# The Peasants' Congress explained — Ten Days That Shook the World

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

## What happens

The chapter describes the evolution of the Extraordinary Congress of Peasants' Soviets over several weeks, starting with a majority hostile to the Soviet government, then shifting to support the moderates under Tchernov, and finally aligning with Maria Spiridonova's faction, leading to the Right Wing walking out and forming a separate, dwindling congress.

## Themes in this chapter

### Peasant Question and Land Reform

The Congress's shifting allegiances directly reflect the peasantry's political alignment and the struggle over land reform.

### Struggle for Legitimacy and Power

The walkout of the Right Wing and the formation of a rival congress illustrates the contest for political legitimacy among peasant representatives.

## Character check-ins

### Victor Tchernov

Led the moderate faction that briefly gained support from the Congress.

### Maria Spiridonova

Her faction ultimately won the majority vote in the Congress.

## Key lines

> The full-powered Congress of Peasants’ Soviets met about a week later, and continued for several weeks. Its history is merely an expanded version of the history of the “Extraordinary Conference.”

The full Congress of Peasants' Soviets convened roughly a week afterward and lasted for weeks, essentially repeating the pattern of the earlier Extraordinary Conference.

_Reed emphasizes the parallel between the two peasant congresses._

> At first the great majority of the delegates were hostile to the Soviet Government, and supported the reactionary wing. Several days later the assembly was supporting the moderates with Tchernov. And several days after that the vast majority of the Congress were voting for the faction of Maria Spiridonova, and sending their representatives into the Tsay-ee-kah at Smolny.

Initially, most delegates opposed the Soviet government and backed the reactionaries. Within days, they shifted to Tchernov's moderates, and then soon after, the overwhelming majority voted for Spiridonova's faction and sent delegates to the Central Executive Committee at Smolny.

_Reed charts the rapid political realignment of the peasant delegates._

> The Right Wing then walked out of the Congress and called a Congress of its own, which went on, dwindling from day to day, until it finally dissolved.

The right-wing delegates then left the Congress and convened a separate one, which gradually shrank and eventually disbanded.

_The split and decline of the rival congress underscores the Left SRs' ascendancy._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/ten_days_that_shook_the_world_se/chapters/2
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- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/ten_days_that_shook_the_world_se/chapters