• After some rough patches (a.k.a the failure of the Whites and some Cheka sneak attacks on the Socialist Revolutionaries), the Bolsheviks were the top dogs in Russia.
• This led to a one-party state—no more room for political diversity. Ouch!

🍦 Real-world example: Imagine you love all ice cream flavors, but suddenly only vanilla is allowed. That's the Bolsheviks deciding they're the only flavor in town!

• The Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party was like the CEO, making the major decisions until 1919.
• Because of the civil war, they brought two new teams on board
  • Politburo: Handled the big game plan (strategy).
  • Orgburo: Managed the day-to-day tasks (internal administration).

🎮 Real-world example: It's like adding two new controllers to a video game console. One controls the overall game strategy, while the other takes care of the character's daily actions!

• These committees were chosen by party groups, making it seem democratic.
• But plot twist! The top leadership started choosing who got to be a local official.
• And if anyone disagreed? The Cheka was there to "handle" both enemies and party critics.

🤖 Real-world example: Think of an app that asks for your feedback but then blocks you if you say anything negative. That's the Cheka keeping things "positive"!