"No real social change has ever been brought about without a revolution.... Revolution is but thought carried into action (Emma Goldman, Anarchism 1917)." The people of Russia were struggling before the period of 1917 with massive discontent, the revolutionary movement, and World War I. Whether the revolution was inevitable, historians can not agree but under these factors, the country was ripe for a political, economic, and social change. Thus came the abdication of Nicholas II in the March Revolution and the rise of a very unstable provisional government. The instability was aided by the two seats of power: the provisional government and the Petrograd Soviet, out of which rose the opposition that would inevitably bring the provisional government down. Returning from exile in April 1917, Lenin, with his party the Bolsheviks, began a strategy of revolution, a complete political change for the starving people of Russia. In November of 1917, the Bolsheviks revolted and thus b!

egan a new political wave of turmoil for Russia.

To truly understand why Russia stood on the brink of revolution, the historical background

Revolution stands as a means to an end, a way to bring the people' ideas and beliefs to the forefront. The preliminary revolution in March of 1917 expressed the Russians extreme dissatisfaction with the government. Though not entirely successful, it did bring the people into a mood of political change and needing stability. The single party state that Lenin offered was more expectable because it offered them what they had always truly needed, "Peace, Land, and Bread."

e essential in forming this way of life for the people of Russia. Without revolution, the rise of a single party state would be virtually impossible.

The provisional government that rose in Russia was generally accepted worldwide. The power of the provisional government rested in the hands of leaders Prince Georgii Lvov, Miliukov, and Kerenskii. The government promised new civil liberties, labor restrictions, and new military policies. They also brought in new elections with the assurance that that a permanent democratic order would eventually be formed. The biggest fault of the government was the existence of two seats of power. Power rested between the new provisional government and the Petrograd soviet. This pairing was set to represent the different desires of the different sectors of Russian society.

of this dynamic country must be explored. One of the key historical changes that helped to form a revolutionary atmosphere in Russia was the emancipation of the serfs on March 3, 1861 by Alexander II. Basically, the serfs were given land allotments (through a redemption tax) that proved to be inadequate in the long run. The former serfs maintained their stasis as second-class citizens and were denied full access to regular courts. As Russia shifted from a serf-based economy, other reforms were needed to make the economy more stable. In 1864, A local elected government, called zemstvos, was instituted. The zemstvos were given responsibility for matters of education, health and welfare. The second reform to come about after emancipation was the introduction of jury trials, independent judges, and professional lawyers. These reforms all served to reshape the economy with the new abs!

The revolution was set to begin and the Bolsheviks had all the power the party needed to successfully overthrow the government. On October 9, they formed the MRC, the Military Revolutionary Committee. The object of the MRC is a deterrent to a coup attempt by the other parties, like the one staged by Kornilov. The Petrograd took all the precautions necessary to ensure their success.

"It is impossible to predict the time and progress of revolution. It is governed by its own more or less mysterious laws (Vladimir I. Lenin)." Lenin understood the importance of revolution in his rise to power. The revolutions were quick, efficient, but not immediately successful. It would take time for Russia to adjust to the new form of government that Lenin and the Bolsheviks had installed in Russia. He promised "From each according to his ability; to each according to his needs (Vladimir I. Lenin)." This promise was not enough to please the people while they waited for the benefits of the new government to be seen. There was a civil war but eventually the government settled into the form in which Lenin had envisioned. The people were no longer hungry or needy. Everyone was about equal. There was not the division of the very poor from the very rich but a country who formed one body, each contributing to society the skill they possessed. The Revolutions of 1917 wer!

The Bolsheviks were more organized than the rest of the parties in Russia and this organization helped them to gain the support of the people. In the summer of 1917, the Bolsheviks worked tirelessly o gain the support of the people in the upcoming election. They visited factories and tried to reach the people. The party soon became the committee heads for most factories and secured the growing sup

Some common words found in the essay are:
II Basically, Russia Liberals, March Revolution, Russia Revolution, Communism Socialism, Vladimir Lenin, Revolution Lenin, Nicholas II, Winter Palace, Miliukov Kerenskii, provisional government, single party, nicholas ii, mexican revolution, revolutions 1917, people russia, petrograd soviet, civil liberties, revolution rise, russia revolution, rise single party, revolution set begin, power provisional government, government petrograd soviet, gain support people,
Approximate Word count = 2779
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)