How Workers Took Power: The 1917 Russian Revolution

by Sandra Bloodworth

The Russian Revolution of 1917 thrilled millions around the world and showed that socialism was possible. Sandra Bloodworth brings to life the struggle of the workers, soldiers and peasants against their oppressors. She shows how the vast masses of working people learnt, through the experience of fighting for their demands, that if they did not definitively defeat the capitalist class, the only alternative would be counter-revolution and military dictatorship. They learnt that they could run society themselves, through the revolutionary soviets, and that they would have to do so in order to end the world war, to win bread for starving families and to liberate the enslaved peasantry. This book is an essential introduction to one of the greatest moments in human history. Bloodworth dispels the persistent myths propagated by the revolution's opponents - that it was a bloody coup, or that Stalin's dictatorship was the only possible outcome. She instead reveals the revolution as an inspiring experiment in human liberation, full of lessons for anyone fighting for a better world today.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Russia, Russian Revolution

180 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Tess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sandra Bloodworth gives a comprehensive overview of the revolution, giving insight into details usually overlooked in histories of these important events. Using many quotes from contemporary workers, politicians, revolutionaries and journalists, Bloodworth paints a vivid picture of workers self-organizing at the center of the revolution: working women organizing a general strike which kicked off the February Revolution; workers taking control of every factory and every social service so that the October Revolution became nothing more than a formality of kicking out the Provisional Government and recognizing the authority of the Workers Councils; and workers organizing new systems of equality after the revolution such as abortion on demand, free childcare, free access to contraceptions, communal kitchens, and much much more. Quotes from Lenin and Trotsky as they guide the revolution and the revolutionary fervor of the masses show how important a skilled and prepared revolutionary party is - contrasted with the brilliant but unprepared Communist Party of Germany in the 1918 revolution there.

The tragedy of Stalins rise to power and the mutation from Socialism to State Capitalism is also deftly covered. The foundation that was laid for this tragedy to occur, including the sabotage of Russian industry by capitalists, and the economic forces rising from the civil war and the failure of the German Revolution are laid out clearly.

This book is essential reading for anyone who's understanding of the Russian Revolution is, like mine was, based entirely on the film Anastasia and therefore included far more evil wizards than ever actually existed.

[Ethan Mehta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me a long time to read because I misplaced it and didn't find it until months later.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

1917 Russian revolution told simply. Fills in enough external information to give context to specific events

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant read. Not intent on reading Trotsky's 'History' just yet but intent on learning about what went on in the Russian Revolution (without the blatant corruption of the Revolution taught in high school), Sandra Bloodworth's 'How Worker's Took Power: The 1917 Russian Revolution' is the perfect introduction to the unforgettable struggle of the proletariat in the economically and politically backward czarist Russia. For anyone wishing to learn the uncompromising truth behind the revolution of 1917 I could not recommend a better book.

[Luthien · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant summary and introduction to the momentous events of 1917.