How far do you agree that Lenin’s leadership was the main reason for why the Bolsheviks were able to seize power in 1917.

Lenin was a very significant figure during the Russian revolution, under his strong leadership and the advice of some of his advisors, Lenin helped the Bolsheviks come to power. However I would not agree that his leadership was the main reason to why the Bolsheviks were able to seize power as factors such as the weakness of the provisional government, the home front and most importantly Trotsky role all played a significant role to why the Bolsheviks were successful.

Lenin’s leadership played a significant role to why the Bolsheviks were able to seize power in 1917 due to his clear and persuading aims. Lenin was an influential figure in the eyes of the proletariat. Due to the April thesis clear aims resulted in that he was able to gain greater support and he succeeded in having 200,000 members. The vast amount of members meant that the Bolsheviks had greater support when it came to seizing power. The main aims of the April theses were, Peace, Land and Bread and power to the soviets. Many supported the idea of Peace, Land and bread as they were fed up with the affect the war was having on them and wanted to bring it to an end, people were also starving due to the war and therefore welcomed the idea of Peace, Land and bread. Lenin also promised the confiscation of landed estates from landowners and the aristocracy. The slogan all power to the soviets played on the feelings of the proletariat that the provisional government were made up of landowners and middle class men who would not look out for their interests and if they would give all the power to the soviets their interests would be recognised and dealt with. The slogan gained the Bolsheviks more power. Lenin also realised that the timing of the seizure was very important and that it was essential to seize power before the elections as otherwise the Social Revolutionaries would gain more seats and so chose this time. Lenin also felt that it was time to act as his newspapers were banned which could result in the loss of seats. Since Lenin believed that revolution was in the hands of the workers he knew it was essential to act before his support was lost. However, the July days organised by Lenin was a major setback for the Bolsheviks. Lenin thought that the provisional government could be overthrown in the same way that the Tsar was during the February Revolution; instead of causing a successful demonstration he united the Provisional government and the soviets against the Bolsheviks. After this, Lenin was branded a traitor and had to flee Russia. The Bolshevik organisation in Petrograd was in tatters with most officials in prison and there leader on the run. Lenin may have had a clear aim and plan with what he wanted for Russian and his aim for, Peace, Land and bread appealed too many and gained him many supporters, however due to the July days Lenin lost some support though those who really wanted change still stuck by him and awaited his return. Lenin had evidently failed when he tried to organise a demonstration to overthrow the provisional government and needed the help of Trotsky to be able to overthrow the government as in 1917, Trotsky organised the seizure and this time it was successful. This point proves that Lenin was not capable of leading and instructing a revolution but needed guidance in order to be able to succeed however credit is still given to Lenin as he was clear sighted and had aims that appealed to the working class.

Trotsky’s role in the 1917 revolution is a very important and significant reason to why the Bolsheviks were able to seize power. Using the military revolutionary committee (MRC) of the Petrograd soviet, the Bolsheviks planned to take over the capital. The MRC was under the control of Trotsky and so the planning of the takeover was left to Trotsky, this way the Bolshevik involvement would not be so obvious and unnecessary retaliation would be avoided. Trotsky’s strategic plan was a key feature to why the revolution was successful. On the 24th October MRC units occupied key areas of Petrograd and arrested most of the Provisional Government. The MRC did not face much resistance at the winter palace which made the task a lot easier for them. During the seizure of power the MRC did not face much retaliation at all, most were eager to accept the Bolsheviks with open arms. It was due to Trotsky’s role in the MRC and past experience which enabled this seizure of power to be a success. This point is one of the most important reason or if anything the most important reason to why the Bolsheviks succeeded in seizing power in 1917. It is evidently seen that Lenin was incapable of organising and planning out a revolution which can be seen with the July days and it was only due to Trotsky’s strategic plans and his role in the MRC which allowed the Bolsheviks to be successful. Without the instruction of Trotsky, this takeover may have been just as unsuccessful as the July days.

The weakness of the provisional government and the lack of support from the general population is a key point to why the Bolsheviks were successful in 1917. The provisional government’s failure to work with the Petrograd Soviet is an important reason to why there were weak and why they eventually failed. The Petrograd soviets were a lot more popular in the people eyes and therefore having them as a rival isn’t going to gain them much support. The provisional government’s decision to continue fighting the war when the country was already in an economic mess, resulted in less support for the provisional government. The people in Russia had ill feelings towards the war due to the defeat and the impact on the home front. People were starving and yet they still made the decision to continue fighting. The Kornilov affair in august 1917 was a fatal blow to the position of the provisional government. Kornilov’s attention was always for the support of the provisional government however Kerensky saw him as a threat when kornilov ordered troops into Petrograd. Kerensky ordered his arrest and sought the aid of the Bolsheviks to insure Kornilov does not maintain power. This was a fatal area of Kerensky, as this had a negative effect on the provisional government and they lost many supporters. It also allowed the Bolsheviks to rise back to power, the Kornilov affair gave the Bolsheviks an element of power of the government as Kerensky was seeking their help and was relying on them. He made them look strong which resulted in more support for them. The greatest weakness of the provisional government was the kornilov affair as this allowed the Bolsheviks to get back on their feet and reassemble as Kerensky released a number from prison. The Bolsheviks may not have been able to gain power back without the unintentional aid of Kerensky, they may have not seized power and Lenin actually believed that after the July days a revolution in the near future was out of the question. It was due to Kerensky’s motives that allowed a successful revolution so close after the July days.

In conclusion, I find that Trotsky role is the most important factor which allows the Bolsheviks to seize power as it was his thinking and clever plans which allowed this takeover to be successful unlike the previous time although I find that the Kornilov affair is also a very significant factor to why the Bolsheviks were able to seize power. Kerensky made a fatal error when he confronted the Bolsheviks for aid as it showed great weakness of the provisional government.