# Preamble—Declaration of the Rights of the Peoples of Russia explained — Ten Days That Shook the World

> Chapter companion for Ten Days That Shook the World by John Reed.

## What happens

The chapter presents the Bolshevik declaration proclaiming the emancipation of peasants, soldiers, sailors, and workers from the old regime, and calls for a new policy of voluntary and honest union among the peoples of Russia to replace the tsarist and provisional government policies of oppression and distrust.

## Themes in this chapter

### National Self-Determination and Emancipation

The entire declaration is devoted to the emancipation of the peoples of Russia from national oppression and the establishment of a voluntary and honest union.

### Proletarian Revolution and Dictatorship

The chapter frames the October Revolution as the workers' and peasants' revolution that abolishes landowner property, autocratic generals, and capitalist control.

## Key lines

> The October Revolution of the workers and peasants began under the common banner of Emancipation.

The October Revolution was launched with the goal of liberating workers and peasants.

_Opening statement establishing the revolution's emancipatory purpose._

> Henceforth the policy of a voluntary and honest union of the peoples of Russia must be substituted.

From now on, the policy will be one of a free and sincere union among Russia's peoples.

_Key policy shift from coercion to voluntary unity._

> Only as the result of such a union can the workers and peasants of the peoples of Russia be cemented into one revolutionary force able to resist all attempts on the part of the imperialist-annexationist bourgeoisie.

Only through such a union can the workers and peasants of all Russian peoples become a unified revolutionary force capable of resisting imperialist and annexationist bourgeois efforts.

_Concluding rationale linking national unity to revolutionary strength._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/ten_days_that_shook_the_world_se/chapters/2-preamble-declaration-of-the-rights-of-the-peoples-of-russia
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/ten_days_that_shook_the_world_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/ten_days_that_shook_the_world_se/chapters