How did Vladimir Lenin consolidate power in 1917?

Answer 1

Lenin was the acting leader as soon as the Bolsheviks established a government in November, 1917. However, the Bolsheviks still felt accountable to their followers and thus negotiated with other parties, peasants and workers. Lenin's government was very unstable from 1917-1920 during the Russian Civil War. So when you ask how Lenin consolidated (meaning, strengthen to the point of no opposition) his power in 1917, the answer is that Lenin did NOT consolidate his power in 1917.

After he was shot by an opponent, and after feeling helpless to keep power (during the civil war) after the demanding terms of 1918's Treaty of Brest-Litovsk Lenin started ordering dissidents executed and banned all political power.

Lenin's power can be said to have been fully consolidated anytime between August of 1920 and throughout 1921. Lenin was only able to "enjoy" absolute authority, however, for little more than a year. After a stroke in May of 1922, Lenin was crippled and partially retired. After making a brief comeback in late 1922 and early 1923, it was clear that Lenin was already being overshadowed by influential party members such as General Secretary Joseph Stalin, Politburo Chairman Lev Kamenev, and Comintern Chairman Grigory Zinoviev. A few months into 1923, Lenin's fourth and final stroke left him paralyzed and mute. For the rest of 1923 until his death in January of 1924, Lenin was nothing more than the official Chairman of the Russian Communist Party, leader of the Bolsheviks. In the last year of Lenin's life, Joseph Stalin (having been party secretary April, 1922) began to emerge as the most powerful person in the party. Although Stalin would not be undisputed dictator of the Soviet Union until at least 1927, party members who followed Lenin's belief that Stalin should be removed as General Secretary were powerless to stop his rise to power. Leon Trotsky's denouncement, and attempted removal, of Stalin in 1923 led to Trotsky becoming one of the most unpopular party members.

Answer 2

How did the Bolsheviks seize power of the Russia Empire in 1917? They were able to do this as a result of taking advantage of the current political and social situations in the country at the time. Through such decisions as disbanding the army and siding with the majority, the peasants, though such promises as land, food, equality and peace. Through such events Lenin, was able to take full control for the Bolsheviks.

The Bolsheviks started off, in 1903, as the main minority of the Social Democratic Labour Party. As all anti-tsarist groups the party was illegal. The party was based upon the beliefs of Karl Marx, a German writer and revolutionary, who believed a revolution, could only be started within the workforce of the major cities. Lenin believed strongly in these morals and used them as a guide to his goal of revolution.

The party continued to protest against the current government in Russia and over time the political, social and economic discontent and the famous event know as 'Bloody Sunday', where the imperial guards shot and killed the protesting people of St.Petersburg, eventually pulled more followers over to the party.

After these events, which were known as the 1905 revolution, the October Manifesto occurred. This gave the people a lot more rights and a national parliament, the Duma. All seemed well, but there was one problem. The Mensheviks, who were the less radical majority of the Social Democratic Labour Party, argued that the revolution had gone far enough; however the Bolsheviks insisted that it go further until a new, soviet state was established. Thus, the party split up and formed two separate groups. Also, since the revolution hadn't worked, many of the revolution's leaders, such as Lenin, were forced to go into exile abroad.

Answer 3

Lenin was the new Communist Leader of the new Union of Soviet Socialistic Republics (USSR) and used purging as a way of retaining power; as did Stalin later.

Answer 4

main three reasons are: the success of the civil war, repression and centralisation