Watson, attempt to seize power

The October Revolution is a true representation of how an extremist group, known as the Bolsheviks, used smart strategies to gain the support of the people, but then took advantage of this support to sussessfully seize total power through the use of strong armed tactics.
In Lenin’s April Theses, Lenin proposes drastic change giving power to the Soviets, at which the bourgeoisie held. The document states, “…led to the assumption of power by the bourgeoisie-to its second stage which is to place power in the hands of the proletariat and the poorest strata of the peasantry…” (4).The bourgeoisie were known as the rich, intelligent merchants, who were minorities of Russia. However, the majorities were the proletariat, also known as the workers. The fact that Lenin is giving power to the workers would easily make the workers support him because he is making them believe that they will have a better life. In order for one to come in power, he must gain the support of the people. Knowing that the workers were the majority, he knew that they were the main group he needed to get the support from. Not only did he gain support from the workers, but also from the peasants. In his April Theses he proposed that there would be “A separate organization of Soviets of Deputies of the poorest peasants” (4). This means that the peasants who were not represented in the past would be represented also, so they would have a voice too. So, basically Lenin’s April Theses was designed to give all power to the Soviets. The fact that the April Theses gave Lenin support from the soviets, would indeed make a historian believe that this theses was the main strategy designed to gain support of the majorities, and when he gain most support, it easily gave him the opportunity to seize all power.
Once the support was gained, Lenin gained little power. Therefore he took advantage of this opportunity to seize power. However, seizing power was not an easy job for him, so he had to use strong armed tactics, two at which were the creation of the Cheka, also known as the secret police, and establishing concentration camps (3). The Cheka had many tasks, one at which their job was“To suppress and liquidate all attempts and acts of counterrevolution and sabotage throughout Russia, from whatever quarter” (3). The Cheka was the basic force that suppressed all oppressors, some at which were killed. They were a secret institution, so people would not know if a person was apart of it or not. Therefore, it was easier for them to catch those who were speaking out against the Bolsheviks. Once they were caught, they were eliminated and it made it less difficult for Lenin and the Bolsheviks seize all power. A historian would easily interpret this as a transformation of Lenin and the Bolsheviks, showing how they gained the support, but then took advantage of the support to seize power. The establishment of the concentration camps was another tactic used to seize power. Not only did it get rid of oppressors by placing them in the camps, but it also was a symbol of terror. Once people learned of the camps, the thoughts of being in the camps would scare them to the point that they would do what they needed to do to not go there. Therefore, if supporting Lenin means not being sent to the camps, some would support him, enabling him to easily seize the control.
Many people were killed during the October Revolution because they were speaking out against Lenin and the Bolsheviks. Lenin went from a friend of the Soviets, making them think that they were going to see a huge change in their favor, to a greedy dictator, who wanted all power and would do whatever it takes to get it. Lenin only wrote the April These to gain the support of the Soviets, but once he gain power, the April These was thrown out the window. It was only a strategy designed to gain the support of the people, and once he gained the support he took advantage of the opportunity to seize power and be in control.