DISSOLUTION OF THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY

Lenin did not believe in Democratic elections and declared them as ‘Tricks by the Bourgeoisie’. This is why Lenin and the Bolsheviks went on their own merits in the October Coup. When this was successful, Lenin was even more determined to stamp out Democracy, and one of the reasons to his urgency for the Revolution, was to make sure the Coup happened before the Election of the All-Russian Constituent Assembly. Unfortunately for Lenin, it was too late, and the results were not good for the Bolsheviks.

- Outvoted 2 to 1 by the SR’s
- Only a quarter of the overall vote and so a quarter of the seats.

Lenin only originally supported this because it undermined the PG, but now he had power, he had no need for the Assembly and would only make life difficult. Lenin who did not deal in compromise, only ever opted to deal by crushing the opposition. So after only a day’s session for the Assembly, it was dissolved at gunpoint by the Red Guards, with any resistance evaporated by the fact of rifles aimed at their heads.

The Bolsheviks chance for survival did seem slim, with strong wide-spread opposition to them including the fact that Britain and France would intervene if they pulled from the War. Lenin so justified the dissolution by saying it had already happened by the Soviet becoming government, and claimed the elections were rigged. ‘Dissolution of Constituent Assembly means a complete liquidation of democracy by the idea of a dictatorship’

Lenin’s ruthless attitude caused unease, with the Bolsheviks most Prolific writer Maxim Gorky claiming ‘Peoples commissars have ordered the shooting of this democracy that people had hoped for’. Foreign communists were also appalled, Rosa Luxemburg ‘Worse than the disease it was supposed to cure’. Lenin however, saw that due to the dire situation of Russia and vulnerable placement of the Bolsheviks, stern action was required to plant them properly.

SUMMARY
Lenin hated Democracy ‘Bourgeoisie tool to hold power’
Results to Constituent assembly are bad
Bolsheviks force closure.

Assembly would break Lenin’s power
Soviet Government already in power,
Elections were corrupt, and a ‘Bourgeois manipulation’
Found condemnation by foreign revolutionaries.