Dissent And Revolution 1917

Question 1

What was the state of Russia in 1917?

Answer 1

Russia was:
- a developing country
- rapid industrialisation before WW1, workers endured harsh working/living conditions
- frustrating autocratic system that shut down any opposition

Question 2

What is autocracy?

Answer 2

Rule by one person with no limits to their power. That person was Tsar Nicholas II

Question 3

Reasons for Nicholas’ weakened authority?

Answer 3

Personality:
- believed in divine right to rule
- stubborn and saw advice as criticism
- undermined ministers to retain authority
Alexandra and Rasputin:
- holy man trusted after helped son Aleksei with haemophilia
- Rasputin became influential at court, undermined support for the Tsar

Question 4

What was the state duma?

Answer 4

Formed 1906 to debate politics and legislation. Nicholas refused to share power and frustrated those who wanted democracy. Nicholas to be blamed for Russias problems

Question 5

Explain Nicholas and russias problems?

Answer 5

He believed in a religious bond between tsar and people, and putting Russia in faith in god and tradition. Nicholas did not actively try to solve russias problems believing they were in gods hands

Question 6

Opposition to tsarism

Answer 6

Three main groups of political opposition to the tsar:
Liberals
The social revolutionaries
The social democrats

Question 7

Who were the liberals?

Answer 7

• favoured reform and a constitutional monarchy
• included constitutional democrats (kadets) the Octobrists and the progressives

Question 8

Who were the SR’s?

Answer 8

• founded 1901
• represented peasant interests, including land reform
• suffered internal divisions

Question 9

Who were the social democrats?

Answer 9

• All Russian Social Decocrat Labour Party founded 1898
• represented the proletariat (working class)
• split in 1903 into Mensheviks and Bolsheviks

Question 10

The Russian war effort

Answer 10

In July 1914, Nicholas mobilised army to support Serbia against Austria-Hungary. Experienced several defeats. Was a major cause of discontent.

Question 11

Problems for Russia in the war

Answer 11

Lack of weapons, ammunitions, equipment and clothing for Russian troops in defeats.
Battle of Tannenburg August 1914, 300,000 Russians killed or wounded

Question 12

When was the All Russian Union of Zemstva and Cities formed?

Answer 12

June 1915, chaired by Prince Lvov, Nicholas refused to let them take any part in his governments management of war

Question 13

What was the “progressive bloc”

Answer 13

Set up August 1915, in state Duma, demanded that responsibility for the war effort be handed over to a civilian government, Nicholas refused, this increased liberal discontent

Question 14

When did Nicholas become commander in chief of Russias army?

Answer 14

September 1915, although he lacked military experience. This made him directly responsible for everything that went wrong in the war

Question 15

When was Rasputin assassinated?

Answer 15

December 1916

Question 16

Reasons for food shortages?

Answer 16

Conscriptions of men caused labour shortages, reduced food supplies. Peasants hoarded grain.
Food supplies were prioritised to army.
Railways system turned over to transport to military instead of towns

Question 17

Reasons for cost of living increased?

Answer 17

Government raised taxes and took on huge loans.
Shortages of food raised prices higher leading to inflation
Unemployment increased

Question 18

Figures from January 1917 strike

Answer 18

30,000 on strike in Moscow
145,000 on strike in Petrograd

Question 19

Discontent in Russia

Answer 19

Aimed at people in power, expressed through strikes and desertions from army.

Question 20

Explain problems of society?

Answer 20

The tsar struggled to gain the support of the people after ruining the economic state of Russia. This led to hostile attitudes to the gov. And talks of the tsar being forced off the throne

Question 21

Causes of February 1917 revolutions?

Answer 21

Food shortages and economic hardships.
Military failures in WW1- undermined support for tsar
Autocratic rule- fueled opposition and resistance movements, widespread protests

Question 22

Participants of feb rev

Answer 22

Factory workers- strikes and protests
Peasants- affected by food shortages and land reforms
Soldiers- disillusioned with war
Bolsheviks, Mensheviks, SR’s

Question 23

Actions of feb rev

Answer 23

Widespread strikes and protests
Mutinies in army
Collapse of army
Provisional Government established
Abdication of the Tsar

Question 24

Results

Answer 24

End of tsarist rule- he abdicated
Rise of soviet power and provisional government and dual power

Question 25

Impact

Answer 25

Workers- improvements in lives, 8 hr work day, strike rights
Peasants- reforms failed to satisfy, peasant uprising, support for bols
Soldiers- mutinying and joined protests against tsar

Question 26

Causes of October revolution 1917

Answer 26

Bread, Land and Peace- addressed widespread discontent
Dissatisfaction with PG policies and sought more radical reform
April theses- power to soviets
July days- failed Bol uprising

Question 27

Participants

Answer 27

Dual Power- provisional gov and Petrograd soviet
Supported by red guard and bols

Question 28

Results

Answer 28

Bolshevik takeover, successfully seized power, PG collapsed
All Russian Congress of Soviets ratified power to Bols
Establishment of Soviet rule

Question 29

Actions

Answer 29

Bols gained control of key buildings like military units and increased influence.
Stormed Winter Palace October 25th

Question 30

Impact

Answer 30

Peace negotiations- Treaty of Brest Litovsk 1918, ended involvement in WW1 but at significant costs
Civil war- red Bolshevik army faced opposition from white army and other anti-Bolshevik forces

Question 31

Who made up the dual authority?

Answer 31

Petrograd soviet
Provisional Government

Question 32

What was the Petrograd Soviet?

Answer 32

Radical socialist intellectuals. Wanted to protect interests of working class/ soldiers.
Alexander Kerensky in charge.
Accepted PG under dual authority.
Order No1- only obey PG if soviet agreed

Question 33

What was the Provisional Government?

Answer 33

Influential elite liberals. Wanted constitutional framework and greater reform.
Alexander Kerensky in charge with Prince Lvov.
Disliked soviet

Question 34

Events between revolutions and their impact

Answer 34

Return of Lenin 3 April 1917- allowed to travel through Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Finland to Petrograd. Germany allowed it to stir up trouble. April theses wrote in concealed train and greeted with cheering crowds.

Question 35

Events between revolutions and their impact

Answer 35

July Days- grain prices doubled, shortages of fuel and raw materials saw 586 factories closed, 100,000 jobs lost. 20,000 soldiers joined by workers to demand soviet takes power

Question 36

Events between revolutions and their impact

Answer 36

Kornilov’s attempted coup- August 1917, planned to overthrow PG and establish military dictatorship.
Failed as Kerensky opposed him.
Instability in Russia led to October rev

Question 37

Abdication of the tsar

Answer 37

2nd March 1917

Question 38

Lenin and the Central Committee

Answer 38

Lenin demanded to seize power. Kamenev and Zinoviev opposed as they said Russia wasn’t ready.