The soldiers had to wait for one of their comrades to die or be injured before they could acquire a gun and specific articles of clothing. Although the wages of the Russian people had increased the price of food and clothes had increased as well, beyond the reach of the average working class Russian, this was in the city only though. An example of this is an unskilled worker earns 1rub-1 rub. 25 kop before the war, during the war he earns 2 rub. 50 kop. But the rent for a corner has gone from being 3 rub a month to 8- 12 rub a month, there is rise of about 100% in wages but a 300% rise in the cost to live (M.Morcombe, 1998, 66). In the country farmers were taken from their farms to join the army and because of this the production of crops decreased, along with farmers being taken train drivers, factory workers and people of other important trades so food and produce couldn't be brought to the cites or to the war fronts on time if at all. This affected the way Russia functioned socially as well.
The people of Russia were split up into two classes the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. The bourgeoisie were few and far between by the end of the beginning of November, the proletariat on the other hand made up the majority of the Russian population, and they were the farmers, the factory workers, the bakers, train drivers and many others. But they were also the soldiers. The living conditions of working class Russian family at the time was extremely poor with run down and unhygienic living conditions a serve shortage of food and the money to pay for any food that became available. The working class people went on huge general strike and when the army was sent to break the rally up the soldiers joined them, this is because many of the soldiers had been farmers and factory workers until they were conscripted. According to Lenin the working class were to be the people that would lead the revolution but he believed and knew that the people could not so he and the Bolsheviks would lead the revolution on behalf of the working class.