The Bolsheviks Come To Power The Revolution of 1917 in Petrograd

The best volume on the Russian Revolution in years... What is so valuable about the book is that it undoes both rigid stereotypes: that the Leninism is inherently and always 'correct', pointing straight toward revolutionary triumph, and that of Leninism as always rigidly authoritarian, pointing straight toward dictatorship. A first-rate piece of work." Irving Howe / "Alexander Rabinowitch... has written what is perhaps the fullest and most reliable account of the Bolshevik seizure of power currently available in English... Based on a solid command of the sources, it is scholarly and well documented yet accessible to the general reader, with its clear and vigorous style and interesting illustrations... Should be read by every person interested in the Russian Revolution." Paul Avrich, Russian Review / "The Bolsheviks Come To Power is one of the most important books on the Russian Revolution of 1917 to appear in many years. It is revisionist scholarship in the best and truest sense. Both political and social history, it greatly expands on our detailed knowledge of the turbulent events of that year, while deepening and revising our understanding of the Bolshevik Party and the social factors that brought it to power." Stephen F. Cohen / Alexander Rabinowitch is professor of history and director of the Russian and East European Institute at Indiana University. He is the author of Prelude to Revolution and co-editor of Revolution and Politics in Russia.



List of Illustrations / Acknowledgements / Note on Transliteration, Dates and Terminology / Introduction / The July Uprising / The Bolsheviks Under Fire / Petrograd During the Reaction / The Ineffectiveness of Repression / The Bolshevik Resurgence / The Rise of Kornilov / Kornilov Versus Kerensky /The Bolsheviks and Kornilov's Defeat / The Question of a New Government / "All Power to the Soviets" / Lenin's campaign for an Insurrection / Obstacles To An Uprising / The Garrison Crisis and the Military Revolutionary Committee / On the Eve / The Bolsheviks Come to Power / Epilogue / Notes / Selected Bibliography / Index