If February was a spontaneous collapse, October was the opposite: a deliberate, organised seizure of power by a disciplined minority that exploited the failures of the Provisional Government.
Lenin's return and the April Theses
Lenin returned from exile in April 1917 (transported across Germany, which hoped he would destabilise Russia). His April Theses rejected any cooperation with the Provisional Government and offered a slogan that cut straight to popular grievances: "Peace, Bread, Land" and "All Power to the Soviets."
Why the Provisional Government failed
- It continued the war — the disastrous June Offensive destroyed its credibility.
- It delayed the land question — peasants wanted land now, not after a future assembly.
- It faced mounting unrest — the July Days showed Bolshevik strength (though premature); national minorities and the economy were spiralling.
- The Kornilov Revolt (Aug 1917) — when Kerensky armed the Bolsheviks to resist General Kornilov's attempted coup, he rehabilitated them and handed them weapons.
The seizure of power
Trotsky, now chair of the Petrograd Soviet, organised the takeover through the Military Revolutionary Committee and the Red Guard. On 25–26 October, Bolshevik forces seized the key points of the capital and stormed the Winter Palace, arresting the Provisional Government. Power passed to Sovnarkom, the new Bolshevik council of commissars chaired by Lenin.
Let's map each failure of the Provisional Government to the Bolshevik slogan that exploited it.
| Provisional Government failure | Bolshevik appeal that exploited it |
|---|---|
| Continued the war (June Offensive) | "Peace" |
| Bread shortages persisted | "Bread" |
| Delayed land redistribution | "Land" |
| Lost legitimacy after Kornilov | "All Power to the Soviets" |
Discuss: was October a result of Bolshevik strength or of Provisional Government weakness? Reach a class position and identify the single most important factor, with a reason.
Q1. What were the key demands of Lenin's April Theses?
Q2. Explain how the Kornilov Revolt strengthened the Bolsheviks.
Q3. "The Bolsheviks did not seize power in October 1917 so much as the Provisional Government lost it." To what extent do you agree? Support your answer with evidence.