How did the Bolsheviks secure control?

The government that Lenin set up in November 1917 was called Sovarkum, short for People’s
Commissars. During the weeks after the Bolshevik takeover, soviets throughout Russia joined in the
Revolution and took control of most towns and cities. By the end of 1917, nearly all Russia was in soviet
hands. This did not mean that Lenin and the Bolsheviks had total control of Russia. Not all the soviets
were run by Bolsheviks and, in the countryside, most peasants supported the Socialist Revolutionaries.

Even more awkward from Lenin’s point of view, the Provisional Government had arranged for elections
to be held in November for a new kind of parliament, called the Constituent Assembly. It seemed that
the Socialist Revoutionaries would win more votes than the Bolsheviks. If that happened, the Bolsheviks
would have to hand over control of Sovarkum to their rivals.

On top of these problems, Lenin had to keep promises he had openly made in his April Theses – such as
giving land to the peasnts.

The first decrees of Sovnarkum

Sovarkum, with Lenin as chairman, issued a series of decrees in November and December 1917.

November Decrees

Decree Description Worker Peasant Middle Nobility

classes
540 million acres of land taken from the
Decree on tsar, nobles, the Church and other
land landlords. Peasants to set up committees
to divide the land fairly.
Employment insurance to be introduced
Decree on
for all workers against injury, illness and
unemploymen
unemployment.
t insurance
Sovarkum intended to make peace
Decree on immediately with Russia’s opponents in
peace the war

An 8 hour day and a 40 hour week for all

Decree on industrial workers to be introduced. There
work were restrictions on overtime and there
was to be holiday entitlement for workers.
All titles and class distinctions were
Decree on abolished. Women were declared equal to
titles men.

All non-Bolshevik newspapers were

Decree on the banned.
press
December Decrees

Decree Description Worker Peasant Middle Nobility

classes
All factories to be placed under the control of
Decree on
elected committees of workers.
workers’
control
Decree to The “All Russian Extraordinary Commission to
set up the fight Counter-Revolution and Espionage” was
political formed, also known as the Cheka.
police
Russia’s main liberal party, the Constitutional
Decree on
Democratic Party, was banned.
political
parties
All banks in Russia came under Sovnarkum’s
Decree on control.
banking

Couples could have non-religious weddings

Decree on and divorce was made easier.
marriage

Analysis

• Did Lenin follow through on his April Theses?

• In what ways was Lenin ruling like the Tsar?

• How far was Lenin following the ideas of Karl Marx?