How does Pipes characterize the October 1917 event?

Pipes characterizes the October 1917 event as a classic coup d'état, emphasizing the nature of the Bolshevik seizure of power as a swift and decisive takeover rather than a broad-based revolutionary uprising. This view highlights how the Bolsheviks, under Lenin’s leadership, managed to capitalize on the existing political instability and discontent within Russian society to effectively execute their plan for power. The Bolsheviks operated from a position of relative strength and utilized carefully orchestrated strategies to overthrow the Provisional Government, rather than relying on mass worker or peasant uprisings that typically characterize revolutionary movements.

This perspective aligns with Pipes' broader analysis, which distinguishes between genuine mass revolutions, driven by widespread popular support, and more tactical, calculated actions taken by a small group to seize control. By framing the October event as a coup d'état, it underscores the Bolsheviks' strategic manipulation of circumstances to establish their regime, rather than depicting it as the spontaneous outpouring of revolutionary fervor from the populace.