The Russian Revolution

TrotskyLenin Stalin

Where and When???• The Russian Revolution started in 1917 in Russia.• But there was revolution before, in 1905. It

started because Russia was defeated by Japan in the war of 1905. Although the revolution of 1905 didn’t succeed it was an important influence for the next revolution because:– It was the first time that the Soviets appeared– The tsar gave to the people a Duma (Parliament)

• The film “the battleship Potemkin” (“Acorazado Potemkin”) of Eisenstein shows the repression against the demonstrators. Here you have the link:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ORUQvD6qyQ

Why?

• There was a deep discontent because: • There was a lack of representative system (Russia

was still an Absolute Monarchy).• Russia was a rural country that was not

industrialized.• Peasants lived in horrible conditions.• And the few factory workers of Moscow and

Petrograd were starting to organize the workers’ movement.

• When WWI started the discontent of the population grew.

How???• Revolution of February (1917)

This first revolution was more moderate. The liberals and the bourgeoisie controlled the parliament.

Kerensky was the political leader of this period (and the political party were the SR)

The radical right and the radical left didn’t like this regime and each one will try a coup d’état.

The tsar was still the monarch of Russia, although he was controlled by a constitution and a parliament (Duma)

• August - Coup d'état of General Kurnilov (1917)

The general Kurnilov represented the traditional military powers and wanted to install back the old regime.

This coup d'état didn’t succeed. As a consequence the government of Kerensky is

going to get weaker and won’t be able to stand the next coup.

• October Revolution (1917)– The radical left (bolsheviks) organized by Lenin

and Trotsky tried their own coup.– This revolution succeeded and the Soviets took

control of the most important cities and official buildings.

• Civil War (1917-1921)– The white Russians fought against the red

Russians.– The European powers and USA helped the white

Russians with money and with soldiers.– Finally the red Russians won the conflict.

• 1921– Creation of the Soviet Union (Federated State).

USSR (URSS in Spanish)

– Creation of the Communist Party.

– Creation of the III International (also called Communist International or Comintern).

Internal Consequences• The last feudal and absolutist nation of Europe

disappeared.

• The first communist country of the world appeared.

• Millions of people died during the civil war. (from 5 to 20 millions).

• The state is going to become the owner of all the means of production and controls the economy

International Consequences• The Soviet Union became the leader of all the

workers’ movements of the world.

• The USSR supported the most radical movements, the ones that renounced to gain power through elections and used radical and revolutionary methods.

• It is also going to be the origin of the Soviet Imperialism after WWII.

Stalin• Lenin will die in 1924 and the next leader will

be Stalin. He created a cruel and repressive system, killing many opponents and also many civilians. (It’s estimated that 1,2 million of people died because of this repression).

• Others:– https://archive.org/details/Communis1952