● Beryl Williams -‘ relatively few people were actively involved.

If it were a coup – and Lenin denied this,

calling it an armed uprising of the urban masses – it was one enthusiastically supported by the proletariat and
accepted by the peasantry.’
● Richard Pipes – October was not a revolution but a classic coup d’etat planned in the dead of night on
October 10th, and executed two weeks later….The last thing the conspirators wanted was to attract attention.
The ‘masses’, so much in evidence in the ‘bourgeois’ revolution of February, were not told that they were
taking over until after the event.’
● Orlando Figes - ‘ The October insurrection was a coup d’etat, actively supported by a small minority of the
population (and indeed opposed by several of the Bolshevik leaders themselves). But it took place amidst a
social revolution, which was centred on the popular realization of Soviet power….as the direct self-rule of
the people. The political vacuum brought about by this social revolution enabled the Bolsheviks to seize
power in the cities.’
● A Berkman (as summarized by E Acton) – ‘The revolution was truly popular and profoundly democratic.
Lenin and his comrades were the illegitimate beneficiaries of the autonomous action of the masses. The
revolution of 1917 was the product of popular revolt against oppression. It was accomplished not by a
political party but by the people themselves. Time and again the self-proclaimed leaders of the revolution
were taken by surprise by the initiative welling up from below.’
● E Acton – ‘The Bolshevik victory in the struggle for power owed less to effective organization and military
manoeuvre than other accounts would have it. The party owed its strength to its identification with the cause
of Soviet power. By October that cause enjoyed overwhelming support in the cities and the army, and tacit
support in the villages. By virtue of its relatively flexible, open and democratic character, its sensitivity to
mass opinion, its ability to respond to pressure from below, the party had established itself as the prime
vehicle for the achievement of popular goals.’
Moscow municipal elections Trotsky claimed that 25,000 Many workers appear to
1917 July October SRs 58% 14% to 30,000 people were have wanted the soviets to
Mens 12% 4% Bols 11% 51% actively run
Kadets 17% 26% involved in the revolution. government locally and nationally.

November Elections for the Membership of the Bolshevik In the months leading up to
Constituent Assembly Party February 10,000 October, strikes had become more
Bolsheviks did very well in the October 250,000 frequent and more militant.
cities – up to 70% in some Workers’
working class districts. committees often seized control of
premises if locked-out by
employers.
In the months leading up to November Elections for the The few pictures that we have of
October, increased violence in the Constituent Assembly the October days ‘depict a handful
countryside. Estates raided, Many of the peasants voted for of Red Guards and sailors
land seized, landowners the left-wing of the SRs who standing around in half-deserted
murdered and houses burned. were collaborating with the streets.’ (Figes)
Bolsheviks at this time.

5th September 1917, Bolsheviks

achieved a majority in the
Moscow Soviet.

The planned insurrection was The day of 25th October (after There was minimal resistance to
down to Trotsky not Lenin. Lenin the seizure of key points the the Bolsheviks takeover.
may well have urged the uprising night before) was calm, shops
but Trotsky organized it. opened as usual, no furore on
the streets

The Bolsheviks were the dominant In the months leading up to November Elections for the
force in the Petrograd Soviet October, increasing numbers of Constituent Assembly
largely because the members of Bolshevik cells sprang up in the Bolsheviks got less than a quarter
other parties attended irregularly. army and navy. of the seats.
This gave the Bolsheviks a
disproportionate influence on
various committees.

Constituent Assembly elections The Bolsheviks were the Lenin urged the Bolsheviks to
1917 Votes in millions Seats % dominant force in the Petrograd take power before the
SRs 21.8 410 53 Bols 10.0 175 24 Soviet. Constituent
Kadets 2.1 17 5 Mens 1.4 18 3 Assembly results were announced
Others 6.3 62 15 as he was not confident as to how
well the party would do.

Zinoviev and Kamenev wrote that Lenin and the Bolsheviks Zinoviev and Kamenev felt it
‘if we take power now and are only achieved a majority in would be a mistake to overthrow
forced into a revolutionary war, the the PG at this time and publicized
the mass of soldiers will not All-Russian Congress of the
support us.’ Soviets which met on the imminent Bolshevik takeover in
evening of 26th October as the an article.
other socialist
stormed out in protest at the
Bolshevik takeover.

There were ten days of bloody Trotsky directed the Red Guards August 31st 1917, Bolsheviks
fighting in Moscow and in some in their seizure of key achieved a majority in the
other towns as forces loyal to the installations and vantage points in Petrograd Soviet.
PG fought against the Bolsheviks. Petrograd.

Many Bolsheviks were Late on the evening of 24th ‘The minutes blow sky-high the
unpersuaded of the need to strike October, Bolshevik troops made myth accepted by Lenin’s
in October. Lenin spent their way to preassigned positions epigones as well as by many
exhausting hours trying to and opponents of Bolshevism that the
convince them. Even when they systematically occupied crucial party leadership was a
did agree, a specific date could points in the capital, including the homogeneous, omnipotent or even
not be agreed on. main telephone and telegraph omniscient band of supermen. It is
offices, banks, railroad stations, clear that at every turn of events-
post offices, and most major on the eve of the uprising,
bridges. Not a single shot was immediately afterwards with the
fired, as the junkers assigned to need to consolidate power and
guard these sites either fled or were later with the dire need to sign
disarmed without incident. Even peace forced by German
the headquarters of the General imperialism – the Bolshevik
Staff—the army leadership was split radically. An
headquarters—was taken important section of it was
without resistance. paralysed with fatalistic inertia
and for a time at least only a
minority led by Lenin, who towers
above the Central. Committee,
faced up to the new tasks.’ From a
review of a book on the minutes of
the Central Committee of the
Bolshevik Party which were
written by Elena Stasova, from
July to October 1917

2. Street demonstration, Petrograd, 18 June

1917. The banner in the foreground reads "Down With The 10 Capitalist Ministers/ All Power To The Soviets Of Workers',
Soldiers', And Peasants' Deputies/ And To The Socialist Ministers/ [We Demand That Nicholas II Be Transfered To The Peter-
Paul Fortress."