The Consolidation Of B’vik Gov, Oct-Dec 1917

Question 1

What occurred on the 26th Oct 1917

Answer 1

-670 delegates arrived for second all Russian Congress of Soviets in Smolhy institute held their first session
-B’vik action of previous day not universally approved + even B’viks Zinoviev + Kamenev spoke against the coup

Question 2

How did other political people respond to the B’vik seizure of power

Answer 2

-Menshevik leader predicted B’vik power last no longer then 3 weeks
-SR factions was split
-those on left congratulated Lenin
-those on right accused Lenin of using violence to seize power illegally
-500 voted in favour of socialist gov but the Mensheviks + right wing SRs dismayed to find majority of seats for new exec committee to carry this out rent to B’viks + extreme left SRs

Question 3

How did they protest against this B’vik majority

Answer 3

-some delegates walked out of the Soviet leaving a B’vik SR coalition to form
-this action played into B’vik hands + Trotsky able shout at retiring delegates

Question 4

What did the exec committee establish following this

Answer 4

-exec committee est the ‘Soviet of peoples commissars’ or ‘sovnarkom’ as the new gov
-comprised of B’viks - Lenin as chairman + Trotsky as commissar for foreign affairs
-also included one female commissar Kollontai

Question 5

What decrees were passed in October to fulfil Lenin’s promises of change + win support

Answer 5

-27 Oct decree on peace - promised end war ‘without annexation + indemnities’ (armistice followed in Nov)
-27 Oct decree on land - abolished priv land ownership + legitimised peasant seizures of land without compensation to landlords (reduced peasant support for SRs)

Question 6

What decrees passed in November

Answer 6

-workers control decree - gave workers right to ‘supervise management’
-nationality decree - self determination to orioles if former Russian empire (dec Finland independent + elected rada (parl) in Ukraine)
-new legal system of elected people’s courts
-gov outlawed sex discrimination + gave women right own property + also decree against titles with all becoming ‘citizens’

Question 7

What decrees passed in December

Answer 7

-military decree removed class ranks, saluting + military decorations from the army - officers be elected directly by soldiers Soviets
-decrees on church nationalised church land + removed marriage + divorce from church control
-nationalisation of banks ended priv flow of capital