Long+Term+Causes+(Topic+2,+October+Revolution)


 * __ Long-term causes __**
 * __ Soviet __**
 * The first Soviet was established in Ivanovna-Voznesensk during the 1905 Textile Strike. It began as a strike committee but developed into an elected body of the town’s workers.
 * One of the main leader is Bolshevik called Mikhail Frunze.
 * Soviets were re-established during the overthrow of Nicholas II. The most important of these was the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers Deputies that was first convened on 27th February. In the early months the soviet was dominated by the Mensheviks.
 * Soldiers, as well as industrial workers, played an important role in the soviets established in 1917. Every battalion (250 men) had the right to elect one deputy in Petrograd. Whereas there was one deputy for every 1,000 workers.
 * The First Congress of Soviets that was held in June, 1917, had 1,090 delegates representing more than 400 different soviets. Of these, 285 were Socialist Revolutionaries, 248 Mensheviks and 105 Bolsheviks.
 * By the time of the November Revolution there were over 900 soviets in Russia. The Bolsheviks now controlled all the soviets in the major towns and cities. This included those in Petrograd and Moscow.
 * The Second Congress of Soviets was convened on 8th November. By using a variety of different methods, the Bolsheviks gained control and on 14th June 1918, Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries were expelled.


 * __ The Second All-Russian Congress of Soviet __**




 * In the Assembly Hall in Smolnyi.
 * o Lenin managed to persuade the Bolsheviks to oppose t he Provisional Government (in March) to overthrow it during the meeting.
 * o Lenin wanted the organization to give his government the stamp of legitimacy after the rising.
 * o At the meeting, Lenin presented his new entirely Bolshevik government for the approval by the delegates., who had been elected by soviets all over Russia.
 * o The Menshevik and Right SR delegates, in protest against the seizure of power gave up and walked out, leaving the Bolsheviks in charge of the Soviet Congress and the future of Russia.


 * __ Petrograd Soviet (also known as Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies) __**
 * The Petrograd Soviet became important during the Russian Revolution leading up to the October Revolution as a rival power center to the Provisional Government.
 * The council set up in Petrograd (Saint Petersburg, Russia) in March 1917 as the representative body of the city's workers.
 * Soldiers on the Eastern Front were dismayed at the news and regiments began to refuse to move to the front line.
 * Rapid increase in the number of men deserting and by the autumn of 1917.
 * Soldiers returned to their homes and used their weapons to seize land from the nobility.
 * Manor houses were burnt down.
 * Wealthy landowners were murdered.
 * Kerensky and the Provisional Government issued warnings but were powerless to stop the redistribution of land in the countryside.


 * __ Provisional Government __**
 * Had one major disadvantage: its leaders.
 * Refused to give land to the poor peasants in the rural areas. This seemed to confirm the point above - that the Provisional Government did not understand the desires of the poor. To survive the peasants needed land and this was refused by Kerensky.
 * The decision taken by the Provisional Government to keep Russia in World War One. This was a curious decision as the war was hated by the Russian people who had suffered greatly as a result of it.
 * On 26th October 1917, the All-Russian Congress of Soviets met handed over the Soviet Council of People’s Commissars.

Vladimir was elected chairman and other appointments included
 * Leon Trotsky (Foreign Affairs)
 * Alexei Rykov (Internal Affairs)
 * Anatoli Lunacharsky (Education)
 * Alexandra Kollontai (Social Welfare)
 * Felix Dzerzhinsky (internal Affairs)
 * Joseph Stalin (Nationalities)
 * Peter Stuchka (Justice)
 * Vladimir Antonov-Ovseenko (War)