Questions and Answers
Why were there revolutionary disturbances in Russia in 1905?
There were revolutionary disturbances in Russia in 1905 due to a combination of factors such as rising prices, poor working conditions, lack of civil liberties, and demands for political reforms.
What were the demands of revolutionaries in 1905?
Revolutionaries in 1905 demanded a reduction in the working day to eight hours, increased wages, improved working conditions, civil liberties, establishment of a constituent assembly, and an end to the autocratic rule of the Tsar.
What were Lenin's three demands in his 'April Theses'?
Bring the war to a close, transfer land to peasants, nationalize banks.
Which of the following changes did the Bolsheviks make after the October Revolution?
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Following the October Revolution, the Bolshevik Party conducted successful elections and gained majority support in the Constituent Assembly.
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What was the primary goal of workers in England and Germany when forming associations?
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The Bolshevik Party was renamed the Russian Communist Party (__________).
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What was the main outcome of the Paris Commune of 1871?
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Socialists took over the government in Russia through the October Revolution of 1917.
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What was the main occupation of the majority of Russia's people at the beginning of the 20th century?
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What was the main difference between Russian peasants and other European peasants?
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What was the main goal of the Russian Social Democratic Workers Party?
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Women were paid the same as men in the factory labour force in Russia by 1914.
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What did liberals want in a nation?
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Radicals supported the privileges of great landowners and wealthy factory owners.
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Who were conservatives opposed to after the French Revolution?
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Socialists believed that _____ was the root of all social ills of the time.
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Match the following individuals with their socialist ideas:
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What did Indians find impressive about the USSR?
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What did the writers fail to notice in the USSR?
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What were the social, economic, and political conditions in Russia before 1905?
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In what ways was the working population in Russia different from other countries in Europe, before 1917?
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Why did the Tsarist autocracy collapse in 1917?
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What were the main changes brought about by the Bolsheviks immediately after the October Revolution?
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Why did many people become disillusioned due to the censorship encouraged by the Party?
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What led to the Bolshevik uprising and subsequent reactions in the Russian countryside?
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Why did the 'whites' take harsh steps with peasants who had seized land during the civil war?
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Why did Stalin introduce firm emergency measures in relation to grain supplies in Soviet Russia?
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During the civil war, the Bolsheviks kept industries and banks privatized.
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The Bolsheviks introduced a process of centralized planning and set targets for a __________ period to manage the economy.
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Stalin's collectivisation programme forced all peasants to cultivate in collective farms.
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What was the main impact of Stalin's collectivisation programme on peasant resistance?
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In 1930-1933, the bad harvests led to one of the most devastating __________ in Soviet history.
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Match the following countries with the socialist influence they received from the Russian Revolution and USSR:
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Study Notes
Socialism in Europe and the Russian Revolution
1. The Age of Social Change
- The French Revolution opened up possibilities for changing the way society was structured
- Before the 18th century, society was divided into estates and orders, with the aristocracy and church controlling economic and social power
- New ideas about individual rights and social power emerged, leading to debates about societal change
- Responses to these ideas varied, from gradual change to radical transformation
1.1 Liberals, Radicals, and Conservatives
- Liberals wanted a nation that tolerated all religions, opposed the power of dynastic rulers, and safeguarded individual rights
- Liberals believed in a representative, elected parliamentary government, with an independent judiciary
- However, they did not believe in universal adult franchise or women's suffrage
- Radicals wanted a nation based on the majority of the population, supported women's suffrage, and opposed the privileges of landowners and factory owners
- Conservatives opposed radicals and liberals, but accepted the need for some change, advocating for a slow process of reform
1.2 Industrial Society and Social Change
- The Industrial Revolution brought about significant social and economic changes
- Industrialisation led to the growth of cities, the development of new industrial regions, and the expansion of railways
- Working conditions were poor, with long hours, low wages, and unemployment
- Housing and sanitation were also major problems in growing towns
- Liberals and radicals searched for solutions to these issues, with some advocating for cooperatives and others for government intervention
1.3 The Coming of Socialism to Europe
- Socialism emerged as a significant body of ideas in Europe by the mid-19th century
- Socialists opposed private property, seeing it as the root of social ills
- They believed that if society as a whole controlled property, attention would be paid to collective social interests
- Socialists campaigned for change, with different visions of the future, including cooperatives and a socialist society
1.4 Support for Socialism
- Socialist ideas spread throughout Europe, with workers forming associations to fight for better living and working conditions
- The Second International was formed to coordinate socialist efforts
- Socialists formed parties and won parliamentary seats, shaping legislation and influencing government policies
2. The Russian Revolution
2.1 The Russian Empire in 1914
- The Russian Empire was ruled by Tsar Nicholas II, with a diverse population, including Orthodox Christians, Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, and Buddhists
- The empire stretched from the Pacific to Central Asia, including current-day Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, parts of Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus
2.2 Economy and Society
- Most of Russia's population earned a living from agriculture, with 85% of the population engaged in farming
- Industry was found in pockets, with prominent areas in St Petersburg and Moscow
- Craftsmen undertook much of the production, with large factories existing alongside craft workshops
- Factory workers and craftsmen were divided by skill and occupation, with women making up 31% of the factory labour force
Note: These study notes are a summary of the provided text, focusing on key facts and context.### Russian Peasants and Socialism
- Russian peasants were different from other European peasants in that they pooled their land together periodically and their commune (mir) divided it according to the needs of individual families.
- In 1902, a large-scale refusal to pay rent and murder of landlords occurred in south Russia, and in 1905, such incidents took place all over Russia.
- Socialists felt that the Russian peasant custom of dividing land periodically made them natural socialists, and peasants, not workers, would be the main force of the revolution.
Russian Social Democratic Workers Party
- The Russian Social Democratic Workers Party was founded in 1898 by socialists who respected Marx's ideas.
- Because of government policing, it had to operate as an illegal organisation, setting up a newspaper, mobilising workers, and organising strikes.
- Some socialists felt that peasants, not workers, would be the main force of the revolution, and Russia could become socialist more quickly than other countries.
The 1905 Revolution
- The 1905 Revolution was a turbulent time in Russia, with liberals, social democrats, and socialist revolutionaries working together to demand a constitution.
- The year 1904 was a particularly bad one for Russian workers, with prices of essential goods rising quickly, leading to a decline in real wages.
- The revolution started with a call for industrial action, and over 110,000 workers in St Petersburg went on strike, demanding a reduction in the working day, an increase in wages, and improvement in working conditions.
- The incident known as Bloody Sunday, where the procession of workers was attacked by the police and the Cossacks, started a series of events that became known as the 1905 Revolution.
The First World War and the Russian Empire
- In 1914, war broke out between two European alliances, with Russia fighting on the side of France, Britain, and later Italy and Romania.
- The war was initially popular in Russia, but as the war continued, the Tsar refused to consult the main parties in the Duma, and support wore thin.
- The war on the 'eastern front' differed from that on the 'western front', with armies moving and fighting battles, leaving large casualties.
- Defeats were shocking and demoralising, with Russia's armies losing badly in Germany and Austria between 1914 and 1916, and over 7 million casualties by 1917.
The February Revolution
- In the winter of 1917, conditions in Petrograd were grim, with food shortages deeply felt in the workers' quarters.
- The winter was very cold, with exceptional frost and heavy snow, leading to riots at bread shops.
- On 22 February, a lockout took place at a factory, and the next day, workers in fifty factories called a strike in sympathy, marking the International Women's Day.
- Demonstrating workers crossed from the factory quarters to the centre of the capital, and the government imposed a curfew, but demonstrators returned, and the government suspended the Duma.
- The streets thronged with people raising slogans about bread, wages, better hours, and democracy, and the government tried to control the situation, but the cavalry refused to fire on the demonstrators.
The Petrograd Soviet
- The Petrograd Soviet was formed by striking workers and soldiers, gathering to form a 'soviet' or 'council' in the same building as the Duma met.
- A delegation went to see the Tsar, who abdicated on 2 March, and Soviet leaders and Duma leaders formed a Provisional Government to run the country.
- Russia's future would be decided by a constituent assembly, elected on the basis of universal adult suffrage.### The Russian Revolution
- The workers' movement spread throughout the summer, with factory committees questioning industrialists' management styles and trade unions growing in number.
- Soldiers' committees were formed in the army, and about 500 Soviets sent representatives to an All-Russian Congress of Soviets in June.
- The Provisional Government saw its power reducing and Bolshevik influence growing, leading to stern measures against the spreading discontent.
The Revolution of October 1917
- Lenin feared the Provisional Government would set up a dictatorship, and in September, he began discussing an uprising against the government.
- On October 16, 1917, Lenin persuaded the Petrograd Soviet and the Bolshevik Party to agree to a socialist seizure of power.
- The Military Revolutionary Committee was appointed to organize the seizure, and the uprising began on October 24.
- The committee swiftly took control of government offices, arrested ministers, and eventually, the majority of the All-Russian Congress of Soviets approved the Bolshevik action.
What Changed after October?
- The Bolsheviks nationalized most industries and banks in November 1917, and land was declared social property, allowing peasants to seize the land of nobility.
- The Bolshevik Party was renamed the Russian Communist Party (Bolshevik), and the All-Russian Congress of Soviets became the Parliament of the country, making Russia a one-party state.
- Trade unions were kept under party control, and the secret police (Cheka) punished those who criticized the Bolsheviks.
The Civil War
- When the Bolsheviks ordered land redistribution, the Russian army began to break up, and soldiers, mostly peasants, deserted to return home for the redistribution.
- Non-Bolshevik socialists, liberals, and supporters of autocracy condemned the Bolshevik uprising and organized troops to fight the Bolsheviks.
- The Bolsheviks eventually controlled most of the former Russian empire, succeeding due to cooperation with non-Russian nationalities and Muslim jadidists.
Making a Socialist Society
- During the civil war, the Bolsheviks kept industries and banks nationalized and permitted peasants to cultivate socialized land.
- A process of centralised planning was introduced, and Five-Year Plans were created to promote industrial growth.
- Centralized planning led to economic growth, industrial production increased, and new factory cities were built.
- However, rapid construction led to poor working conditions, and the effect of the socialist policies was uneven due to limited government resources.
Socialism in Practice
- Model living quarters were set up for workers, and arrangements were made for factory workers and peasants to enter universities.
- Crèches were established in factories for the children of women workers, and cheap public health care was provided.
- The extended schooling system developed, and the socialist policies led to economic growth and industrialization.
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Description
This quiz covers the age of social change in Europe after the French Revolution, including the ideas of freedom and equality, and their impact on society.
