3. Russia Causes NEW

Question 1

Institutional Weaknesses

Answer 1

-industry!!!
–no industrial rev
-tsar Nich II
–too young to lead
–little to no experience
-geography
–very big empire
–differences in ethnic minorities

Question 2

Tensions in Tsarist Russia

Answer 2

-tsar nich II
-no political parties mentioned

Question 3

Economic and Social Inequalities

Answer 3

economic
-foreign trade down
-industry vs agriculture (strong agriculture)
social
-workplace conditions
–witte’s industrial reforms

Question 4

Russo-Japanese War

Answer 4

-1904-1905: Russia’s army and nacy defeated by imperial Japan
-poor performance lowered morale
-“The Japanese are infidels. The might of Holy Russia will crush them.” (Tsar Nicholas II)

1904-1905

Question 5

Bloody Sunday

Answer 5

-A massacre of protesting industrial workers
-Tsarist soldiers fired on a procession of peaceful protestors, shattering the country’s faith in Nicholas II
-“There is no God any longer. There is no Tsar.” (Father Georgi Gapon)

9th Janurary 1905

Question 6

October Manifesto

Answer 6

-Proclomation by Nicholas II, promised to give up some power and introduce democratic reforms
-included:
–universal franchise
–a duma
–freedom of speech

17th October 1905

Question 7

Duma overview

Answer 7

1st: SDs and SRs are not overly radical, dissolved by the Tsar (mid 1906)
2nd: Much more of a voice, reforms can become very anti-tsarist, dissolved by the Tsar (Early-mid 1907)
3rd: Rise of Octoberists and Kadets (right wing, tsar starts to take control), survived full term (1907-1912)
4th: Overshadowed by WWI, dissolved by Provisional Government (1912-1917)

Question 8

Fundamental Laws

Answer 8

-constitution of imperial Russia
-reclaimed some of the powerr given up in the October Manifesto
-Tsar was ‘supreme autocrat’ and would dismiss the Tsar
-“We have been given a constitution, but absolutism remains.” (Leon Trotsky)

April 1906

Question 9

Limitations of the Duma

-

Answer 9

-fundamental laws gave State Duma no power
-could be cancelled at any time by the Tsar
-“[The Dumas] quickly turned acrimonious, condemning the first experiment in popular government to failure.” -Abraham Asche

Question 10

World War One

Answer 10

-colossal war, Russia suffering repeated defeats from Germany
-main cause of the Feb 1917 revolution
–both tsarist and provisional gvts unable to support the army or manage the costs
-“War is the midwife of every society pregnant with a new one.” -Friederich Engels

1914-1918

Question 11

The February Revolution

Answer 11

-began as a public strike about food and fuel shortages in Petrograd
–failure of railways bcs of war
-Duma ordered to dissolve, order refused, Tsar abdicates whn his troops turn on him
-“This is a hooligan movement, young people run and shout that there is no brad, simply to create excitement, along with workers who prevent others from working.” -Tsarina Alexandra

23rd Feb - 2nd March 1917

Question 12

Effectiveness of the Provisional Governments

Answer 12

-was made to manage transition from tsarism to democracy
-had no mandate or power and little popular support
-challenged by the Petrograd Soviet
-decided to maintain war effort, unpopular decision
-“The provisional government does not possess any real power.” -Alexander Guchkov

Question 13

Dual Authority

Answer 13

-Provisional Government (from 4th Duma)
–authority (official government)
–no power
-Petrograd Soviet
–power (controlled the army)
–no authority

March - October 1917

Question 14

Lenin’s Return and his April Thesis

Answer 14

April Thesis:
1) WWI was an “imperialist war” benefitting the bourgoisie
2) The provisional government benefitted the bourgoisie and not the people
3) Called for the creation of a Soviet government
-“Our tactics: absolute distrust, no support for the Provisional Government.” -Vladimir Lenin

April 1917

Question 15

July Days

Answer 15

-spontaneous uprising of workers and soldiers against the provisional governmnet
-growing opposition to Russia’s involvement in the war
-Lenin and Soviet leaders refused tto take control
-Bolsheviks took the blame
-“The flight of the shepherd [Lenin] could not but deliver a heavy blow to the sheep.” - Richard Pipes

July 1917

Question 16

Kornilov Affair

Answer 16

A failed military coup d’etat launched by
General Lavr Kornilov in August 1917.

The incident humiliated Prime Minister Alexander Kerensky, who was unable to resolve the crisis, and repaired the Bolsheviks’ reputation after their Red Guards helped defend Petrograd.
-“It’s time to hang the German supporters and spies, with Lenin at their head, and to disperse the Soviets!” -General Lavr Kornilov

August 1917

Question 17

The October Revolution

Answer 17

-popularity of the Provisional Government was declining as class tensions, economic hardship and the breakdown of law and order had set Petrograd on edge
-Bolshevik influence was rising due to their radical, anti-war and anti-class stance had won them the majority in the Petrograd Soviet
-Lenin wanted to take power immediately, Trotsky wanted to wait
-25th: Bolsheviks captured Petrograd and the Winter Palace, arresting the Provisional Govnerment (triggered by Kerensky’s attempt to silence propogander on the 24th)
-“History will never forgive us if we do not take power now.” - Vladimir Lenin

October 1917

Question 18

Workers’ and peasants’ uprisings/protests

Answer 18

-Bloody Sunday (9th of Janruary 1905)
–workers
-Feb Revolution (23rd Feb - 2nd March 1917)
–workers and peasants

Question 19

Soldier and Sailor Mutinies

Answer 19

Did not want to be invovled in WWI5 rrr

Question 20

Socialist Revolutionaries

Answer 20

By 1917, the SRs were the largest and most popular of Russia’s political parties. Their leaders included Viktor Chernov (official leader) and Alexander Kerensky.

The SRs believed that both the peasants and the workers were genuine revolutionary classes. This is because capitalist industrialisation was an inescapable fact by the turn of the century.

Officially formed in 1902

Question 21

Marxism vs Leninism

Answer 21

Marxism: bourgeoisie overthrow the monarchy and establish a capitalist governmnet, then the proletariat overthrow the bourgoisie (communist uprising)

Leninism: the Russian proletariat (workers) were not naturally revolutionary, and had to be led by the Bolsheviks. He also suggested that peasants were ‘allies’ of workers.

Question 22

Bolsheviks and Mensheviks

Answer 22

Bolsheviks:
-Lenin and his supporters became known as the Bolshevik ideology
-The Bolshevik’s followed Leninism

Mensheviks:
-More democratic and more open membership criteria
-More ‘orthodox’ marxists
-Believed that the capitalist democracy and the bourgeois revolution must come before the proletarian revolution

Question 23

Octobrists

Answer 23

A conservative reformist group who believed the Tsar needed to appease the people of Russia, but should still maintain his power.

Initially firm supporters of the Tsar, they were horrified by incompetence of the government during WW1. Joined the Progressive Bloc in 1915 to demand a ‘government of public confidence’.

Question 24

Kadets

Answer 24

A liberal reformist group who believed Russia needed to become a parliamentary democracy.

Made calls for limits on Tsar’s powers in 1906.
Formed the Progressive Bloc in opposition to Tsar during WW1 and called for a ‘government of public confidence’. Led the Provisional Government after the Tsar’s abdication.