A PEOPLE’S TRAGEDYTHE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

Seeds of Discord in Russia

3 Problems all Russian rulers faced: over vast region : open border to West, East=hostile (War/Huge armies are standard)

Romanovs (1613) Desires for Western technologies Western liberal ideas =

1856 reforms after Crimean defeat = make govt. more efficient, NOT help the people Results:

Mass hatred + Marxism = ?

Slaughterer or Martyr in the Making?Nicholas II

Attempts at Imperialism

Political Upheaval

and Industrial Workers “The gray faces seemed dead, or only relieved by eyes blazing with the rage of desperate revolt… Badly clad, and underfed.” (Gapon)

Full Civil Rights Duma Fundamental Laws

Political Parties - 1917Duma = representative body Illegal Parties (socialist)

- peasants should own their own land - dictatorial decision making in the Party

immediate revolution, do not wait for industrial society refuses any association with other groups in Russia

- democratic discussion/voting within Party

wait for a capitalist society compromise with other groups (like SRs)

Legal Parties Cadets - “liberal” Monarchists - “conservative”

Revolution from Below or Above?Prelude to Disaster (early 1917) Problems during war

From grain exports to famine conditions Chronic disruption of distribution and exchange “The February Revolution was born in the bread queue.”

1914-1916: Calorie intake dropped Infant mortality Crime rates Prostitution

Massive combat casualties Zemstvos formed to organize supplies (w/o Imperial help) — revolutionary roots

“We are no longer prepared to remain in the passive position of being governed.” (Third Zemstvo Union Congress)

Orlando Figes: “…a revolution had now come to be seen as unstoppable, and even desirable, not just by the radicals but by conservatives too.”

Revolution from Below or Above?

Tsar Nicholas II = “mystical understanding of his imperial calling” (Krivoshein)

Tsar should rule like Ivan the Terrible Duma = “fiends who needed smacking” “Show your fist. You are the Autocrat and they dare not forget it.”

Accusations of Romanov Orlando Figes: “In a revolutionary crisis it is perceptions and beliefs that count rather than realities. The demonization of the Romanov court enabled its opponents to point the finger of blame at conspicuous culprits for the people’s wartime hardships.”

Prince Felix Yusupov, Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich, and Grand Duke Nikolai Mikhailovich (all involved in the homosexual circles at court) Goal = to free the Tsar to see things clearly The holy man who wouldn’t die

War on Three FrontsMajor problems by 1917 — losing war effort, incompetent leadership, malnourishment, political and social turmoil, increasing lack of faith in Romanov monarchy By 1917, Russia faced a war on Three Fronts:

War against the Germans and Austro-Hungarians Political turmoil between the aristocracy and elected representatives in the Duma who seek reform The people who desire radical reforms to fix a broken society and provide basic needs

Group 1: Tsar Nicholas II and traditional aristocrats How do you propose to solve the problems facing Russia? Will you cave in to demands to reform (and if so, what will you do or allow), or will you assert your autocratic dominance?

How would each of the following groups have proposed to solve the problems facing Russia?

Group 2: Progressive Reformers in the Duma Group 3: Menshevik Socialist Revolutionaries Group 4: Radical Bolshevik Revolutionaries

Fall of the Tsarist State

Bread riots in General strike, 240 K workers Cossacks, Army refuses to stop crowd Disorganized:

Bolsheviks (in exile) Social Revs, SRs (radical agrarian group) Social Democrats, SDs (philosophical Marxists) Form separate (political organization)

March 15 -

Spring 1917 - Russia Debates its Future

Welcome Comrades! You are taking part in a Soviet gathering and discussing the next steps that must be taken to secure the February Revolution and allow the people to shape their destinies. You will be divided into one of the following options:

Option 1: Create a Liberal Democracy Option 2: Respect the Peasants Option 3: Work Toward a Future Socialist Society Option 4: Organize Now for a Second Revolution

In your Soviets, write a one paragraph argument to be presented before the Constitutional Assembly in Petrograd that outlines your plans for the future of Mother Russia!

Provisional Govt.Provisional Govt., (March-Nov, 1917)

Duma (Constituent Assembly) Want to continue the war, fight it better PG mostly bourgeois Reformed socialists (Mensheviks) War = absolute disaster (1917)

“Dual Authority” = false

War =

Return from Switzerland (April 1917) Form Soviets to seize power

favored Bolshevik dictatorship over workers favored small elite dictatorship over Bolshevik party favored personal dictatorship over elite

Dec. of worldwide Rev. All power to soviets Calls for Land, Peace, & Bread

July Days

October Revolution (Nov 1917)

Opposition Industrial areas favor Bolsheviks (Reds) Rural areas favor Whites

Nov 25 - first free election in Russian history

62% vote for opponents Jan 1918 - Lenin disintegrates const. assem.

October Revolution

Bolshevik Seizure of Power

nat’lize banks redistribute land to peasants w/o compensation repudiated foreign loans seized church lands totally alienate bourgeois allies create secret police

1/3 pop. 80% of iron 90% of coal

Hopes for worldwide revolution:

Bolshevik Seizure of PowerCivil War (1918-21)

troops/supplies arrive, want to est. second front

Anti-Red govts. Red Army increases strength

moves into Ukraine following German defeat in WWI

War with the Poles

Reasons for Red victory: Whites divided ideologically/politically White regimes oppressive (no local following) Whites could not command support of the peasantry

Bolshevik Seizure of Power

U.S.S.R. Structure -- hierarchical organization that directs/enforces all instruments of society (courts, press, culture, econ, unions) through the help of secret police

Guiding ideologies = Marxism/Leninism (interpreted by Communist Party)

Solidifying the System

(worker rep. bodies)

(Party’s policy forum)

(controller of Party bureaucracy)

(highest decision-making organ)

Communist Party

Dictatorship of the

Proletariat

Post-Civil War turmoil

Some privatization of peasant lands, small businesses Nationalized industries leased Politically -- necessary but temporary compromise Economically -- rapid recovery

Books/Art = realistic, popular appeal to the people, utilitarian

Solidifying the System