Russian Revolution

Basic tenets of Marxism: Man is by nature good

• Economic relations determine all human relations

• Exploitation is an inherent failure of capitalism

• Private property is evil

• Capitalism produces two classes of people

• Only revolution can rid society of capitalism and establish the dictatorship of the proletariat

• Classlessness and statelessness will follow only after the revolution and a transition period

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A Look At What We Will Cover

Slides 5 -20 = Background (RS Pre-WW1) Slides 21-26 = Russia in WW1 - Downfall Slides 30-35 = October / March Revolution Slides 35-47 = Bolshevik State Slides 48-52 = A Sneak Peak at Stalin

Russian Government Before Revolution

Monarchy: The Czar (Tsar) Until 1905 the Tsar's powers were

unlimited. Russia had no constitution, no political party system to check the

Tsar's power A strong secret police which terrorized

the people. Called: Okhrana

Royal Background

Nicholas I

• Created the first secret police in Russia, brutal leader, response to revolt of army officers in 1825

Czar Alexander II

• He implemented important reforms, notably the abolition of serfdom,

• In 1867, he sold Alaska and the Aleutian Islands to the United States.

• Killed by the Revolutionary Group: The People’s Will

Czar Alexander III

• Alexander III's reign was during an industrial revolution in Russia .

• His reign was harsh, against revolutionaries and other liberal movements.

Czar Nicholas II (1894)Last Czar of Russia

Nicholas II was a harsh and weak ruler The Russian economy was bankrupt because

of the Russo-Japanese War and WWI Russia’s entry into WWI became very unpopular.

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Czar Nicholas II and Family

1903

The Social Democratic Labour Party creates sides of the Mensheviks-minority (Martov) and Bolsheviks-majority (Lenin)

Iskra remained a Menshevik newspaper so Lenin had to create his own (Vperyod – “forward”)

Formal split of Mensheviks and Bolsheviks as a party in 1911

Bolsheviks believed that a small group of revolutionaries could cause the revolution - masses uniting all at once was unnecessary

Mensheviks focused on winning over the masses to start a revolution

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Russo-Japanese War (1904)

Dispute over Manchuria with Japan

Shook national confidence in their progress and rule of Czar.

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Loss of Russo-Japanese War This proverbial “straw

that broke the camel’s back” was enough to foment all-out revolutionary action

Bloody Sunday Tsar’s troops fired on a group of protestors

who were begging the Tsar for help – led by a priest – Father Gapon

In all, 130 were killed and hundreds wounded

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Bloody Sunday (1905)

Bloody Sunday – historical significance?

It revealed how utterly incompetent the Tsarist regime was in dealing with a dissatisfied people

Those who had previously supported the Tsar broke and joined revolutionary groups

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Between October 20-30th, all of Russia was on strike

Considered the most effective general strike in history

During this time, the very first Soviet was established in St. Pete’s

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October Manifesto

October Manifesto – Tsar’s promises:

Provided some civil liberties

Create a DUMA – legislative assembly controlled by the moderates

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Between 1905 and 1917

Tsar reneged on most of his promises

Tsar bought off the moderates in the Duma

Tsar arrested radical opposition as terrorism grew

Then the Great War broke out…

Film – Russia Land of the Czars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W1b6j8U46k&list=PL9819B471D1049AE6

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-qxWWRcN-4

16:00 Minutes Long Rasputin

Russia and World War I

Russia declares war on Austria-Hungary

War becomes unpopular Rationing leads to starvation Nicholas II leaves St. Petersburg to war

front

Ra Ra Rasputin

Won favour with Tsarina Alexandra for helping her haemophiliac child Alexis feel better

Nicholas joins the losing war front in 1915 which allowed Rasputin to gain favour with Alexandra

Prophesized a losing war for Russia – prophecies gained him popularity

Often clashed with the Duma – Duma saw him as a threat since he was so close to the royal family

1915 the Duma was disbanded and Rasputin was in charge of the government

1916 Rasputin was assassinated

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Rasputin

Rasputin with Admirers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zz0sHu-m7s Rasputin Death Scene

Rasputin – Music Video – Bony M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvDMlk3kSYg - Original Music Vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmkySNDX4dU - Vid With Lyrics and Pictureshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zz0sHu-m7s - Rasputin Death Scene

Mensheviks Literally means “minority” (yet were more of

them)

More moderate, less impatient, wanted to win over the masses

Led by Julius Martov

Bolsheviks Literally means “majority”

Believed that a violent revolution was necessary

Led by Lenin

FIRST OF TWO REVOLUTIONS

February-March Revolution 1917

March 12 demonstration due to hunger, a military regiment was sent to quell them (the Cossacks), they joined instead and disarmed the police

Russian Army commanders suggested to Tsar Nicholas to abdicate in fears of a violent revolution (like French)

The Army and the Duma convinced Nicholas that the people would no longer support him

February-March Revolution 1917

Nicholas abdicates on March 15 and is placed under house arrest

A provisional government under Alexander Kerensky is put in charge of Russia Kerensky favours a continuation of war to boost Russian

nationalism Legalizes strikes Organizes a constituent assembly (to figure out a new constitution)

Provisional government will have a power struggle between the Marxists and the Liberals (wanted to stop the revolution)

Lacked legitimacy since it was not elected by the people

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February-March Revolution 1917 Lenin, who was in exile in Germany, was provided with

safe passage from Germany to Russia in hopes that he would help stop the war on the Eastern front for Germany

Lenin returns to Russia and gains more support by criticizing socialists that supported the Duma (they’re supposed to start a revolution, not maintain subordination)

In April, Lenin writes the “April Theses” calls for immediate revolution Peace Seizure of aristocratic lands All power to soviets (labour movements) Seizure of factories

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Kerensky fails Russia Continues the war with a new offensive in

July (Kerensky offensive) The unsuccessful offensive quickly cause

dissent amongst the people Disagreement between Kerensky and

Kornilov (leader of another party in power) causes Kornilov to attempt a coup using the army

Kerensky turns to Lenin and his Red Guards and Soviets (workers council) to help him defend Petrograd and won

Kerensky realizes the trouble he created and decides that he now needs to limit Bolshevik power

Kerensky closes down Bolshevik newspapers and cuts off telephone lines

Bolsheviks defeating the army won favour from the Soviets in Petrograd

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Government troops open fire on a worker's protest in Petrograd in July of 1917. The shootings only served to further anger the citizens of Petrograd.

SECOND OF TWO REVOLUTIONS

October (Bolshevik) Revolution-1917

Lead by VI Lenin “Peace, Land, and Bread”

Won support of people (especially peasants)

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October Revolution 1917 (Bolshevik)

Lenin rides on the unhappiness of the people with the Duma and promises “Peace, Bread and Land!”

Trotsky persuades Lenin to take over the government

November 7, Lenin with his Red Guards seized the Winter Palace

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Lenin’s Immediate Policies

Making good on his promise, he sanctioned peasant seizures of land, gathered grain to feed cities, and signed the treaty of Brest-Litovsk which gave up a large portion of Western Russia and 30% of Russia’s population

Nationalized banks State controlled foreign trade All opposition groups made illegal Peasant seizure of lands Factories under the control of Soviets

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1918

1918 March The Bolsheviks accept the

peace of Brest‑Litovsk, ending WWI with Germany.

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1919-1920

-1919 White Armies (Royal and Menshevik troops) attack the Reds (Bolsheviks) from all directions.

-Help sent from Western countries – leads to Stalin’s distrust of West.

1920- Reds defeat Whites

Rule of Lenin 1920-1924

Economic Reforms included the New Economic Plan (NEP)

-moderate mix of capitalism and socialism

Political Reforms

-Bolshevik party became Communist Party

-Russia becomes the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Communism

A Form of Socialism Central Planning of the Economy by the State

Gov’t (Communist Party) makes decisions on individual jobs and pay

1924

Lenin Dies Power Vaccuum Leon Trotsky vs. Joseph Stalin Stalin takes control Now must decide how he will maintain

power Decides to create a totalitarian state

Characteristics of a Totalitarian State

Dictatorship- Absolute Authority Dynamic Leader- Vision for the nation State Control Over All Sectors of Society

Business, Family Life, Labor, youth groups, housing, religion, education, the arts

State Control Over the Individual Obedience Denies basic liberties

Organized Violence Uses force to crush opposition

Stalin’s Totalitarian State

State Control of the Economy 5 year plan, collective farms

Police Terror Great Purge, crush opposition

Religious Persecution Control of the individual

Propaganda (socialist realism) Molding peoples minds

Education Controlled by the government