Russian Revolution

• END OF THE ROMANOV’S

Russia under Nicholas II•Nicholas II- Romanov family•Czar in 1894 at age 26•Did NOT want to become czar•Ruled as autocrat

Attempts at Modernization• Russia was weak and undeveloped• Sergei Witte- czar’s minister

• 1900 worked for industrialization• Foreign experts brought in • Trans-Siberian RR completed• Increased taxes• Borrowed money from foreigners

Unrest Develops from Urbanization

• Peasants left farms for factories• Workers unhappy with low standard of

living and little political power• Upper-class resented power of foreign

companies• Critics look to a new form of

government

Russian Revolution

LeninStalin

Lenin and the Bolsheviks• Vladimir Ilyich Lenin- studied

Marx• Brother was executed for plot against

the czar• 1895 Lenin was arrested and sent to

Siberia for political activities then left Russia for 17 years

• In Europe Lenin continued his anti-czarist activities

Russian Marxists Split• Both groups agreed Russia was not

industrialized or capitalist• Mensheviks – “minority”

• Socialist revolution needed to wait until proletariat grows

• Bolsheviks – “majority”• Form secret group to help workers revolt• Secret group would rule until proletariat

ready

Russian Marxists Split• Both groups agreed Russia was not

industrialized or capitalist• Mensheviks – “minority”

• Socialist revolution needed to wait until proletariat grows

• Bolsheviks – “majority”• Form secret group to help workers revolt• Secret group would rule until proletariat

ready

Revolution of 1905• 1905- Russia defeated in Russo-

Japanese War• 1905- Workers in St. Petersburg revolt

• Soviets formed- representative council for the people

• October Manifesto- Czar gives constitution• Duma- first parliament, czar had veto

power

WWI• Russia interested in Balkans brings her

into war• 1915- Nicholas goes to front to rally

troops• Alexandra left to rule with Rasputin

• “Holy man” who could control Alexis’ hemophilia

• 1916 Nobles kill Rasputin- felt their power threatened

The March Revolution• Causes:

• Defeats of war• Discontent (food, fuel shortage)• Weaknesses of autocracy

• Strike led by women textile workers in Petrograd

• Soldiers turn on officers, not people

Results of March Revolution• Nicholas II abdicates • Provisional Government under

Alexander Kerensky•Russia stays in WWI•Western-style parliamentary govt.

• People unhappy

Petrograd Soviet• Competes with Provisional Govt.

for control• Favored withdrawal from WWI• Favored radical social reform for

workers and peasants• Actually held more power than

Provisional Govt.

Three Government Choices • Russia lost faith in govt, Lenin is

returned by Germans• 1. Parliamentary Govt- order

through Democratic reform (Provisional)

• 2. Military Dictatorship- restore order by armed force

Three Govt. Choices cont…• 3. Rule by workers’ and soldiers’

soviets• Petrograd Soviet controlled by

Lenin and Bolsheviks• Offered: land, food, and self-

determination to non-Russians• People wanted real change: Who

would they favor and why?

Fall 1917…• “All power to the soviets”• Bolshevik Revolution

• Nov. 7- Leon Trotsky, leading Lenin’s supporters, seized government

• Provisional Govt. officials arrested• Communists come to power

State-building under Lenin• Chaos worsened under Bolsheviks

• No effective govt. or army• No food, commerce, or industry

• Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (March 1918)

• Bolsheviks/Communists decide to eliminate ALL opposition

Treaty of Brest Litovsk•Signed with Germany•Lost Finland, possessions in

Poland, Baltic States, Ukraine•Treaty cancelled when Germany

lost war•Finland, Baltic States gained

independence

Civil War Breaks Out• “Whites”- opponents of Bolsheviks,

aided by West• Parliamentary Govt. supporters• Czarist defenders• Moderate Socialists

• “Reds”- Communists• “Greens”- Ukrainian peasants

• Want independence

Communist Dictatorship• Terror Tactics• Economic

Policy• Kronstadt

Rebellion• Centralized

Govt.

• Soviet Union• Religious

persecution• Propaganda

Terror Tactics• “Dictatorship of the

Proletariat”• Secret police used to kill

and suspected opponents of govt.

Economics= War Communism

• Nationalization of industry, banks, foreign trade

• Draft used for labor and army• Strikes forbidden• Food taken from peasants and

given to cities and armies• ***Russia continues to decline***

Centralized Government• Govt. moved to Kremlin- Moscow• Politburo led new govt.

• unity stressed (thrown out)• political parties banned• only 1% of population was

Communist (500,000)• Decisions made at top (like czar)• Party ran unions

State and Party Linked• Soviets elected locally but led by

Party• Soviets

• district, regional, republic level• Supreme Soviet- highest govt.

authority• Council of Ministers- Party members

who made up executive branch

The Soviet Union• Formed in 1922 by Communists• 15 Republics based on

nationalities• Identical constitutions• Controlled by Party• Limited self-rule• Self-determination in writing only

Religious Persecution • Religion was threat• State schools taught God did

NOT exist• Church seen as possible tool of

control• Land and property seized

Propaganda• Govt. controlled and censored

information• Lenin tried to isolate USSR

from West• Party ideology enforced

• Marxism-Leninism