The Russian Revolution: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley

Author:Rupert Colley
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Non-Fiction, History
ISBN: 9780007493081
Publisher: HarperPress
Published: 2012-08-02T07:00:00+00:00

Felix ‘Iron’ Dzerzhinsky, first head of the Cheka

With his Bolshevik government now in place, on 20 December Lenin established his secret police – something Kerensky had never done. The ‘All-Russian Extraordinary Commission for Combating Counter-Revolution and Sabotage’, known by the name Cheka, was headed by the ruthless Felix ‘Iron’ Dzerzhinsky. It soon became an instrument of repression that equalled then surpassed the work of the Tsar’s Okhrana, arresting and torturing members of other parties and anyone it deemed anti-Bolshevik. ‘You can’t make a revolution wearing white gloves,’ said Lenin. It was only meant to be a short-term measure – the ultimate goal of Socialism was Communism and with Communism, the ‘state would wither away’, to use Karl Marx’s phrase. There would be no need for the mechanics of State control and repression would become a thing of the past, and the ‘entire society will be one office and one factory with equality of labour and equality of pay,’ Lenin predicted.

As Trotsky wrote, ‘we cannot and must not continue a war begun by Tsars and capitalists in alliance with Tsars and capitalists. We will not and must not continue to be at war with workers and peasants like ourselves.’ When leading Bolsheviks advocated a continuation of the fight, Lenin refused:

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