Status Updates From Three "Whys" of the Russian...

The Bolsheviks win because of their extremism; Lenin believes in total annihilation, setting up the Cheka as early as 1918. The failure of the PG June offensive to stir up patriotism, the delaying of the CA assembly and the Kornilov affair (counter rev?) leads to an opportune moment. Lenin directs, but is too scared: battle between pseudo legalese and violence. A Soviet victory; the MilRev formed nailing the coffin.

Why Bolshevism? Lenin doesnt really rely on the people, as he sees the proles as only able, really, to negotiate maximum economic concessions through unionism. Lenin believes the revolution has to be lead by professionals: not the masses, as marx stipulated. The Bolshevik party is elite: not acting as a party, but as a pupeteer of state. They were not spurned into action. Marx theory; political policy -- Socio-econ

The book seems pretty reactionary; emphasising political rather than social, bottom forces. The tsar falls because of his loyalty to the state and devotion to the war cause, inability of the duma to cooperate with the state. The vacuum of a lower force to occupy the state as in Germany. History is composed of the Long Duree, the medium term and “accidental” short term causes. Demands are for the past. Elections