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