Bolshevik Authority under Sovnarkom (AQA A-Level History): Revision Notes
Bolshevik Authority under Sovnarkom
The Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets
The first session of the second All-Russian Congress of Soviets met on the evening of 25 October 1917, the first day of the revolution. The Congress was deeply divided over the Bolshevik seizure of power. Several prominent figures openly questioned the legitimacy and sustainability of Bolshevik rule:
- Zinoviev and Kamenev opposed the use of force in what they labelled a 'coup'
- Tsereteli, the Menshevik leader, predicted Bolshevik power would collapse within three weeks
- The Social Revolutionary faction experienced internal splits
When the vote took place, approximately 500 of the original 670 delegates supported a socialist government. However, the Mensheviks and right-wing Social Revolutionaries discovered that the majority of seats on the new executive committee (the Soviet of People's Commissars) had been allocated to Bolsheviks and extreme left-wing Social Revolutionaries.
The Congress vote revealed significant support for socialist government in principle, but the Bolshevik domination of the executive committee alienated moderate socialists and set the stage for a critical political confrontation.
The walkout of the moderates
The 'moderates' within the Congress, frustrated by Bolshevik domination, walked out in protest. This walkout left a Bolshevik and left-wing Social Revolutionary coalition in control. The moderates' departure proved strategically disastrous for them but highly advantageous for the Bolsheviks. Trotsky capitalised on this moment, dismissing the departing delegates with the words:
Trotsky's Dismissal of the Moderates:
"You're finished, you pitiful bunch of bankrupts. Get out of here to where you belong – in the dustbin of History!"
This moment marked the decisive elimination of moderate opposition within the Congress and solidified Bolshevik control.
Sovnarkom: composition and structure
Sovnarkom refers to the Soviet of People's Commissars, the cabinet composed of government ministers who collectively governed the country. This body was exclusively Bolshevik in composition, with Lenin serving as Chairman and Trotsky as Commissar for Foreign Affairs. The cabinet also included one female Commissar, Aleksandra Kollontai.
Despite coming to power under the slogan 'All power to the Soviets', Lenin showed no willingness to divide authority with other socialist groups, particularly the Mensheviks and Social Revolutionaries. He deliberately marginalised the Petrograd Soviet, which had previously shared power with the Provisional Government and in whose name the Bolsheviks had claimed legitimacy.
The Irony of Bolshevik Power:
The Bolsheviks seized power claiming to represent soviet democracy, yet Lenin immediately began systematically eroding soviet authority in favour of Sovnarkom's centralised control. This contradiction between revolutionary rhetoric and political reality would characterise the early Bolshevik regime.
Sovnarkom operated by issuing decrees without seeking the Soviet's approval. Lenin immediately initiated peace negotiations with Germany without consulting the Soviet. As a result, whilst Sovnarkom met once or twice daily, the Soviet met with decreasing frequency. Its authority was systematically eroded, though local soviets continued to function until the 1930s. These local bodies retained some importance but were eventually absorbed into a new Bolshevik-dominated power structure.
The First Sovnarkom
The Bolsheviks chose the title 'commissar' to differentiate their new officials from the old bourgeois 'ministers', though the roles were functionally identical. The full title became 'People's Commissar'.
Revolutionary Symbolism:
The choice of "commissar" over "minister" was primarily symbolic, designed to signal a break with the old tsarist and bourgeois order. However, the actual functions and powers of these positions remained essentially the same as their predecessors.
The initial Sovnarkom consisted of the following positions and individuals:
| Position | Holder |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Vladimir Lenin |
| Secretary | Nikolai Gorbunov |
| Commissar for Agriculture | Vladimir Milyutin |
| Commissar for War and Naval Affairs | Nikolai Krylenko (War), Pavel Dybenko (Navy) |
| Commissar for Trade and Industry | Viktor Nogin |
| Commissar for Education | Anatoly Lunacharsky |
| Commissar for Food | Ivan Teodorovich |
| Commissar for Foreign Affairs | Leon Trotsky |
| Commissar for Interior Affairs | Alexei Rykov |
| Commissar for Justice | Georgy Oppokov |
| Commissar for Labour | Alexander Shlyapnikov |
| Commissar for Nationalities | Joseph Stalin |
| Commissar for Post and Telegraph | Nikolai Glebov-Avilov |
| Commissar for Finance | Ivan Skvortsov-Stepanov |
| Commissar for Social Welfare | Aleksandra Kollontai |
Key Points to Remember:
- The Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets revealed deep divisions over Bolshevik methods, with key figures predicting their swift collapse
- The walkout of moderate socialists inadvertently strengthened Bolshevik control by leaving them dominant in the Congress
- Sovnarkom was exclusively Bolshevik, operating by decree and systematically undermining the authority of the Soviet itself
- Lenin appointed himself Chairman, Trotsky became Commissar for Foreign Affairs, and Aleksandra Kollontai was the only female Commissar