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The Russian RevolutionThe Russian Revolution--Key ConceptsKey Concepts--

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I. PreI. Pre--Revolutionary RussiaRevolutionary Russia

Only true autocracy left inOnly true autocracy left inEuropeEurope

No type of representativeNo type of representativepolitical institutionspolitical institutions

Nicholas II became TsarNicholas II became Tsarin 1884in 1884

Believed he was theBelieved he was theabsolute ruler anointedabsolute ruler anointedby Godby God

Revolution broke out inRevolution broke out in19051905----RussoRusso--Japanese WarJapanese War(1904)(1904)

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II. The Revolution of 1905II. The Revolution of 1905

The creation of aThe creation of adiscontented workingdiscontented workingclassclass

Vast majority of workersVast majority of workersconcentrated in St.concentrated in St.Petersburg and MoscowPetersburg and Moscow

Help from theHelp from thecountryside: poorcountryside: poorpeasantspeasants

No individual landNo individual landownershipownership

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II. Revolution of 1905 (cont)II. Revolution of 1905 (cont)

Russia industrialized onRussia industrialized onthe backs of the peasantsthe backs of the peasants

Tremendous historic landTremendous historic land

hunger among peasantshunger among peasants Real winners of the 1905Real winners of the 1905

Revolution: Middle ClassRevolution: Middle Class

----ConstitutionalConstitutional

Democratic PartyDemocratic Party(Cadets)(Cadets)

----DumaDuma

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III.III. Conservatism Continues:Conservatism Continues:

19051905--19171917 Tsar paid no attention toTsar paid no attention to

the Dumathe Duma

Duma harassed andDuma harassed and

political partiespolitical partiessuppressedsuppressed

Nicholas was personally aNicholas was personally avery weak manvery weak man

Tsar became increasinglyTsar became increasinglyremote as a rulerremote as a ruler

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IV. Alexandra: The Power BehindIV. Alexandra: The Power Behind

the Thronethe Throne Even more blindlyEven more blindly

committed to autocracycommitted to autocracythan her husbandthan her husband

The influence of RasputinThe influence of Rasputinover Alexandraover Alexandra

Origins of RasputinsOrigins of Rasputinspowerpower

Scandals surroundingScandals surroundingRasputin served toRasputin served todiscredit the monarchydiscredit the monarchy

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Alexis: Alexandras Son withAlexis: Alexandras Son with

HemophiliaHemophilia

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V. World War I: The Last StrawV. World War I: The Last Straw

War revealed theWar revealed theineptitude and arroganceineptitude and arroganceof the countrysof the countrysaristocratic elitearistocratic elite

The Russian SteamThe Russian SteamRollerRoller

Corrupt militaryCorrupt militaryleadership and contemptleadership and contemptfor ordinary Russianfor ordinary Russianpeoplepeople

Average peasant has veryAverage peasant has verylittle invested in the Warlittle invested in the War

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V. World War I (cont)V. World War I (cont)

Poorly supplied troopsPoorly supplied troops

Result: Chaos andResult: Chaos andDisintegration of theDisintegration of the

Russian ArmyRussian Army

----Battle ofBattle ofTannenberg (August,Tannenberg (August,

1914)1914) Spreading DiscontentSpreading Discontent

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VI. The Collapse of the ImperialVI. The Collapse of the Imperial

GovernmentGovernment Nicholas leaves forNicholas leaves for

the Frontthe FrontSeptember, 1915September, 1915

Alexandra andAlexandra andRasputin throw theRasputin throw thegovernment intogovernment intochaoschaos

Alexandra and otherAlexandra and otherhigh governmenthigh governmentofficials accused ofofficials accused oftreasontreason

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VI. The Collapse of the ImperialVI. The Collapse of the Imperial

Government (cont)Government (cont) Rasputin assassinatedRasputin assassinated

in December of 1916in December of 1916

Refusal to receiveRefusal to receive

assistance of theassistance of theRussian Middle ClassRussian Middle Class

CompleteComplete

mismanagement ofmismanagement ofthe wartime economythe wartime economy

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VII. The Two Revolutions of 1917VII. The Two Revolutions of 1917

The March RevolutionThe March Revolution(March 12)(March 12)

The NovemberThe November

Revolution (NovemberRevolution (November6)6)

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VIII. The March RevolutionVIII. The March Revolution

Origins: Food riots andOrigins: Food riots andstrikesstrikes

Duma declared itself aDuma declared itself aProvisional GovernmentProvisional Government

on March12thon March12th Tsar abdicated on MarchTsar abdicated on March

1717thth

Composition of theComposition of theProvisional GovernmentProvisional Government

----Alexander KerenskyAlexander Kerensky Very Popular RevolutionVery Popular Revolution The Petrograd SovietThe Petrograd Soviet

----Order #1Order #1

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IX. Soviet Political IdeologyIX. Soviet Political Ideology

More radical andMore radical andrevolutionary than therevolutionary than theProvisional GovernmentProvisional Government

Most influenced byMost influenced byMarxist socialismMarxist socialism

Emulated westernEmulated westernsocialismsocialism

Two FactionsTwo Factions

---- MensheviksMensheviks

---- BolsheviksBolsheviks

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X.X. Founder of Bolshevism:Founder of Bolshevism:

Vladimir LeninVladimir Lenin His Early YearsHis Early Years

----Exiled to Siberia in 1897Exiled to Siberia in 1897

Committed to ClassCommitted to Class

Struggle and RevolutionStruggle and Revolution Moved to London in 1902Moved to London in 1902

and befriended Leonand befriended LeonTrotskyTrotsky

What is to be Done?What is to be Done?TractTract

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X. Lenin (cont)X. Lenin (cont)

Key role of the Party inKey role of the Party inthe revolutionthe revolution

---- Dictatorship of theDictatorship of the

ProletariatProletariat Bolsheviks split from theBolsheviks split from the

Russian Socialist Party inRussian Socialist Party in19121912

Character of theCharacter of theBolshevik PartyBolshevik Party

----Joseph StalinJoseph Stalin

----PravdaPravda

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XI. Vacuum of Leadership inXI. Vacuum of Leadership in

RussiaRussia Petrograd SovietPetrograd Sovietdominated by Mensheviksdominated by Mensheviks

Failure of the ProvisionalFailure of the ProvisionalGovernmentGovernment

Workers refusing to workWorkers refusing to workand soldiers refusing toand soldiers refusing tofightfight

Peasants werePeasants wereexpropriating the landexpropriating the landoutrightoutright

Power was literally lyingPower was literally lyingin the streets ofin the streets ofPetrogradPetrograd

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XII. Lenin Steps into This VacuumXII. Lenin Steps into This Vacuum

Amnesty granted to allAmnesty granted to allpolitical prisoners inpolitical prisoners inMarch of 1917March of 1917

Lenins arrival inLenins arrival in

PetrogradPetrograd A tremendouslyA tremendously

charismatic personalitycharismatic personality Peace, Land, BreadPeace, Land, Bread All Power to the SovietsAll Power to the Soviets

Bolshevik partyBolshevik partymembership explodedmembership exploded Consolidation of BolshevikConsolidation of Bolshevik

powerpower

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XIII. The November RevolutionXIII. The November Revolution

The events of NovemberThe events of November66

Council of PeoplesCouncil of Peoples

CommissarsCommissars All private property ofAll private property of

wealthy was abolishedwealthy was abolishedand divided among theand divided among thepeasantrypeasantry

Largest industrialLargest industrialenterprises nationalizedenterprises nationalized

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XIII. November Revolution (cont)XIII. November Revolution (cont)

Political Police organized:Political Police organized:CHEKACHEKA

Revolutionary armyRevolutionary armycreated with Trotsky increated with Trotsky in

chargecharge---- Red ArmyRed Army Bolshevik Party renamedBolshevik Party renamed

Communist Party inCommunist Party inMarch of 1918March of 1918

The Treaty of BrestThe Treaty of Brest--Litovsk negotiated withLitovsk negotiated withthe Germansthe Germans

Terms of the TreatyTerms of the Treaty

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XIII. November Revolution (cont)XIII. November Revolution (cont)

Humiliating Treaty wouldHumiliating Treaty wouldbe nullified since all ofbe nullified since all ofthe west was on thethe west was on theverge of revolutionverge of revolution

Civil War fought betweenCivil War fought between19171917--19201920

---- Reds versus WhitesReds versus Whites

Complete breakdown ofComplete breakdown ofRussian economy andRussian economy andsocietysociety

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XIV. Interpreting the RussianXIV. Interpreting the Russian

RevolutionRevolution The official MarxistThe official Marxist

InterpretationInterpretation

----The importance of aThe importance of a

permanent internationalpermanent internationalrevolutionrevolution

Function of RussianFunction of RussianHistory and CultureHistory and Culture

Imposed Revolution onImposed Revolution onan unwilling victiman unwilling victim

A Social RevolutionA Social Revolution