The Russian Revolution

Russia Struggles for Reform

Although it started in 1917, it is necessary to go back to at least 1825 to understand the reasons for the revolution.

Czar Alexander I 1825 – Czar

Alexander I died and Russia entered a 100 year period of turmoil

Czar Nicholas I Czar Nicholas I was

now in charge and he resisted changes in government policies. During his rule he had to put down over 500 peasant uprisings

Alexander II After his death,

his son Alexander II became Czar and freed the serfs. He also set up elected councils and expanded opportunities in education.

Pre-Revolutionary RussiaPre-Revolutionary Russia Only true autocracy Only true autocracy

left in Europeleft in Europe No type of No type of

representative representative political institutionspolitical institutions

Most Russians lived as serfs (80%) and depended on farming. Nobles had almost unlimited power over the serfs.

Revolutionaries By the early 1900’s

the revolutionaries were divided into 2 groups – The Social Revolutionaries (SR’s) and the Social Democrats (SD’s).

The Social Revolutionaries They believed the force to overthrow the Czar would

come from the peasants. Their goal was to distribute land equally among the

peasants. They also wanted a democratically elected

government

Social Democrats

They were Marxists. They believed it was necessary to overthrow

the ruling class and share the wealth. One of the leaders of the SD’s was Lenin.

Bolsheviks and Mensheviks

In 1903 the Social Democrats split into these two groups. Lenin and his followers were Bolsheviks and wanted quick action for revolution.

The Mensheviks wanted to move toward revolution more slowly.

The Revolution of 1905The Revolution of 1905

The creation of a The creation of a discontented working discontented working classclass

Vast majority of Vast majority of workers concentrated workers concentrated in St. Petersburg and in St. Petersburg and MoscowMoscow

Help from the Help from the countryside: poor countryside: poor peasantspeasants

No individual land No individual land ownershipownership

Revolution of 1905 (cont)Revolution of 1905 (cont) Russia industrialized on Russia industrialized on

the backs of the peasantsthe backs of the peasants Tremendous historic land Tremendous historic land

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

Revolution: Middle ClassRevolution: Middle Class

--Constitutional --Constitutional Democratic Party Democratic Party (Cadets)(Cadets)

--Duma--Duma

Conservatism Continues: Conservatism Continues: 1905-19171905-1917

Tsar paid no attention Tsar paid no attention to the Dumato the Duma

Duma harassed and Duma harassed and political parties political parties suppressedsuppressed

Nicholas was Nicholas was personally a very personally a very weak manweak man

Tsar became Tsar became increasingly remote as increasingly remote as a rulera ruler

Alexandra: The Power Behind Alexandra: The Power Behind the Thronethe Throne

Even more blindly Even more blindly committed to autocracy committed to autocracy than her husbandthan her husband

The influence of The influence of Rasputin over AlexandraRasputin over Alexandra

Origins of Rasputin’s Origins of Rasputin’s powerpower

Scandals surrounding Scandals surrounding Rasputin served to Rasputin served to discredit the monarchydiscredit the monarchy

Alexis: Alexandra’s Son with Alexis: Alexandra’s Son with HemophiliaHemophilia

World War I: “The Last World War I: “The Last Straw”Straw”

War revealed the War revealed the ineptitude and ineptitude and arrogance of the arrogance of the country’s aristocratic country’s aristocratic eliteelite

The Russian “Steam The Russian “Steam Roller”Roller”

Corrupt military Corrupt military leadership and leadership and contempt for ordinary contempt for ordinary Russian peopleRussian people

Average peasant has Average peasant has very little invested in very little invested in the Warthe War

World War I (cont)World War I (cont)

Poorly supplied Poorly supplied troopstroops

Result: Chaos and Result: Chaos and Disintegration of Disintegration of the Russian Armythe Russian Army

--Battle of --Battle of Tannenberg Tannenberg (August, 1914)(August, 1914)

Spreading Spreading DiscontentDiscontent

The Collapse of the Imperial The Collapse of the Imperial GovernmentGovernment

Nicholas leaves for Nicholas leaves for the Front—the Front—September, 1915September, 1915

Alexandra and Alexandra and Rasputin throw the Rasputin throw the government into government into chaoschaos

Alexandra and other Alexandra and other high government high government officials accused of officials accused of treasontreason

VI. The Collapse of the VI. The Collapse of the Imperial Government (cont)Imperial Government (cont)

Rasputin Rasputin assassinated in assassinated in December of 1916December of 1916

Refusal to receive Refusal to receive assistance of the assistance of the Russian Middle ClassRussian Middle Class

Complete Complete mismanagement of mismanagement of the wartime the wartime economyeconomy

VII. The Two Revolutions of VII. The Two Revolutions of 19171917

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

The November The November Revolution Revolution (November 6)(November 6)

VIII. The March RevolutionVIII. The March Revolution Origins: Food riots and Origins: Food riots and

strikesstrikes Duma declared itself a Duma declared itself a

Provisional Government Provisional Government on March12thon March12th

Tsar abdicated on Tsar abdicated on March 17March 17thth

Composition of the Composition of the Provisional GovernmentProvisional Government--Alexander Kerensky--Alexander Kerensky

Very Popular RevolutionVery Popular Revolution The Petrograd SovietThe Petrograd Soviet

--Order #1--Order #1

IX. Soviet Political IdeologyIX. Soviet Political Ideology

More radical and More radical and revolutionary than the revolutionary than the Provisional Provisional GovernmentGovernment

Most influenced by Most influenced by Marxist socialismMarxist socialism

Emulated western Emulated western socialismsocialism

Two FactionsTwo Factions

-- “Mensheviks”-- “Mensheviks”

-- “Bolsheviks”-- “Bolsheviks”

X.X. Founder of Bolshevism: Founder of Bolshevism: Vladimir LeninVladimir Lenin

His Early YearsHis Early Years

--Exiled to Siberia in --Exiled to Siberia in 18971897

Committed to Class Committed to Class Struggle and Struggle and RevolutionRevolution

Moved to London in Moved to London in 1902 and befriended 1902 and befriended Leon TrotskyLeon Trotsky

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

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

Key role of the Party in Key role of the Party in the revolutionthe revolution

-- “Dictatorship of the -- “Dictatorship of the Proletariat”Proletariat”

Bolsheviks split from Bolsheviks split from the Russian Socialist the Russian Socialist Party in 1912Party in 1912

Character of the Character of the Bolshevik PartyBolshevik Party

--Joseph Stalin--Joseph Stalin

----PravdaPravda

XI. Vacuum of Leadership in XI. Vacuum of Leadership in RussiaRussia

Petrograd Soviet Petrograd Soviet dominated by dominated by MensheviksMensheviks

Failure of the Failure of the Provisional Provisional GovernmentGovernment

Workers refusing to Workers refusing to work and soldiers work and soldiers refusing to fightrefusing to fight

Peasants were Peasants were expropriating the land expropriating the land outrightoutright

Power was literally Power was literally lying in the streets of lying in the streets of PetrogradPetrograd

XII. Lenin Steps into This XII. Lenin Steps into This VacuumVacuum

Amnesty granted to all Amnesty granted to all political prisoners in political prisoners in March of 1917March of 1917

Lenin’s arrival in Lenin’s arrival in PetrogradPetrograd

A tremendously A tremendously charismatic personalitycharismatic personality

““Peace, Land, Bread”Peace, Land, Bread” ““All Power to the All Power to the

Soviets”Soviets” Bolshevik party Bolshevik party

membership explodedmembership exploded Consolidation of Consolidation of

Bolshevik powerBolshevik power

XIII. The November XIII. The November RevolutionRevolution

The events of The events of November 6November 6

Council of People’s Council of People’s CommissarsCommissars

All private property of All private property of wealthy was abolished wealthy was abolished and divided among and divided among the peasantrythe peasantry

Largest industrial Largest industrial enterprises enterprises nationalizednationalized

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

Political Police Political Police organized: CHEKAorganized: CHEKA

Revolutionary army Revolutionary army created with Trotsky created with Trotsky in chargein charge-- “Red Army”-- “Red Army”

Bolshevik Party Bolshevik Party renamed Communist renamed Communist Party in March of 1918Party in March of 1918

The Treaty of Brest-The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk negotiated Litovsk negotiated with the Germanswith the Germans

Terms of the TreatyTerms of the Treaty

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

Humiliating Treaty Humiliating Treaty would be nullified since would be nullified since all of the west was on all of the west was on the verge of revolutionthe verge of revolution

Civil War fought Civil War fought between 1917-1920between 1917-1920

-- “Reds” versus -- “Reds” versus “Whites”“Whites”

Complete breakdown Complete breakdown of Russian economy of Russian economy and societyand society

XIV. Interpreting the Russian XIV. Interpreting the Russian RevolutionRevolution

The official Marxist The official Marxist InterpretationInterpretation

--The importance of a --The importance of a permanent permanent international international revolutionrevolution

Function of Russian Function of Russian History and CultureHistory and Culture

Imposed Revolution on Imposed Revolution on an unwilling victiman unwilling victim

A Social RevolutionA Social Revolution