The Bolsheviks consolidated power through strong leadership and force. Lenin developed a structure in government to give power to the party. The party moved quickly passing decrees to consolidate power. These reforms were to gain popular support and were forced through by use of terror and removal of the opposition. The Civil War was the first attempt to oust the Bolsheviks from power but led by Trotsky, it further strengthened and centralised Bolshevik power. War Communism coincided with the Civil War and included nationalisation of industries and grain requisitioning. Only after its failure did Lenin make a tactical retreat to a more moderate New Economic Policy which included capitalist features to regain hold on power.

In response to criticism of the Bolshevik takeover, Lenin developed a structure, which distinguished between the party and the state: the party was the Bolsheviks, the state was the new government drawn from the All-Russian Congress of Soviets. "Lenin realised the need to maintain the faade of Soviet power the reality was that the Bolsheviks were slowly achieving supremacy." (Thomas et al) The Bolsheviks encouraged the destruction of the traditional elements of the Tsarist regime instigating chaos. It was a deliberate tactic of buying time to establish Bolshevik structures. Lenin's was able to transfer criticism to the state' maintaining the heroic image of the Bolsheviks.

Action had to be swift and uncompromising to consolidate power. In the first hours of the Bolshevik coup three decrees were passed immediately. Firstly the Decree on Land confiscated all private land and placed it in the hands of the peasants. The second decree was the Peace Decree to end the war against Germany without indemnities. The third decree organized the new government. At the top was SOVNARKOM at its head was Lenin as Chairman. Other decrees were passed which indicated the promised socialist utopia, like a declaration of the equality of all people. In truth they were only introduced to secure power. Lenin and Trotsky achieved power by manipulating a vote which gave SOVNARKOM the right to rule by decree. Thomas et al illustrate, "Lenin played the role of the consummate politician: he promised whatever the people wanted so long as it enhanced his own power and position."

The Bolsheviks were still a minority and the there was pressure in the party to return to parliamentary style government. Lenin acted quickly dissolving the Constituent Assembly justifying

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