Role of Lenin

• From the start Lenin claimed that Bolshs would be the vanguard of the second revolution, raise class consciousness and act in the interests of the working class

  • held the party out as the leader of the revolution
• Lenin stood firmly against the PG unlike members of his own party and other socialist parties like Kamenev and Stalin who co-operated with them

  • other parties and figures like Kerensky tainted by failures of PG
• April Thesis marked him from other socialists.

  • Called for 'peace bread and land'
  • 'All power to Soviets'
  • capitalised off the popular mood
• He demanded for further revolution immediately, action now, due to his theory of telescopic revolution (bypassing the need for a capitalist stage before communist)
• Was the main motivator behind the actual timing of the revolution, calling for Bolsh seizure of power since September 12

  • On Oct 10 once he returned from Petrograd, he persuaded the Bolsh Central Committee that now was the right time for seizure of power
  • He had to convince the other Bolshs in an argument that ran 7 hours, eventually won 10 votes to 2
• He recognised that the takeover had to occur at the same time as All Russian Congress of Soviets so he could clai
• Lenin announced the seizure of power to All Russian Congress even before the Winter Palace was seized