Jolly: Lenin Used the True Desires of the Russian People to Seize Power

The October Revolution was a successful attempt by an extremist group to seize power through the use of strong arm tactics. This hostile take over was conducted in a manner appearing that the aims of the Russian People were being met. Lenin wrote his April Thesis to sell his revolution to the people, including ending Russia's involvement in WWI, giving control to the proletariat and taking away private land (4). The people were very responsive to his message of "Peace, Land, and Bread" philosophy, but this slogan was designed to appeal to the masses. This was the only way that Lenin had a prayer of taking over, with overwhelming popular support from the oppressed masses(2). He used the aims of the Russian people as selling points for his extremist group to take over in the October Revolution. His actions in taking control of the government and his first actions as dictator clearly show that the October Revolution was an extremist group taking power.

Lenin was an extremist that would not have taken over anything without identifying with the masses, so he wrote his April Thesis in order to establish his party's platform that happened to match up well with the people's aims in the revolution. He never would have won an election of the upper class so in order to take over the government he had to identify and sway the proletariat class (2). By writing the April Thesis and promoting ideals that were important to the people he gained their trust and support (4). His true intentions were much more extreme and would not be revealed until he had successfully taken office and ensured he had no political opposition. After taking over the government he first wrote decrees on land and the workplace(3). He also knew that peace was necessary to keep his power, so he tried to keep the armistice in place with Germany, but Germany attacked again and forced Lenin to surrender, giving up territory to appease Germany (3). His actions were well calculated in order to keep power and ensure that the Bolshevik revolution was a success. Lenin knew that the only way the radical Bolsheviks was to appeal to the masses (2). His methods of gaining power reflected the aims of the Russian people, but his actions to keep power point to an extremist group who manipulated the masses in order to gain power but as soon as he did he began to exploit it.

One of his first actions was to restrict civil liberties such as free press (3). He shut down all bourgeoisie news papers, and only allowed pro-Bolshevik news to be reported. He also did not allow strikes or any form of opposition, social or political (3). In the election the Bolshevik party received 24% of the vote where as the Social Revolutionary Party received 36%, however Lenin concluded that the Russian people did not know what was best for them and in essence that he did (3). He was also outnumbered in the Constituent Assembly, until he outlawed the Kadet party and had the leaders arrested and then locked out the opposition in the Constituent Assembly. the people were in obvious opposition to the radical reforms that Lenin was proposing, not reflecting their aims at all (3). The numbers do not lie, they were disregarded but the fact remains, the people were not on board with Lenin. The October revolution was the rise of a single party system that crushed all other parties. Either simply killing or at least sending the party leaders to the internment camps. Social opposition was also dealt with in the same manner, a crowd of protesters was fired on by the Red Army (3). It is obvious that the Russian people did not include massacres in its aims in the October Revolution, the people did not want civil liberties restricted, and they did not want the new voting that would be created to be meaningless. The April Thesis was simply a device to sway the people to his side that was created to reflect the aims of the Russian people but do nothing else.

The most definitive proof that the October Revolution was a hostile takeover by an extremist group are the three terror groups that Lenin created to instill terror in his opponents and people. He created the Cheka which was his secret police force that took care of his opponents, concentration camps where his enemies were forced to work and in most cases either drowned or shot, and the Red Army which was Lenin's personal army to enforce and defend his regime(3). Lenin gave the secret police the upper hand over the citizens which allowed them to use the newly reinstated death penalty even, used on spot without a trial (3). The internment camp system detained approximately two hundred thousand people, criminals from before the revolution, political opponents, or any person associated with the counter revolution were sent to the northern internment camps (3). The Red Army would fire on a group of protesters, and would take over Moscow (3). All these forces were used to instill terror in the country to keep Lenin in power. As long as opposition was being dragged away to internment camps or killed on spot no legitimate threat could be made against the Bolshevik Regime (3). Terror was not an aim of the Russian people but terror became a way of life under Lenin.

Lenin simply used the Russian people's aims to gain power in the Bolshevik Revolution, but used extremist strong arm tactics to keep power in Russia. The April Thesis was a ploy, Lenin would show his true colors immediately upon taking power.

1. Impact of WW1 doc
2. Class Notes
3. Book Source
4. April Thesis