Ok, I am afraid this might turn into a long post, but I'll try to restrain myself.
History is just so much fun!
You are right to look at this matter from different prospectives. That way you'd make your own oppinion on the matter. The history of Russia is most intriguing and very, very sad IMHO.
One thing is to know about the revolution. When it started, what took place, who were the main figures, how it ended, what were the consequences?
It is much more interesting to ask WHY? As a kid that used to be my favorite question. I used to drive my dad nuts. But I am a type of guy who is more interested in the reasons behind everything. Why people act the way they do, why does the Earth rotate around the Sun and not the other way around?
Anyway. In order to answer that you'll have to go back from the beginning.Sounds like too much of work? Not if you really enjoy history. A couple of books that I'd suggest: "A History of Russia" Sixth Edition by Nicholas V. Riasanovsky. It takes you from the creation of Kievan Rus, through the Mongols, to the Time of Troubles, Peter The Great and the Revolution. At the end it'd all make sence. And you'd be able to understand that it was bound to happen. They didn't call Russia the "Clay Feet Giant" for no good reason.
Second book is "Russian Rebels" I don't know the name of the author, but it is listed on Amazon.com. There you'd find out that revolts and social struggles in Russia are a common thing. The only way the state could have existed was through a strong dictatorial type of power. The irony is that the state was needed to protect the people, to protect the state a strong government was needed, in order to have a strong government you have to oppress the people. It's like a vicious cycle. The whole history of Russia is like that everything is related. I guess it's like that with any state's history.
The Russian History course I took at the college helped me realize a lot and broadened my knowledge. Those two books were required. Also "Peter The Great" and another very very good book, which I can't remember the name of, and which I have loaned to someone and he never returned to me. It was about how economics and geography affected the Russian fate.
I might be boring you right now so I'll stop, but if you want to talk about Russia it would be great I'd love to share some thoughts with you.