Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The Russian Revolution of 1917 was the greatest event in human history. For the first time, ordinary working people were able to win power and hold onto it. Our new season of the Spectre of Communism podcast kicks off with a complete timeline of the revolution, from January to October, charting 10 months that shook the world! Chapters listed below...
The Russian proletariat, allied with peasantry (many of whom were soldiers who had been fighting in the Great War) successfully brought down the brutal regime of Tsar Nicholas II in February and established the soviets (mass workers’ councils).
Lenin was able, through patient work, to arm the Bolshevik Party with the correct slogans and tactics to win over the workers and peasants organised in the soviets. Under the leadership of Lenin, Trotsky and the Bolsheviks, the masses finally felled the capitalist provisional government in October and created a workers’ government: the first in history that began to carry out its programme.
Fred Weston from the leadership of the Revolutionary Communist International takes us through the events of 1917, month by month, culminating in the seizure of power. This incredible story altered the course of world history and remains an immense inspiration to revolutionaries today.
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Chapters:
00:01:17 Character of the Tsarist Regime
00:02:46 Bloody Sunday and the 1905 Revolution
00:07:30 History of the Bolsheviks 1903-1917 summarised
00:11:25 January: conditions that led to revolution
00:13:32 February Revolution and the role of women
00:26:03 March: dual power, the provisional government and the soviet
00:40:50 April: Lenin returns and fights to drag the Bolsheviks in the right direction
00:54:26 May: Trotsky returns, dealing with the Land Question
01:01:26 June: First Congress of Soviets
01:05:23 July Days: Kerensky represses the Bolsheviks
01:17:15 August: Kornilov's attempted coup
01:20:55 September: Bolsheviks growing stronger
01:24:05 October: the seizure of power
01:35:32 The legacy of 1917
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Works cited and sources:
History of the Russian Revolution, Leon Trotsky: wellred-books.com/history-of-the-russian-revolution
The History of the Russian Revolution to Brest-Litovsk, Leon Trotsky: wellred-books.com/the-history-of-the-russian-revolution-to-brest-litovsk
Letter to Volksrecht, V.I. Lenin: marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1917/mar/29.htm
The April Theses (The Tasks of the Proletariat in the Present Revolution)’, V.I. Lenin: marxist.com/the-april-theses-the-tasks-of-the-proletariat-in-the-present-revolution.htm
Letters from Afar, V.I. Lenin: marxist.com/letters-from-afar.htm
A History of Soviet Russia, E.H. Carr: amazon.co.uk/History-Soviet-Russia-Revolution-Constitutional/dp/014020749X
The War, J. V. Stalin: marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/works/1917/03/16.htm
On Slogans, V.I. Lenin: marxist.com/on-slogans.htm
In Kerensky’s Jail, Proletarskaya Revolutsia, F. Raskolnikov (not available online)
*Lenin’s ‘words not deeds’ statement is miscited in the episode as ‘The Bolsheviks Must Assume Power, A Letter to the Central Committee and the Petrograd And Moscow Committees Of The R.S.D.L.P.(B.)', V.I. Lenin: marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1917/sep/14.htm’. This was actually sent on the 24th, just before the seizure of power. The statement Fred is referencing from 16 October can be found here: pdfcoffee.com/ronald-grigor-suny-the-soviet-experiment-russia-the-ussr-and-the-successor-states-1997-oxford-university-press-usa-pdf-free.html
Bolshevism: The Road to Revolution, Alan Woods: wellred-books.com/bolshevism-the-road-to-revolution
In Defence of Lenin, Rob Sewell and Alan Woods: wellred-books.com/in-defence-of-lenin
In Defence of Marxism Issue 51: marxist.com/magazine.htm
State and Revolution, V.I. Lenin: wellred-books.com/state-and-revolution
10 Days That Shook the World, John Reed: marxists.org/ebooks/reed/ten-days-that-shook-the-world-reed.pdf
---
✊ Join the Revolutionary Communist International: marxist.com/join-us.htm
📸 Instagram: instagram.com/revcomintern
💬 Twitter: https://x.com/revcomintern/
Spectre of Communism links: https://linktr.ee/specom
ℹ️ DISCLAIMER ℹ️
This video is intended solely for educational, informational, and documentary purposes. It examines historical and contemporary political ideologies, events, and terminology — including controversial or sensitive topics — with the aim of fostering critical thinking and public understanding. This content does not promote, endorse, or glorify violence, right-wing extremism, terrorism, hate speech, or discriminatory ideologies. All commentary is protected under fair use for educational and journalistic purposes in accordance with YouTube's community guidelines and policies.
The Russian Revolution of 1917 was the greatest event in human history. For the first time, ordinary working people were able to win power and hold onto it. Our new season of the Spectre of Communism podcast kicks off with a complete timeline of the revolution, from January to October, charting 10 months that shook the world! Chapters listed below...
The Russian proletariat, allied with peasantry (many of whom were soldiers who had been fighting in the Great War) successfully brought down the brutal regime of Tsar Nicholas II in February and established the soviets (mass workers’ councils).
Lenin was able, through patient work, to arm the Bolshevik Party with the correct slogans and tactics to win over the workers and peasants organised in the soviets. Under the leadership of Lenin, Trotsky and the Bolsheviks, the masses finally felled the capitalist provisional government in October and created a workers’ government: the first in history that began to carry out its programme.
Fred Weston from the leadership of the Revolutionary Communist International takes us through the events of 1917, month by month, culminating in the seizure of power. This incredible story altered the course of world history and remains an immense inspiration to revolutionaries today.
---
Chapters:
00:01:17 Character of the Tsarist Regime
00:02:46 Bloody Sunday and the 1905 Revolution
00:07:30 History of the Bolsheviks 1903-1917 summarised
00:11:25 January: conditions that led to revolution
00:13:32 February Revolution and the role of women
00:26:03 March: dual power, the provisional government and the soviet
00:40:50 April: Lenin returns and fights to drag the Bolsheviks in the right direction
00:54:26 May: Trotsky returns, dealing with the Land Question
01:01:26 June: First Congress of Soviets
01:05:23 July Days: Kerensky represses the Bolsheviks
01:17:15 August: Kornilov's attempted coup
01:20:55 September: Bolsheviks growing stronger
01:24:05 October: the seizure of power
01:35:32 The legacy of 1917
---
Works cited and sources:
History of the Russian Revolution, Leon Trotsky: wellred-books.com/history-of-the-russian-revolution
The History of the Russian Revolution to Brest-Litovsk, Leon Trotsky: wellred-books.com/the-history-of-the-russian-revolution-to-brest-litovsk
Letter to Volksrecht, V.I. Lenin: marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1917/mar/29.htm
The April Theses (The Tasks of the Proletariat in the Present Revolution)’, V.I. Lenin: marxist.com/the-april-theses-the-tasks-of-the-proletariat-in-the-present-revolution.htm
Letters from Afar, V.I. Lenin: marxist.com/letters-from-afar.htm
A History of Soviet Russia, E.H. Carr: amazon.co.uk/History-Soviet-Russia-Revolution-Constitutional/dp/014020749X
The War, J. V. Stalin: marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/works/1917/03/16.htm
On Slogans, V.I. Lenin: marxist.com/on-slogans.htm
In Kerensky’s Jail, Proletarskaya Revolutsia, F. Raskolnikov (not available online)
*Lenin’s ‘words not deeds’ statement is miscited in the episode as ‘The Bolsheviks Must Assume Power, A Letter to the Central Committee and the Petrograd And Moscow Committees Of The R.S.D.L.P.(B.)', V.I. Lenin: marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1917/sep/14.htm’. This was actually sent on the 24th, just before the seizure of power. The statement Fred is referencing from 16 October can be found here: pdfcoffee.com/ronald-grigor-suny-the-soviet-experiment-russia-the-ussr-and-the-successor-states-1997-oxford-university-press-usa-pdf-free.html
Bolshevism: The Road to Revolution, Alan Woods: wellred-books.com/bolshevism-the-road-to-revolution
In Defence of Lenin, Rob Sewell and Alan Woods: wellred-books.com/in-defence-of-lenin
In Defence of Marxism Issue 51: marxist.com/magazine.htm
State and Revolution, V.I. Lenin: wellred-books.com/state-and-revolution
10 Days That Shook the World, John Reed: marxists.org/ebooks/reed/ten-days-that-shook-the-world-reed.pdf
---
✊ Join the Revolutionary Communist International: marxist.com/join-us.htm
📸 Instagram: instagram.com/revcomintern
💬 Twitter: https://x.com/revcomintern/
Spectre of Communism links: https://linktr.ee/specom
ℹ️ DISCLAIMER ℹ️
This video is intended solely for educational, informational, and documentary purposes. It examines historical and contemporary political ideologies, events, and terminology — including controversial or sensitive topics — with the aim of fostering critical thinking and public understanding. This content does not promote, endorse, or glorify violence, right-wing extremism, terrorism, hate speech, or discriminatory ideologies. All commentary is protected under fair use for educational and journalistic purposes in accordance with YouTube's community guidelines and policies.
