I. Lenin who had returned to Russia via sealed train across Germany in April (Hingley 152) to begin the overthrow or coup that was the October Revolution of 1917. .

             Immediately, workers were given preferential treatment in the forming government. In November 1917 the Decree on Workers' Control was established. This gave "additional power to the already-existing workers' committees, which before October had been established in factories" (Westwood 271). Committees usually ran the factories especially during the period known as War Communism when the civil war was still raging. The Civil War spilled across most of the country until about 1920 when Lenin firmly grabbed power and began the true construction of the Soviet State, as the world knew it (Westwood 274). During the time of the civil war, which Zamyatin would have been observing as he was preparing to write We, the Bolsheviks under Lenin's leadership were trying to establish control in every sector. In 1918, the Decree on Nationalization was enacted. This decree made all large-scale industries liable to seizure without compensation. Over the next few years, nearly all of these industries would be put under control of the Bolshevik government (Westwood 279). Consequently, the government had control of the means of production and the workers through the Soviets.

             The problem was trying to make everything work together to produce products. Seizing full control proved more difficult than the Bolsheviks anticipated. The civil war ear was a time of bloody revolts that were violently squashed by the rising communist party. Conditions in Russia were horrific - lack of food, hygiene products, medical supplies, raw supplies, and manufactured goods led to rebellions amongst peasants and factory workers both. These were crushed by the CHEKA (early secret police) and Trotsky's Labour Army (organized strike-breakers) (Westwood 275). The reality was that this government that was ostensibly forming for the good of the worker was mistreating the worker in its desperation to maintain control.