Revolutions in Russia

Revolutions in Russia

• Long-term social unrest in Russia led to revolution, resulting in the first Communist government.
• The Communist Party controlled the Soviet Union until its breakup in 1991.
• Key figures include Lenin, Stalin, and Rasputin.
• The Russian Revolution resembled a firecracker with a long fuse, with the explosion occurring in 1917 after nearly a century of unrest.
• Cruel and oppressive rule by 19th-century czars caused decades of social unrest.
• Secret revolutionary groups plotted to overthrow the government, and revolutionaries assassinated the reform-minded Czar Alexander II in 1881.

Czars Resist Change

• Alexander III halted reforms in Russia, embracing autocracy like Nicholas I.
• Questioning the czar's authority, worshiping outside the Russian Orthodox Church, or speaking non-Russian languages was deemed dangerous.
• Alexander III used harsh measures to suppress revolutionaries, including strict censorship and secret police surveillance of schools and universities.
• Political prisoners were sent to Siberia.
• Russian was made the official language, suppressing minority languages like Polish.
• Jews faced persecution, with organized violence (pogroms) occurring and authorities standing by.
• Nicholas II became czar in 1894, continuing autocratic traditions despite changing times.

Russia Industrializes

• Rapid industrialization transformed the Russian economy, yet it still lagged behind Western Europe.
• Minister's program sought foreign investment and raised taxes to boost industries.
• By 1900, Russia became the world's fourth-ranking steel producer.
• The Trans-Siberian Railway, supported by British and French investors, was built from 1891 to 1916, connecting European Russia with Pacific ports.

Revolutionary Movement

• Rapid industrialization led to discontent due to poor working conditions, low wages, and child labor.
• Trade unions were outlawed.
• Workers organized strikes to improve their living standards and gain political power.
• Several revolutionary movements emerged, including Marxists.
• They believed industrial workers would overthrow the czar and establish a "dictatorship of the proletariat."
• In 1903, Russian Marxists divided into Mensheviks (moderate) and Bolsheviks (radical).
• Bolsheviks like Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (Lenin) advocated for committed revolutionaries ready to sacrifice everything.
• Lenin fled to Western Europe in the early 1900s to avoid arrest but maintained contact with Bolsheviks.

Crises Emerge

• The Russo-Japanese War was fought over control of Korea and Manchuria.
• Japan attacked Russia at Port Arthur in 1904 after broken agreements.
• Bloody Sunday occurred on January 22, 1905, when soldiers fired on peaceful petitioners at the Winter Palace, leading to widespread strikes.
• Nicholas II approved the creation of the Duma, Russia's first parliament, in October 1905, but dissolved it after ten weeks due to his reluctance to share power.
• In 1914, Nicholas II led Russia into World War I, which it was unprepared for, resulting in heavy military and economic costs.
• Czarina Alexandra, influenced by Rasputin, ran the government while Nicholas II was at the war front.
• Nobles murdered Rasputin in 1916 due to his increasing influence.
• Soldiers mutinied, food and fuel supplies dwindled, and people clamored for change.

Revolution

• In March 1917, women textile workers initiated a strike in Petrograd, triggering riots and widespread protests.
• Soldiers eventually sided with the rioters.
• The March Revolution forced Czar Nicholas II to abdicate.
• Revolutionaries later executed Nicholas, thus the 3-century czarist rule of the Romanovs collapsed.
• The March Revolution replaced the czar, however failed to create a strong government.
• Leaders of the Duma formed a provisional government temporarily, which Alexander Kerensky headed
• Kerensky's decision to continue fighting in World War I led to loss of support.
• Angry peasants demanded land, city workers became more radical, and socialist revolutionaries formed soviets (local councils).
• The soviets had increasing influence.
• Lenin returned to Russia with German assistance, hoping to stir unrest.

Rise Of The Bolsheviks

• Lenin and the Bolsheviks gained control of the Petrograd soviet and other major cities.
• Lenin's slogan "Peace, Land, and Bread" gained popularity.
• In November 1917, armed factory workers stormed the Winter Palace to topple the Provisional Government.

Civil War

• Bolshevik Red Guards took over government offices and arrested leaders of the provisional government.
• Lenin ordered farmland to be distributed among peasants and factories to be controlled by workers.
• A truce was signed with Germany, leading to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in March 1918.
• This treaty surrendered territory to Germany.
• Treaty terms triggered widespread anger among Russians.
• Opponents to the Bolsheviks' formed the White Army, causing civil war.
• Leon Trotsky led the Bolshevik Red Army from 1918 to 1920.
• Western nations aided the White Army, but it was not enough.

Bolshevik Victory

• The civil war caused far more deaths when compared to most revolutions, with approximately 14 million deaths.
• War, hunger, and a worldwide flu epidemic caused major caos.
• Red Army eventually defeat all opposition.
• Victory showed the Bolsheviks to maintain power and obtain power.
• The Russian Revolution more closely resembled the French Revolution, and not the American Revolution
• It sought to destroy society and political structures where violence was common.
• Lenin looked to restore order by reviving the economy and restructuring the government.

Lenin's new direction

• The New Economic Policy (NEP) replaced a controlled economy with regulated capitalism.
• It allowed peasants to sell surplus crops, however the government controlled major industries etc..
• The government also encouraged foreign investment.
• The country slowly recovered because of these policies along with civil peace, but became as it was before WW1.
• The Bolsheviks attempted to keep control over nations through nationalism being a threat to unity.
• Soviets become republics under the central government
• Communist Party name, stemmed from from Carl Marx.
• Communist established basic socialist and democratic constitutions in 1924.

Stalin's Seizure of Power

• It was Lenin's communist power which ruled all
• Two men competed in claim of Lenin's seat, Trotsky and Stalin/
• Stalin eventually made himself head of government.
• Stalin obtained total communist unity by 1928.
• Trotsky was no longer a threat

Totalitarianism

• Stalin seized power after Lenin's death, establishing a totalitarian state in the Soviet Union.
• Stalin employed tactics that past dictators has used
• Stalin changed the Soviet Union's function.
• The Soviet grew economically thanks to Stalin.

Traits of Totalarianism

• Totalitarianism = government is total, centralized, state control
• Used to create security and direction in the future.
• Relies on mass communication
• Utilizes secret police
• Challenges western values
• Uses fear, persausion, indoctrination and censorship

Methods of Control

• Dictators rely on police terror to enforce government policies through spying and violence.
• Indoctrination is the instruction of governments beliefs.
• Propaganda uses false information to sway the people.
• "Enemies of the state" propaganda is how ethnic or religious figures get easily identified for terror.

Stalin's Russia

• Stalin aimed to create a perfect Communist state in Russia.
• Police state maintains power.
• 8 to 13 million people were executed.
• Propaganda, Russian arts and news and radio broadcasted achievements of Communism
• Art got used for the expression of communism.

Stalin Seizes Control

• 5 to 10 million peasants died for direct results of the revolution
• Society revolted to it.
• Revolution caused a shift in gender
• Roles expended and people could be people could receive and take control
• Gender law passed due to the revolutions
• Women helped run the state.

Daily Life in Stalin's Russia

• Stalin created many jobs for the Soviets
• New technical jobs were provided to people.
• University and technical training became the key to a better life.
• Many worked in factory.
• This caused a heavy price for women and their responsibilities
• Woman held full time jobs as well as taking care of the home
• State provided great care
• Obedient Soviet women created future generation.
• Stalin stood unopposed and became a dictator in the mid 1930's.
• Like China the the theories and beliefs of Communism fell under
• The leader Mao Zedong helped pave China to transform into this communist state the same way