Effects of October Revolution

Russian Civil War 

• The Russian army began to disintegrate after the Bolsheviks ordered land redistribution. Soldiers, mostly peasants, deserted in order to return home for redistribution.
• Non-Bolshevik socialists, liberals, and autocratic supporters condemned the Bolshevik revolution. Their leaders relocated to southern Russia and organized troops to combat the Bolsheviks (the “reds”). The “whites” (pro-Taarists) and “greens” (Socialist Revolutionaries) dominated most of Russia in 1918 and 1919.
• They were attacked by troops from France, America, the United Kingdom, and Japan, all of whom were concerned about the rise of socialism in Russia. Looting, banditry, and famine became common as these troops and the Bolsheviks fought a civil war.
• Private property supporters among ‘whites’ took harsh measures against peasants who had seized land. Such actions eroded popular support for the non-Bolsheviks.
• By January 1920, the Bolsheviks had taken control of the majority of the former Russian empire. They were successful because of collaboration with non-Russian nationalities and Muslim jadidists.
• Cooperation did not work where Russian colonists became Bolsheviks. Bolshevik colonists slaughtered local nationalists in Khiva, Central Asia, in the name of defending socialism. Many people were perplexed about what the Bolshevik government represented in this situation.
• To address this, most non-Russian nationalities were granted political autonomy in the Soviet Union (USSR), the state established by the Bolsheviks from the Russian empire in December 1922.

Making of Socialist Society 

Throughout the civil war, industries and banks remained nationalized. The land was made available to peasants for cultivation. A centralized planning process was implemented. Officials worked on how the economy will function and set five-year goals. The government fixed all prices during the first two ‘Plans’ to encourage industrial growth (1927-1932 and 1933-1938). Economic growth resulted from centralized planning. However, the rapid construction resulted in poor working conditions. A schooling system was established, and plans were made for factory workers and peasants to attend universities. Crèches were set up in factories for the children of female factory workers. Cheap public health care was provided. Workers were housed in mock-up living quarters.

Stalinism and Collectivisation

The early Planned Economy was associated with the disasters of agricultural collectivization. By 1927-28, Soviet Russia’s towns were facing a critical shortage of grain supplies. The government set the prices at which grain had to be sold, but peasants refused to sell to government buyers at these prices. Stalin, who took over the party after Lenin died, imposed strict emergency measures. He believed that wealthy peasants and traders in the countryside were stockpiling in anticipation of higher prices. Speculation had to be halted, and supplies had to be confiscated.

In 1928, Party members toured grain-producing areas, supervising enforced grain collections and raiding kulaks (well-to-do peasants). As scarcity persisted, the decision was made to collectivize farms.

October Revolution: The October Revolution was the second and final major part of the 1917 Russian Revolution. Trotsky led this Military Revolution Committee, which was able to gain the support of the Petrograd Garrison and Kronstadt sailors. In October, the Prime Minister ordered the arrest of Bolshevik leaders, sparking an armed uprising in Petrograd on October 25th, 1917. The Bolsheviks led the revolution, occupying government buildings on October 25th. The following day, the Winter Palace was taken. It was the headquarters of the Provisional Government, which was formed following the overthrow of the Tsars. Vladimir Lenin led the new government.