists (Bolsheviks) in the Russian Revolution was determined. But the results of the revolution were determined not only by their policy, but also by the resistance of the communist policy of the broad masses. The Bolsheviks had to make concessions to the peasant majority of the country, but they were of an exclusively economic nature. All fullness of political power and the "commanding heights" of the economy remained in the hands of the leadership of the RCP (b), which made it possible at any time to resume a policy close to "war communism". The leaders of Bolshevism viewed the NEP as a short-term retreat, a respite.

Despite the instability and temporality of the NEP system, it consolidated the most important socio-economic result of the revolution - the peasantry received land at its full disposal, which was enshrined in Soviet legislation in 1922. A relatively stable socio-economic model was created, oriented towards further industrial modernization. The political regime ensured high vertical mobility. With the formation of the USSR, the rights of peoples to develop their culture were secured insofar as this does not interfere with solving other tasks of the communist regime. Due to the fact that the main tasks of the revolution received one or another solution, we can talk about the end of the Great Russian Revolution by December 30, 1922, when the history of the new state - the USSR began.

October Revolution of 1917. Chronicle of events

Editorial response

On the night of October 25, 1917, an armed uprising began in Petrograd, during which the current government was overthrown and power was transferred to the Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies. The most important objects were captured - bridges, telegraph, government offices, and at 2 am on October 26, the Winter Palace was taken and the Provisional Government was arrested.

V. I. Lenin. Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

Background of the October Revolution

The February Revolution of 1917, met with enthusiasm, although it ended the absolute monarchy in Russia, very soon disappointed the revolutionary-minded "lower layers" - the army, workers and peasants, who expected it to end the war, transfer land to the peasants, ease working conditions for workers and democratic power devices. Instead, the Provisional Government continued the war, assuring the Western Allies of their commitment; in the summer of 1917, on his orders, a large-scale offensive began, which ended in disaster due to the fall in discipline in the army. Attempts to carry out land reform and introduce an 8-hour working day in factories were blocked by a majority in the Provisional Government. The autocracy was not finally abolished - the question of whether Russia should be a monarchy or a republic, the Provisional Government postponed until the convocation of the Constituent Assembly. The situation was aggravated by the growing anarchy in the country: desertion from the army assumed gigantic proportions, unauthorized "repartitions" of land began in the villages, thousands of landowners' estates were burned. Poland and Finland declared independence, nationally-minded separatists claimed power in Kyiv, and their own autonomous government was created in Siberia.

Counter-revolutionary armored car "Austin" surrounded by cadets at the Winter. 1917 Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

At the same time, a powerful system of Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies was formed in the country, which became an alternative to the bodies of the Provisional Government. Soviets began to form during the 1905 revolution. They were supported by numerous factory and peasant committees, militia and soldiers' councils. Unlike the Provisional Government, they demanded an immediate end to the war and reforms, which found increasing support among the embittered masses. The dual power in the country becomes obvious - the generals in the person of Alexei Kaledin and Lavr Kornilov demand the dispersal of the Soviets, and the Provisional Government in July 1917 carries out mass arrests of deputies of the Petrograd Soviet, and at the same time, demonstrations are taking place in Petrograd under the slogan "All power to the Soviets!"

Armed uprising in Petrograd

The Bolsheviks headed for an armed uprising in August 1917. On October 16, the Bolshevik Central Committee decided to prepare an uprising, two days after that, the Petrograd garrison declared disobedience to the Provisional Government, and on October 21, a meeting of representatives of the regiments recognized the Petrograd Soviet as the only legitimate authority. From October 24, detachments of the Military Revolutionary Committee occupied key points in Petrograd: railway stations, bridges, banks, telegraphs, printing houses and power stations.

The Provisional Government was preparing for this station, but the coup that took place on the night of October 25 came as a complete surprise to him. Instead of the expected mass demonstrations by the garrison regiments, detachments of the workers' Red Guards and sailors of the Baltic Fleet simply took control of key facilities - without firing a shot, putting an end to the dual power in Russia. On the morning of October 25, only the Winter Palace, surrounded by detachments of the Red Guard, remained under the control of the Provisional Government.

At 10 a.m. on October 25, the Military Revolutionary Committee issued an appeal in which it announced that all "state power had passed into the hands of an organ of the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies." At 21:00, a blank shot from the gun of the Baltic Fleet cruiser "Aurora" signaled the start of the assault on the Winter Palace, and at 2:00 am on October 26, the Provisional Government was arrested.

Cruiser Aurora". Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

On the evening of October 25, the Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets opened in Smolny, proclaiming the transfer of all power to the Soviets.

On October 26, the congress adopted the Decree on Peace, inviting all belligerent countries to start negotiations on the conclusion of a general democratic peace, and the Decree on Land, according to which the landed estates were to be transferred to the peasants, and all subsoil, forests and waters were nationalized.

The congress also formed the government, the Council of People's Commissars headed by Vladimir Lenin, the first supreme body of state power in Soviet Russia.

On October 29, the Council of People's Commissars adopted a Decree on an eight-hour working day, and on November 2, a Declaration of the Rights of the Peoples of Russia, which proclaimed the equality and sovereignty of all the peoples of the country, the abolition of national and religious privileges and restrictions.

On November 23, a decree "On the destruction of estates and civil ranks" was issued, proclaiming the legal equality of all citizens of Russia.

Simultaneously with the uprising in Petrograd on October 25, the Military Revolutionary Committee of the Moscow Council also took control of all the important strategic objects of Moscow: the arsenal, the telegraph, the State Bank, etc. However, on October 28, the Public Security Committee, headed by the chairman of the city Duma Vadim Rudnev, The support of the junkers and Cossacks began military operations against the Council.

Fighting in Moscow continued until November 3, when the Committee of Public Safety agreed to lay down their arms. The October Revolution was immediately supported in the Central Industrial Region, where the local Soviets of Workers' Deputies had actually established their power, in the Baltic States and Belarus, Soviet power was established in October - November 1917, and in the Central Black Earth Region, the Volga region and Siberia, the process of recognizing Soviet power dragged on until the end of January 1918.

Name and celebration of the October Revolution

Since Soviet Russia switched to the new Gregorian calendar in 1918, the anniversary of the uprising in Petrograd fell on November 7th. But the revolution was already associated with October, which was reflected in its name. This day became an official holiday in 1918, and starting from 1927, two days became holidays - November 7 and 8. Every year on this day, demonstrations and military parades took place on Red Square in Moscow and in all cities of the USSR. The last military parade on Moscow's Red Square to commemorate the anniversary of the October Revolution was held in 1990. Since 1992, it has become a working day in Russia on November 8, and in 2005 a day off on November 7 was also canceled. Until now, the Day of the October Revolution is celebrated in Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Transnistria.