Russian peasants supported the Bolsheviks in 1917 primarily because the Bolsheviks pledged to

• A. Redistribute land and make peace
• B. Increase taxes on peasantry
• C. Maintain the old landownership
• D. Continue war to victory

Answer: (C)

The main idea this question tests is why peasants in 1917 backed the Bolsheviks: their promises to meet two urgent needs—land and peace. Peasants had long desired land they could own, not just work for landlords, and they were exhausted by a war that drained resources and caused suffering. The Bolsheviks framed their appeal around giving land to the peasants and ending Russia’s involvement in World War I, presenting these pledges as immediate relief from the pressures of wartime poverty and insecurity. This resonated because it offered tangible change: you could own land and stop fighting a costly war. Choices that would raise taxes, preserve the old landownership, or keep the war going would prolong hardship, making them unattractive compared with the Bolshevik promises of land reform and peace.