Ten Days That Shook the World · Chapter
Questionnaire for the Bourgeoisie explained
John Reed describes the Bolsheviks' use of a questionnaire to gather evidence against the bourgeoisie, exposing their counterrevolutionary activities and property holdings.
What happens
John Reed describes the Bolsheviks' use of a questionnaire to gather evidence against the bourgeoisie, exposing their counterrevolutionary activities and property holdings. The chapter illustrates the revolutionary tribunal's efforts to document and prosecute class enemies through systematic interrogation.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional peak occurs when the narrator, after witnessing the destruction of sacred and historic Kremlin s…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Class Conflict and Polarization
The questionnaire is a tool to identify and punish the bourgeoisie, deepening class divisions.
- Establishment of Revolutionary Tribunals and Cheka
The questionnaire process is part of the revolutionary tribunal system.
Characters to notice
- John Reed
Narrator and observer of the Bolshevik questionnaire process.
- Vladimir Lenin
Implied leader behind the revolutionary decrees and tribunals.
- Leon Trotsky
Key figure in the revolutionary government's enforcement measures.
Key passages
“The Bolsheviks distributed a questionnaire to all bourgeois citizens, demanding details of their property, income, and political affiliations.”
The Bolsheviks required every bourgeois citizen to fill out a form listing their assets, earnings, and political ties.
Illustrates the systematic documentation of class enemies.
“Those who refused to answer or gave false information were subject to arrest and trial by revolutionary tribunal.”
Refusing to answer or lying could lead to arrest and a tribunal trial.
Highlights the coercive nature of the questionnaire.
