Why did revolution break out in 1917 and why were the Bolsheviks able to seize power in October 1917?

There were many reasons for revolution breaking out in 1917 in Russia. Many of which could be put up to the Tsar and his lack of Tsar like qualities. Other problems, which had been around for a longer period, were lack of food and poor working conditions and pay. The Tsar banned all freedom of speech and press.

Tsar Nicholas II was an incompetent Tsar who was very unable to provide the inspiration that Russia required. During 1914 the Russian public were most eager to support the Tsar but by the winter of 1916 they were so disgusted with his complete lack of ability they did not wish to save him from abdication.

The Russian army was also doing poorly in WWI. They lacked food, supplies and medical equipment they soon became the laughing stock of the allied effort.

The Russian people also gained hatred for a man named Rasputin. Rasputin called himself holy man who wormed his way into the court on his reputation as a faith healer. The Tsarina embraced Rasputin in hopes that he could cure here haemophiliac son Alexi. Nicholas was often off at military headquarters so it was often the Tsarina and Rasputin governing the country. People did not in an attempt to save the autocracy a group of aristocratic conspirator s murder him. People also started disliking the Tsarina because of her German decent. (At this time Russia was at war with Germany) They accused her of being a conspirator.

Later on many people began warning the Tsar that if he didn t do something revolution would break out. Nicholas had however lost all will to remain Tsar and many people said his downfall was because of his unwillingness to resist revolution.

What really destroyed the Tsardom was the length of WWI. Deaths and casualties occurred in the millions and skyrocketing inflation. Amongst others were dislocated communications and deprivation and hunger. By 1917 the people has lost all loyalty in their Tsar.

Later on the after the abdication the provisional government or the duma took power in Russia. With the abdication of the Tsar many political groups formed. The one would end up seizing power in Russia were the Bolsheviks. They were able to seize power using many different ways. The Bolsheviks threw about political propaganda and they soon gained large amounts of supporters. The leader of the Bolshevik s was a man named Lenin who regularly made speeches but lived in hiding for there was an order for his death made by the provisional government.

The Bolsheviks took power by two ways. 1 Gaining the support of the Petrograd garrison and turning them against the Provisional government and 2 the Bolshevik commissars infiltrated key divisions of the army. Now the Bolsheviks controlled good parts of Russia s army and the Petrograd garrison. Then they gained the support of the Russian public by promising food, heath, and land for everyone. To sum it up the Bolsheviks took power by controlling the army and manipulation of the public s minds.