October Revolution: How the Bolsheviks Took Power and Paved the Way for the Soviet Union

The anniversary of Russia’s October Revolution recalls the Bolshevik seizure of power in 1917, when Vladimir Lenin and his allies overthrew the provisional government and began reshaping the country’s political order.

The revolution followed months of upheaval after the fall of the monarchy. The provisional government struggled to establish its authority as Russia’s continued involvement in the First World War deepened public frustration over hardship and instability.

The Bolsheviks built support among workers and soldiers with demands for peace, land and bread. They also called for power to pass to the soviets, the councils of workers and soldiers that had emerged as a competing source of political authority.

In October, Bolshevik-led forces moved to seize key positions in the capital and remove the provisional government. Their victory brought Lenin and his comrades to power, but it did not immediately secure their control over the whole country.

The takeover was followed by civil war and the consolidation of Bolshevik rule. It paved the way for the formation of the Soviet Union, making the October Revolution a turning point whose consequences extended far beyond Russia.