rylan’s Reviews > October: The Story of the Russian Revolution > Status Update

September was a cavalcade of conferences, as the various left-wing parties discoursed over matters of governance with or without coalition following Kornilov's defeat. Meanwhile, the streets of Petrograd rang out with renewed calls for 'All Power to the Soviets!' amidst the continued disarray afflicting Russia. To Lenin, these conditions beckoned that the Bolsheviks ignite a Europe-wide revolution in their homeland.

I'll be missing the Russian Revolution meeting for my reading group, so I may read this at a slower pace than I have been previously.

August saw the rise and fall of the Russian right's attempt to install commander-in-chief Kornilov as a dictator. The Bolsheviks' thwarting of this would-be putsch further exposed the weakness of Kerensky's centrism, while also re-vitalizing their popularity amongst the working class.

Despite the mundane name, the 'July Days' were anything but in Petrograd. A series of demonstrations, by increasingly put-upon workers and soldiers, quickly devolves into 'something less than an insurrection'. The violence was brief, but its effects on the Bolsheviks were not as a re-empowered Kerensky cracks down on its members. Lenin escapes to Finland while his comrades drop "All Power to the Soviets" and regroup.

"Bread! Peace! Land!" was just one of the many slogans used in response to a Menshevik march, where 'the complete triumph of Bolshevism among the Petersburg Proletariat' was solidified. The June Offensive, initially launched to promising success, soon turned out to be a major embarrassment for the Provisional Government. Scores of soldiers deserted, and the cult of personality created around Kerensky turned to dust.

As the Provisional Government reforms itself into a Coalition Government, an infamous Leon Trotsky returns to Petrograd to lambast the Soviet for allowing this collaboration to proceed. May proves to be a time where 'Russia is turned into a sort of madhouse': Subordinated nations explore new possibilities, Bolshevism continues to rise in popularity, and the industrial working class grows more militant with every day.

While 'economic hardships worsen and the inadequacies of the Provisional Government grow clear', the Bolsheviks experience fissures over topics such as their stance on revolutionary defencism and the prospect of coalition with the government in support of a bourgeoisie revolution. All in all, "April ended with a rudderless government". However, not all hope was lost: "Lenin's stock was rising in his party, and fast".

'March'ing on with this, as the reading group will be tackling this in mid-October.

Miéville portrays the February Revolution as rippling across a 'extensive empire of wires', but with this success arises tensions within the dual power. Lenin has started to make his way back to the motherland, while Kerensky has become a 'symbol of revolution'. New names appear: Kollontai, Tsereteli, a barely-remarked on Stalin.

Finally picking this up again, even if the reading group doesn't seem to be covering the Russian Revolution anytime soon.

This recounting of the February Revolution is great, good balance between narrative digressions and historical play-by-play. I think this cheeky paraphrase of Antonio Gramsci's most popular quote sums the situation regarding the 'dual power' best: "The old law is dying, the new not yet decided."

I should feel more embarrassed about taking just over 2 weeks to read a measly ~45 pages.

Regardless, the introduction was delightfully succinct in laying out the book's mission ('a short introduction for those curious about an astonishing story'). The 'Prehistory of 1917' may be overlong for those who are familiar with at least some of the specifics, but Miéville makes it worthwhile with his superb prose.