Chapter 4: The October Revolution

The Dual Authority: 

The Provisional Government, led by Prince Lvov, was the old Duma in a new form.

• Not an elected body, lacked legitimate authority 
• Its authority was limited by its unofficial partenership with the Petrograd Soviet - 'Soviet Order Number 1' decrees of the Provisional Gov were only binding is they were approved by the Petrograd Soviet; unless a Gov has control of its Gov it does not have any real power 
• Provisional Gov moved increasingly to the right
• Petrograd Soviet moved increasingly to the left 

Early Achievements:

Bolshevik Return: 

Stalin and Kamenev return in March. They urge accomodationism: 

• Acceptance of situation in Petrograd
• Co-operation with Provisional Gov
• Alliance with other parties

From exile Lenin issues Letter from Afar. He urges: 

• Turn the war into an international class conflict 
• Rejection of Provisional Gov
• No co-operation with other parties 

Lenin returns in April. He condemns accomodation. Delivers April Thesis: 

• Abandon all co-operation with other parties
• Work for true revolution 
• Overthrow the Provisional Government 

Lenin's strategy for Bolshevik Takeover: 

• 'Peace': Continuing war with Germany 
• 'Bread': Chronic food shortage 
• 'Land': Disruption in the countryside 
• 'All power to the Soviets' 

The Provisional Goverment and its problems:

• Continuation of the war, unless it did not continue its involvement, it would not recieve the supplies and war-credits from the western allies on which it had come to rely. 
• The July Days: Provoked by the Ukrainian question. Protests that only an all-Russian constituent assembly could properly decide such matters. The ministerial clash coincided with large-scale street demonstrations in Petrograd. The demonstrations of early June turned into a direct…