The Bolsheviks Come to Power is one of the most important histories of the Russian Revolution to challenge the mainstream narratives. Originally published to great acclaim in 2004, this new edition marks the 100th anniversary of one of the explosive and game-changing moments in modern times. In this absorbing narrative, Alexander Rabinowitch counters the claims by mainstream historians that the revolution was a military coup led by Lenin and a small band of fanatics. He refutes the Soviet myth that the party's triumph in the October Revolution was inevitable, and explains the ebbs and flows of the revolutionary period, tracing the moods of the working class and the political positions of the Bolsheviks at different historical moments, including the immediate aftermath of the February Revolution, the July Days, the Kornilov affair, and up to and including the October Revolution itself. Drawn from a wealth of primary sources and archival material, this new edition of Rabinowitch's classic account is a must-have for anyone interested in clearing away the tired platitudes of mainstream historians, and reclaiming the revolution on this important anniversary.

List of Illustrations Acknowledgements Note on Transliteration, Dates and Terminology Preface to the Centenary Edition Introduction 1. The July Uprising 2. The Bolsheviks Under Fire 3. Petrograd During the Reaction 4. The Ineffectiveness of Repression 5. The Bolshevik Resurgence 6. The Rise of Kornilov 7. Kornilov versus Kerensky 8. The Bolsheviks and Kornilovs Defeat 9. The Question of a New Government 10. 'All Power to the Soviets!' 11. Lenins Campaign for an Insurrection 12. Obstacles to an Uprising 13. The Garrison Crisis and the Military Revolutionary Committee 14. On the Eve 15. The Bolsheviks Come to Power 16. Epilogue Notes Selected Bibliography Index