When examining the period between 1917 and 1924, an important theme question is developed by Russell Cowie, he asks, "how were the Bolsheviks, a subdivision of the Russian Social Democrat Party, able to impose their will upon the whole of the former Russian Empire by 1923? " Certainly, the Bolsheviks were an obscure and radical political party before the revolution of March 1917, and played little part in the overthrow of the Tsar. They did however see it as a step towards the dictatorship of the proletariat. "The Marxists foun

Lenin, also used other tactics to stop dissidents. Freedom of speech was greatly reduced, and the CHEKA (All Russian extraordinary committee for combating counter-revolution, sabotage and speculation). 12,733 people were executed between 1918 and 1921. Also, at the Tenth Party Congress Lenin introduced a resolution that banned fractions inside the party because it "will lead in fact to the weakening of harmonious work" and would "deepen division. "

The nationalisation of industries was supposed to increase industrial production. However the opposite occurred. According to Kochan and Abraham, "between 1917 and 1920 over half the urban working class actually disappeared, either through death in the Civil War, as a result of famine, or by returning to their villages. " Another source indicates that " in 1920 industrial input had decrease to only one seventh of that in 1913. " For a party which was based on the proletariat and widespread industrialization this had a devastating effect.

Lenin's genius combined with the harsh conditions suffered in the cities during the first world war, and the failure of the provisional government meant that the Bolsheviks were able to gain a majority of in both the Petrograd and Moscow soviets by October 1917. The Provisional Government became increasingly separate from mainstream society, because it continued the war and misread the mood of the people who "said that all the party had managed to do during its term of office was put up tram fares. "

A Constituent assembly had been promised under the Provisional Government and all though reluctant, Lenin permitted elections to go ahead, the result was a resounding victory for the Right SR's, who gained 370 seats as opposed to the Bolsheviks 175. The Bolsheviks received their support in the industrial centres of Russia, they viewed the peasants as part of a feudalistic system, that would ultimately be destroyed. This limited the support base for the Bolsheviks explains why less than a quarter of the population voted for them. On January 18-19, the Constituent assembly met, and there was wide spread criticism of the Bolshevik usurpation of power. Red guards and groups of sailors under Lenin's orders dissolved the constituent assembly and single party state was formed. Despite minority support, they did have the support of the armed forces, which meant that they were able to stay in power.

Another problem was the armistice signed on December 15, 1917, which ended Russia's involvement in the First World War. The treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed on March 16, 1918 and meant that Russia underwent a humiliating loss of territory including Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Lenin's wisdom probably saved the Bolshevik's, he claimed that "to carry on a revolutionary war, an army is necessary, and we do not have one. It is a question of signing the terms now, or of signing the death sentence of the Soviet Government three weeks later. " The humiliating conditions angered many because this was not the "peace without annexations and indemnities as promised," and "for what purpose had millions given their lives? "

Fearing counter-revolution, Lenin introduced a New Economic Policy at the Tenth Party Congress, not only did it abolish the forced requisition of food from peasants, it allowed for some freedom of enterprise. Obviously this was a movement towards capitalism, but in doing so Lenin ensured that the threat to Bolsh

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