▁to ▁reach ▁out ▁and ▁be ▁represented ▁in ▁ball ots ▁of ▁the ▁SR ▁party ▁which ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁coal ition ▁in ▁the ▁prov is ional ▁government . ▁This ▁non - elect ed ▁government ▁supported ▁continu ation ▁of ▁the ▁war ▁on ▁the ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁al lied ▁forces . ▁The ▁elections ▁to ▁the ▁State ▁D uma ▁ 2 5 ▁November ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁therefore ▁did ▁not ▁mirror ▁the ▁true ▁political ▁situation ▁among ▁pe as ants ▁even ▁if ▁we ▁don ' t ▁know ▁how ▁the ▁outcome ▁would ▁be ▁if ▁the ▁anti - war ▁left ▁SR ▁fraction ▁had ▁a ▁fair ▁chance ▁to ▁challenge ▁the ▁party ▁leaders . ▁In ▁the ▁elections ▁the ▁B ols he vik ▁party ▁received ▁ 2 5 % ▁of ▁the ▁votes ▁and ▁the ▁Social ist - Re volution aries ▁as ▁much ▁as ▁ 5 8 %. ▁It ▁is ▁possible ▁the ▁left ▁SR ▁had ▁a ▁good ▁chance ▁to ▁reach ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 5 % ▁of ▁the ▁votes ▁and ▁thereby ▁legit imate ▁the ▁October ▁revolution ▁but ▁we ▁can ▁only ▁guess . ▁ ▁Len in ▁did ▁not ▁believe ▁as ▁Karl ▁Marx ▁that ▁a ▁social ist ▁revolution ▁pres upp osed ▁a ▁developed ▁capital ist ▁economy ▁and ▁not ▁in ▁a ▁semi - cap ital ist ▁country ▁as ▁Russia . ▁Russia ▁was ▁back ward , ▁but ▁not ▁that ▁back ward , ▁with ▁a ▁working ▁class ▁population ▁of ▁more ▁than ▁some ▁ 4 - 5 % ▁of ▁the ▁population . ▁ ▁Though ▁Len in ▁was ▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁B ols he vik ▁Party , ▁it ▁has