In Defence of October

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The Conversion of Munition Works to Economically Useful Work

Decree of the Council of People’s Commissars, written December 12 (November 29), 1917.

Comrade Raskolnikov is instructed to immediately contact the Commissariat for Trade and Industry, as well as the Commissariat for Food (Machine Supply Department), for the purpose of immediately arranging for orders to be placed with the works engaged in naval installations and repairs. Especially urgent is the production of farm implements and machines, and the building and repair of locomotives. Primary attention to be paid to the St. Petersburg Metalworks, which is well stocked with fuel and metal.

The Chief Naval Economic Board is instructed to immediately revise the estimates of the Ministry for Marine for 1917 with a view to stopping all expenditure on the naval construction programme and all unproductive expenditure in general, and reallocating the corresponding sums to useful national economic work. Comrade I. E. Gukovsky is delegated to take part in this work in the capacity of plenipotentiary commissar in charge of the revision of the estimates of all departments.

--> Daily reports to the Council of People’s Commissars on the fulfilment of this order shall be made by Comrade Raskolnikov and the person authorised by the Chief Naval Economic Board (or by Comrade Gukovsky), as well as by the authorised agent of the Commissariat for Trade and Industry.

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Chairman, Council of People’s Commissars

 

Source: Marxist Internet Archive.

23.02.1917
The February Revolution
Strikes and protests erupt on women's day in Petrograd and develop into a mass movement involving hundreds of thousands of workers; within 5 days the workers win over the army and bring down the hated and seemingly omnipotent Tsarist Monarchy.
16.04.1917
Lenin Returns
Lenin returns to Russia and presents his ‘April Theses’ denouncing the Bourgeois Provisional Government and calling for “All Power to the Soviets!”
18.06.1917
The June Days
Following the First All-Russian Congress of Soviets, the reformist leaders called a demonstration to show the strength of "democracy". 400,000 people attended, the vast majority carried banners with Bolshevik slogans.
16.07.1917
The July Days
Spontaneous, armed demonstrations against the Provisional Government erupt in Petrograd. The workers and soldiers are suppressed by force, introducing a period of reaction and making the peaceful development of the revolution impossible.
9.09.1917
The Kornilov Affair
Following the July days, the Bolsheviks were driven underground and the forces of reaction were emboldened. This process culminated in the reactionary forces coalescing around General Kornilov, who attempt to march on Petrograd and crush the revolutionary movement in its entirety.
26.10.1917
The October Revolution
The Provisional Government is overthrown. State power passes to the Soviets on the morningm of 26th October, after the Bolsheviks’ Military Revolutionary Committee seize the city and the cabinet surrenders.
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