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Russian Revolution

• The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a pair of revolutions in Russia in

1917, which dismantled the Tsarist autocracy and led to the eventual rise of

the Soviet Union. At first there was a Feruary revolution which led to the adication

of tsar !icholas "" and fall of Russian empire.The old re#ime was replaced y a

provisional #overnment y the memers of $uma %parliament&.Then there was

another revolution y the 'olshevi(s in )ctoer called )ctoer revolution

Political situation in Russia-

By early 20th century most of the European ctries were either republic like

france or constitutional monarchy like Britain. The rule of the old feudal

aristocracies has been replaced by that of a more democratic and liberal

middle class.But rusia was stiil ander an autocratic rule of absolute

monarchTsar! whose authority was not sub"ect to any

parliament.#icholas $$of Romonov dynasty! was a very conservative ruler

who believe in his divine ri%hts to be kin% and believed that Russian

people were devoted to him. But in reality only nobility and upper layers of 

cler%y supported Tsar. &is attitude prevented him from allowin%

democratic institutes to work properly.&is vast empire consisted of many

nationalities and cultures. &e tried to impose Russian lan%ua%e and

culture amon% non Russian parts of his empire which caused %reat

dissatisfaction amon% them.  !icholas "" was completely dominated y his wife.

She, in turn, was ruled y a friend named Rasputin who virtually ran the #overnment.

*orruption in the state resulted in #reat sufferin# amon# the people

+rowin# socialism in urope-

There was rise and #rowth of socialist movement throu#hout urope in 19th 

century.'y early twentieth century there was socialist or#anisations in almost all parts

of urope includin# Russia. 'ut with 1st ww1 socialist movement in most countries

suffered a setac( and the Second "nternational was also split on the issue whether

the socialists should support their nation in war or not.

+rowth of revolutionary movement in Russia-

 As a part of this #rowin# socialist movements in urope many socialist revolutionary

movement also #rew in Russia. hen the wor(ers/ or#ani0ations were set up after

industriali0ation e#an, they were dominated y ideas of socialism. "n 12, the

Russian Social $emocratic 3arty was formed y +eor#e 3le(hanov, a 4ar5ist.  This party alon# with many other socialist #roups was united into the Russian Social

$emocratic 6aour 3arty in 19. "t was an ille#al or#anisation.  This party alon# with

many other socialist #roups was united into the Russian Social $emocratic 6aour

3arty in 19. owever, the party was soon split over 8uestions of or#ani0ation and

policy. )ne #roup which was in a minority %hence (nown as the 4enshevi(s&

favoured a party of the type that e5isted in countries li(e France and +ermany and

participated in elections to the parliaments of their countries. The maority, (nown as

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the 'olshevi(s%leader :ladmir 6enin& , were convinced that in a country where no

democratic ri#hts e5isted and where there was no parliament, a party or#ani0ed on

parliamentary lines would not e effective. They favoured a party of those who would

aide y the discipline of the party and wor( for revolution.'oth these parties

considered industrial wor(ers as main revolutionary population.

Some Russian socialist considered that peasants should e the main force ofrevolution as maority of population%;<& was involved in a#riculture and their

costume of dividin# land amon# themselves periodically made them natural

socialists. They formed Socialist Revolutionary 3arty%19==&.The loddy Sunday event has further stren#thened the revolutionary movements in

Russia.

Economic and social changes

• :ast maority %;<& of Russians were a#riculturists.This was hi#her than other

uropean countries%>=< to ;=<&.• Serfdom was aolished in 1?@ ut till conditions didn/t improve as farmin# methods

were insufficient to feed the #rowin# population.

• "ndustrialisation e#an very late in Russia in @nd half of 19th century. Their #rowth was

fairly #ood ut most of the capital was forei#n and private investment. These forei#n

capitalist were interested in 8uic( profit and the Russian capitalist also tried to

compete with them . 'oth tried to ma5imi0e profit i#norin# the wor(ers.

• The rapid industriali0ation of Russia also resulted in uran overcrowdin# and poor

conditions and low wa#es for uran industrial wor(ers.

• The wor(ers had no political ri#hts. omen made 21< of wor(force ut their wa#es

were low compared to their male counterparts.

"mpact of 19=; revolution-

• "t e#an on 9th anuary 19=; when a peaceful procession of wor(ers lead y priest

father +apon marchin# towards winter palace%at St. 3etersur#& were shot y troops

in which over 1== wor(ers were (illed.This event is (nown as 'loody Sunday and it

was followed y widespread stri(e y wor(ers and oycott y students, lawyers and

various other sections of society.  ven sections of the army and the navy revolted.

This procession was in support of stri(in# wor(ers who were demandin# hi#her

wa#es and etter wor(in# conditions and reduction in wor(in# hours.

• Reasons for revolution- $efeat of Russia in Russia-apanese war%for 4anchuria andBorea& which demorali0ed the people and caused increase in price of #oods to meet

war e5penses. 3eople wanted more freedom and political ri#hts which were almost

asent in tsar rule

• Reason for survival of Tsar- his opponents were not unuted,there was no central

leadership, army was mostly loyal to him and he compromised y issuin# )ctoer

manifesto.

• Followin# the Revolution of 19=;, the Tsar made last effort attempts to (eep his

re#ime from ein# toppled, he released an )ctoer manifesto which #ranted civil

lierty and allowed the creation of a consultative elected parliament %duma&.

Russian constitution of 19=? was enacted at the first session of duma.• The new constitution provided for a icameral Russian parliament, without whose

approval no laws were to e enacted in Russia. This le#islature was composed of an

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upper house, %State *ouncil!, and a lower house, %State $uma!. 4emers of theupper house were half appointed y the Tsar, with the other half ein# elected yvarious #overnmental, clerical and commercial interests. 4emers of the lowerhouse were to e chosen y various classes of the Russian people, throu#h acomple5 scheme of indirect elections in which propertied sections had the votes. 4inisters could not e appointed y, and were not responsile to, the $uma, thusdenyin# responsile #overnment at the e5ecutive level The Tsar retained anasolute veto over le#islation, as well as the ri#ht to dismiss the $uma at any time.Tsar chan#ed the votin# laws and pac(ed 2rd duma with propertied and conservative

politicians.  So in practice, the +overnment of Russia continued to e a non-official

 Asolute 4onarchy

World war 1

• "nitially the war was popular and people rallied around tsar. 'ut this patriotic unity did

not last lon#.

•

Russian army lost adly in #ermany and hun#ary snd there were 7 million casualitiesy 1917.

• "n 191; tsar too( the military leadership leavin# administration to his wife and

Rasputin who were uncapale of doin# it."t also impacted the industries. The Russian industries were few and the supply of

industrial #oods was cut off y +erman control of the 'altic sea. 6aours were

conscripted to serve the army. This resulted in laour shorta#e for industries.

• There were food shorta#es and inflation due which even read ecame unaffordale

as lar#e amount of it was sent to feed the army. This increased food in riots y late

191?. Also the stri(es increased.

• Some elieve that althou#h conditions were there for an upheaval still the radical

chan#es was not possile if there was no war. The war failure caused troops and

police to mutiny who had earlier supported aristocracy.

February revolution-

• 'y Feruary 1917 the conditions were ripe for an uprisin#.

• )n @@ Feruary there was a demonstration y wor(in#-class women tryin# to

purchase read. A #eneral stri(e of wor(ers followed, in which soldiers and others

soon oined. At this sta#e o political party was actively or#anisin# the stri(e.

• )n @;th Feruary $uma was suspended. This was resented y parliamentarians

wishin# to preserve elected #overnment.• )n @7th #overnment tried to control the situation and called the cavalry ut they

refused to fire on the demonstrators. Re#iment y re#iment mutinied and oined the

demonstrators.

• Stri(ers and soldiers #athered in the uildin# of duma to form council or soviet. This

was called the 3etro#rad soviet.%council of wor(ers and soldiers&.

• Followin# the advise of his military commanders tsar adicated on @nd march.Tsar

nominated his rother to succeed him ut +rand $u(e realised that he would have

little support as ruler, so he declined the crown.

•  Soviet leaders and $uma leaders formed a provisional #overnment they decided

that Russia/s future ased on its constitution framed y a constituent assemly

ased on adult franchise.

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October revolution-

• "n Feruary 1917 two centres of power emer#ed to replace the tsarist #overnment: 

the 3rovisional +overnment and the 3etro#rad Soviet. The 3rovisional +overnment

had formal authority ut the Soviet controlled the actual power, includin# the loyalty

of the troops, and offered only conditional support to the #overnment•  Army officials, landowners, industrialists were influential in provisional #overnment.

Restrictions on press and #atherin# were removed and soviets%councils& li(e

petro#rade soviet%without elections& were set up everywhere.

• +overnment delayed the elections for constituent assemly ar#uin# elections were

not possile durin# war.

• "n April 1917, 6enin returned to Russia from his e5ile. e demanded war to e ended,

an(s e nationalised and land to e transferred to the tiller. These 2 demands were

6enin/s April Thesis. 3rovisional #overnment under Berens(y was not ale to

implement these demands and lost the support of people. So popularity of 'olshevi(s

increased and 6enin felt that it was time for soviets to ta(e power.4ost of the soviets felt that time hasn/t come for a socialist revolution in Russia and

so the provisional #overnment should e supported. 'ut the events later chan#ed the

scenario.

• "n une aout ;== soviets sent representatives to All Russian *on#ress of *on#ress

of Soviets. As the provisional #overnment saw its power decreasin# and influence of

'olshevi( increasin# it launched an attac( on leaders. 6enin was accused of ein# a

#erman spy and at this popularity of 'olshevi(s declined.>== people were (illed in

violence of July Days.

• ncoura#ed y the socialist revolutionaries peasants sei0ed land etween uly and

Septemer.

• The provisional #overnment collapsed in )ctoer revolution when 3etro#rad soviet

and 'olshevi( party a#reed for a socialist sei0ure of power. A military revolutionary

committee was formed under Trots(y to or#anise the sei0ure. "t too( place on @; th 

)ctoer.  An All Russian *on#ress of Soviets met on the same day and assumed full

political power.At this time popularity of 'olshevi(s has increased.

 After )ctoer revolution-

• Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Repulic was formed. "t was ust one of the many

CrepulicsC that composed the future Soviet Union.

•

'olshevi(s were opposed to private property and most industries and an(s werenationalised.

• 6and was declared social property and peasant sei0ed the land of noility.

• )ld aristocratic titles were anned

• 'olshevi( party was renamed Russian communist party.

• "n !ovemer 1917 'olshevi(s or#anised elections to constituent assemly ut they

failed to #ain maority support. 6enin dismissed the assemly and said All Russian

*on#ress of Soviets was more democratic then elected assemly.

• "n march 191 despite opposition y its allies, 'olshevi(s si#ned a treaty with

+ermany at 'rest 6itovs( to formally drew Russia out of 1.

• "n the followin# years 'olshevi(s were the only party to participate in elections for All

Russian *on#ress of Soviets and Russia ecame a one party state.

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•  A secret police called che(a%later !B:$& was formed to punish all those who

criticised the 'olshevi(s.

Russian civil war 

•

hile resistance to the Red +uard e#an on the very day after the 'olshevi(uprisin#, the Treaty of 'rest-6itovs( and the political an ecame a catalyst D1@E for the

formation of anti-'olshevi( #roups oth inside and outside Russia, pushin# them into

action a#ainst the new re#ime.

• !on 'olshevi(s socialists, lierals and supporters of aristocracy condemned rhe

oshevi( uprisin#. Their leaders move to south Russia and or#anised troops to fi#ht

the 'olshevi(s%Reds&.

• So there was civil war etween #reens%Social revolutionaries&,whites%3ro tsarist& and

reds.Anti 'olshevi(s were supported y 'ritain, apan, France and America ecause

they feared the #rowth of communism.

• 'ut y 19@= 'olshevi(s controlled most part of Russian empire with the help of non

Russian nationalists and 4uslim adidists. 'olshevi(s a#reed to #ive political

autonomy to most non Russian nationalities%of former Russian empire& in return for

their oinin# a union with Russia.% This union was called soviet union&.All of them

were called repulics and so their union was USSR

• "n 19@@ USSR was formally created when Russian SFSR, the Transcaucasian

SFSR, the U(rainian SSR and the 'yelorussian SSR%'elarus& approved the Treaty

on the *reation of the USSR 

• the Transcaucasian SFSR emraced Armenia, A0eraian and +eor#ia. As they were

separated from Russia y the *aucasus 4ountains, they were (nown traditionally as

the Transcaucasian Repulics.