Dissent And Revolution 1917 Flashcards
1
Q
How big is Russia? 4 facts
A
Largest country in the world which occupies 1/6 of the worlds surface making it 91 times larger than Great Britain, 6000 miles long from the Baltic to the Pacific, 3000 miles wide from the Arctic to Persian coast, not even European because most of 19th century Russia lay in Asia
2
Q
What is the population of Russia and what are the nationalities?
A
60 million people in 1855 which doubled in 1897, over 200 different nationalities speaking 100 different languages (only half the population was ethnic Russian)
3
Q
What natural resources were there in Russia?
A
Blessed with iron ore and coal and oil, only 10% (black earth regions of the south and north) are suitable for farming the rest has a climate ranging from Arctic tunda go scorched desert
4
Q
What were communications like in Russia?
A
Roads were mud tracks, rivers often frozen, none of her three great sea ports (Archangel, St Petersburg, Azov)’ were ice free all year, only 1600km of railway whereas Britain had 15,000
5
Q
How was the Tsar described in the Fundamental Laws if 1832?
A
‘An autocratic and unlimited monarch’ so he ruled as sole and supreme leader supposedly appointed by God
6
Q
How was Russia divided to help the Tsar rule?
A
Russia was divided into 50 provinces each subdivided into 20 districts. At the centre (St Petersburg) sat the senate which supervised the Imperial Council and the Committee of Ministers, the Third Section was the secret police (Okhrana) which turned Russia into a police state
7
Q
What was the Imperial Council?
A
Weak parliament which could comment on but not initiate legislation
8
Q
What was the Committee of Ministers?
A
A cabinet whose members could be fired and hired at will by the Tsar
9
Q
What was the consequence of the size and instability of Russia?
A
An autocratic military state
10
Q
Identify 6 problems caused by autocracy
A
Lack of economic development, lack of party politics, unfair legislation, lack of democracy (people can’t vote), high chance of opposition, police states cause widespread fear and oppression
11
Q
In what ways did the Russian Orthodox Church strengthen autocracy in Russia? 5 points
A
Orthodox Church not independent of state (controlled by the Holy Synod and headed by a government minister), twice a year the church declared a curse on those who did not acknowledge that Tsars were divinely appointed, Tsar has absolute power over all appointments, promotes blind obedience, 90 or so religious holidays a year
12
Q
What percentage of the population were serfs?
A
50
13
Q
What was the role of serfs? 4 points
A
Given a plot by their landowner in return for goods or services, some paid their owners each year with money or produce (these people were called Obrok), others gave labour services to the Lord 30-40 days a year (Barschina), they could be married/bought/sold by their masters
14
Q
What was the average life expectancy of serfs?
A
35, only 50% of children survived beyond the age of 5
15
Q
What was the Mir?
A
Village commune which organised farming activity and had its own assembly -peasants could not leave the estate without its written permission
16
Q
What was the relationship between the Army and Serf system? 4 points
A
Army was 1.4 million strong in 1855, officers were from the nobility, but the ranks were conscripted from the serfs for 15 years compulsory service (wives declared widows and allowed to remarry), given freedom when service completed but not a pension or land
17
Q
What problems faced the peasantry?
A
Rapidly growing population, low agricultural productivity and increasing sub division of land meant peasants were forced to seek employment in towns and cities causing overcrowding, education non existent, the entire family lived in a small hut about 12 feet square, couldn’t afford to feed/clothe themselves or heat their homes
18
Q
How long was the average working day for workers?
A
Eleven and a half hours but manufacturers received permission to allow overtime so the average day increased to fourteen or fifteen hours but people agreed to work overtime because they are paid by the piece and the rate is low (wages were reduced and bonuses taken away)
19
Q
Why was it a problem for workers when trade unions were banned?
A
It takes away the right to strike which causes workers to feel oppressed and they won’t be listened to
20
Q
Give 2 facts about the nobility
A
1 million of them, top 1000 were called the Grand Seigneurs, not as powerful as imagined as estates were divided on death between male heirs
21
Q
Give 4 facts about the middle class
A
Small due to backwardness of economy, only 1% of population in school by 1855, only 3500 in university, illiteracy at 95%
22
Q
What was the proletariat?
A
Industrial working class, 1% of population lives in cities in 1855, forced off land due to population growth
23
Q
Identify 6 problems concerning workers before 1917
A
1912 saw 2032 strikes, January to June 1914 there were 3000 strikes, Lena Goldfield Strike 1912 saw 270 dead, police infiltrated revolutionary groups very successfully but few workers turned informers, trade unions grew but were constantly attacked by the regime, urban housing was squalid and the worst was in Petrograd
24
Q
Identify 7 economic problems before 1917
A
Development on industry was dependent on French loans, only 10% of Russia’s European land consolidated by 1916, there was under investment in railways 1905-14, USA and Germany both had higher growth rates 1905-14 and they were mature economies, wages in Russia were low by European standards but housing costs were high, landowners unsure about supporting the Tsar by 1917 (conscription of 14 million peasants undermined their economic position), Tsar blocked Stolypins plans for reforms in education and factory reform
25
Identify 4 problems with agriculture before 1917
Applications to leave commune fell after 1909, Stolypins land reforms hindered by Tsar being reactionary, Russian agriculture remained ‘poised precariously between painstakingly achieving success and occasional utter ruin’ during the period, in Ukraine farm sizes remained small at 15 acres
26
Identify 13 problems with government before 1917
Finns and Poles wanted separation from Russia, Ukrainians and Armenians could have been won over but were not, First Duma dissolved for requesting power to legislate, formation of Progressive Bloc (powerful individuals wanting reforms) in Duma, government was well equipped to deal with insurrection but not long struggle, industrialists dissatisfied with government through the court and Tsar by 1914, ministerial office often based on family connections or sycophancy (people sucking up to those in power), government remained hostile towards reform which undermined the work of Stolypin and Witte, Nicholas IIs support by 1914 was very narrow, his priority was preservation of loyalty to self not good government, Rasputins influence caused deep concern, fewer police than U.K. per head of population, no cabinet system of government
27
Who was Stolypin?
He was made Minister of the Interior in April 1906 after his successful suppression of the revolutionaries in Saratov. Three months later he was appointed by Tsar Nicholas II as prime minister
28
What did Stolypin attempt to provide?
A balance between the introduction of much needed reforms and suppression of the radicals
29
What was the main problem for peasantry in the early 20th century in Russia?
Redemption payments (heavy mortgage payments), peasants feared the lands of people who fell behind on these payments would be seized . When the government came to understand these fears they tried to ‘buy off’ the peasantry
30
How did the Tsar and Stolypin try to solve the problem of redemption payments?
By the manifesto of 3rd November 1905 the levying on the peasantry of redemption payments for allotment lands was abolished from 1st January 1907. Peasants had the right to freely leave the Land Commune (Mir) and to acquire as individual householders the rights of personal ownership of holdings from the Land Communes allocation
31
Summarise Stolypins use of repression in 5 points
Created a new court system which made it easier for the arrest and conviction of political revolutionaries, over 2500 people executed between 1906-1911, hangman’s noose known as Stolypins necktie, revolutionary leaders hanged or exiled, many fled overseas such as Trotsky and Lenin
32
How did Stolypin create a new class of prosperous peasants (kulaks)?
He hoped to break the power of the land commune, rural areas for more freedom in their selection of Zemstvo (local council) representatives, Land Bank established funds for the independent peasant to buy his own land
33
Identify 8 positive aspects of Stolypins reforms
Kulaks in favour, by 1916 24% of European Russia households owned their own land and many more in the process of doing so, over 1.5 million settled in Siberia 1907-9 (a sizeable increase in the 4.5 million already there), increase in agricultural production and a start to the modernisation of agricultural methods, allowed consolidation of ex communal land, allowed peasants to sell land to finance migration to other parts of the country, number of primary schools doubled due to educational reforms 1905-1914, living standards improved and more peasants moved from countryside to towns
34
Identify 7 negative aspects of Stolypins reforms
Agrarian reform of 1906 did not please the less able peasants because they poorly managed their land and were often forced to give it up as years went by, peasants had very few rights as they were pathetically represented in the Duma and were subject to severe repression, massive tracts of land were still owned by the 130,000 or so land owners, only about 10% of peasants opted to set up independent farms, by 1914 strip farming was still widespread, not enough kulaks to act as a barrier to discontent, modernisation process was too slow so methods in the countryside remained backward and production of food could not match population growth
35
When and where was Stolypin assassinated?
On September 18th 1911 in a period of growing unrest. During the second intermission of an orchestra at the Kiev Opera House where he was seated in the front row (Tsars box overlooked the draw and orchestra) he stood up with his back to the stage and a young man Bogrov walked solemnly down the aisle next to Stolypin and pulled out a Browning revolver from his cape and fired two shots at the prime minister, Bogrov was kicked as two guards dragged him up the aisle then into a small room off the lobby where he was beaten unconscious before being taken to the police station to await a trial where he was convicted and hanged, Stolypin died after 5 days and was honoured by the Tsar
36
Give 5 points on Stolypins background
Born in Dresden, Saxony, on 14th April 1862. Son of a large Russian landowner. He joined the ministry of state domains in 1885. Four years later appointed marshal of Kovno province. This was followed by the governorships of Godno (1902-1903) and Saratov (1903-1906)
37
What new electoral law did Stolypin pass in 1907?
One which by passed the 1906 constitution and assured a right wing majority in the Duma
38
When was the first Duma?
April-June 1906
39
What happened with the first Duma?
In early 1906 it successfully negotiated a substantial loan from France which lessened the likelihood of Dumas being able to exercise a financial hold over the government. Tsars promulgation of the Fundamental maws was timed to coincide with the opening of the Duma: thus declared that ‘Supreme Autocratic Power’ belonged to the Tsar and that the Duma would be bi-cameral (one chamber would be an elected lower house and the other a state council with members appointed mainly by the Tsar), the existence of a second chamber with the right of veto deprived the elected Duma of any real power
40
When was the second Duma?
June 1907
41
What was the Vyborg appeal? 8 points
Reformist parties demanded that the rights and powers of the Duma be increased, after two months of bitter wrangling Nicholas II ordered the Duma to be dissolved. 200 Kadet and Labourist deputies reassembled at Vyborg in Finland where they urged people to refuse to pay taxes and disobey conscription orders, the response from Russian people was scattered violence. The Tsar appointed Stolypin as chief minister, the Vyborg group of deputies were arrested and debarred from re election to the Duma. This led to Stolypins policy of repression -martial law was proclaimed and a network of military courts
42
What happened with the second Duma? 5 points
Kadets lost half of their seats after the Vyborg appeal which were filled by SDs and SRs who returned 80 deputies between them, right wing parties also increased their numbers which led to disagreement within the Duma as well as between it and the government, Stolypin was willing to work with the Duma in introducing necessary reforms but his land programme was strenuously opposed, Duma directed a strong attack on the way the imperial army was organised and deployed, SD and SR deputies were accused of engaging in subversion so Nicholas ordered that the assembly be dissolved
43
When was the third Duma?
November 1907-June 1912
44
What happened with the third Duma? 4 points
This Duma was more cooperative which enabled Stolypin to pursue his land reforms. It exercised its right to question ministers and discuss state finances. It also used its committee system to make important proposals for modernising the armed services, schools were set up for poor children as well as national insurance for industrial workers
45
Why was the Duma not dispensed before the third and fourth were created? 2 reasons
Duma was not dispensed for two reasons: Tsar was keen to project an image of Russia as a democratic nation (he was advised by foreign ministers who were in trade talks with France and Britain), the Duma had been rendered docile by the governments doctoring of the electoral system (Stolypin introduced new laws that restricted the vote to the propertied classes and this made the third and fourth Dumas dominated by the right wing parties)
46
When was the fourth Duma?
November 1912- August 1914
47
Overall were the Dumas successful?
Historians always emphasise the progressive work of the Duma in providing state welfare and suggest that it was only the blindness of the Tsarist government that prevented the Dumas making a greater contribution to the development of Russia
48
How did tensions grow in Russia 1911-1914?
Stolypin died 1911. 1911-14 the regimes terror tactics were part cause part effect of a dramatic increase in public disorder which gradually returned to the proportions of 1905. The number of strikes classified as ‘political’ by the ministry of trade and industry rose from 24 in 1911 to 2401 in 1914
49
Explain the Lena Goldfields massacre in 4 points
Demands from miners in the Lena goldfields in Siberia for better pay and conditions were resisted by employers who appealed to the police to arrest the strike leaders as criminals. When the police moved into Lena the strikers closed ranks, the troops fired and killed/injured a large number of miners, the Okhrana appeared to have acted as agents provocateurs in order to identify the organisers of the strike
50
Explain anger among the moderates in 1913
The Octobrist leader Alexander Guchkov told his party conference that their attempts to achieve a ‘peaceful, painless transition from the old condemned system into a new order’ had failed. He warned that the blindness of the Tsars government was daily driving the Russian people closer to revolution
51
What did all important sections of the population think of the Tsar by 1916?
An inept political and military leader who was incapable of providing the population with the inspiration they needed. He was resistant to change (Stolypin and Witte’s reforms). It is significant that the first moves in the February revolution were not made by the revolutionary parties
52
When and why was the Duma recalled?
In August 1914, the duma showed its total support for the Tsar by voting for its suspension for the duration of the war but within a year Russia’s poor military showing led to the Duma demanding its own recall. Nicholas II, under pressure, allowed the Duma to reassemble in July 1915
53
Identify one major political mistake of the Tsar and its ministers
Their refusal to cooperate fully with the non governmental organisations such as the Union of Zemstvos and the union of Muncipal councils which at the beginning of the war had been wholly willing to work with the government in the national war effort. These elected bodies formed a joint organisation Zemgor. The success of this organisation highlighted the governments failures and hinted that there might be a workable alternative to Tsardom
54
How did Nicholas II destroy the last opportunity he would have of retaining the support of politically regressive parties?
Duma appealed to him to replace his incompetent cabinet with ‘a ministry of national confidence’ whose members would be drawn from the Duma but he rejected this
55
Why did the progressive bloc form and who was it made up of?
236 of 422 Duma deputies formed this which was composed of Kadets, Octobrists, Nationalists and the Party of Progressive Industrialists because they were denied a direct voice in national policy. The SRs did not formally join the bloc but voted in all Duma resolutions that criticised the governments handling of the war, initially the bloc did not challenge Tsar authority but tried to persuade him to make concessions but he did not listen
56
Identify 10 key events in Nicholas II life
Born into house of Romanov in 1868, became Tsar on the death of his father Alexander III and married Princess Alexandra (German granddaughter of Queen Victoria) in 1894, granted the October constitution in 1905, led celebrations of 300 years Romanov rule in 1913, signed the general mobilisation order that led to Russia’s entry into WW1 in 1914, took over personal command of Russian armed forces in 1915, tried to return to Petrograd in 1917 but was blocked by rebellious soldiers and workers, abdicated in the same year on behalf of the Romanov dynasty, murdered with his family in Ekaterinburg on Lenin’s orders in 1918
57
What kind of person was Nicholas II?
Far from being as unintelligent as his critics asserted, his lack of imagination prevented him grasping the nature of events in which he was involved. When he tried to be strong he appeared obdurate
58
How many ministers were there 1915-16?
Four prime ministers, three foreign secretaries, three ministers of defence, six interior ministers
59
Who was Rasputin?
A self ordained holy man from the Russian steppes (alive 1869-1916) who was notorious for his sexual depravity meaning certain women threw themselves at him (including many fashionable ladies in st Petersburg even wives of courtiers)
60
What were Rasputins relations with officials and the Tsar like?
Bitterly hated at the imperial court to which he had been officially invited, as early as 1907 he won himself a personal introduction to the Tsar and his wife
61
Why was Rasputin invited to court by Empress Alexandra?
She was desperate to cure her son Alexei of haemophilia, Rasputin realised the pushing and prodding he was subjected to when with doctors made him more feverish so he stroked his head and arm gently and spoke calmly to him so as to relax him which lessened his pain and lowered his fever. Alexandra was deeply religious and believed this was gods work so Rasputin became her confidant (someone to confide intimate secrets to)
62
How did Alexandra try to make Russia her adopted country?
Converted to the Orthodox Church, endeavoured to learn and apply Russian customs and conventions. This accounted for very little after 1914 when her enemies portrayed her as a German agent
63
When and how was Rasputin killed?
In December 1916 a group of aristocratic conspirators poisoned him with arsenic, shot him at point blank range, battered his head with a steel bar and threw him whilst alive and trussed in a heavy curtain into the river Neva
64
Identify 4 impacts on Russian government finance of WW1
Export of grain stopped, decline in foreign trade as a result of WW1 (Germany accounted for half of the total), fall in revenues and spiralling expenditure, Nicholas II contributed to a 30% drop in its revenues
65
Identify 3 ways in which Nicholas II contributed to the decline in revenues
Made the decision to ban production and sale of alcohol (mainly vodka but not French wine as middle class and Tsar drank this) in an effort to control discipline of the army and workers, instead Russians drank methylated spirits/varnishes/Eau-de-Cologne/Black market moonshine (Samogon) and a spirit called Khanja which was mass and sold by Chinese workers and killed hundreds, despite advice of Duma and ministry of finance which had relied on alcohol sales to part fund the war the ban was made permanent
66
What was the gold standard?
Monetary system where a country’s currency/paper money has a value directly linked to gold, Russia had the largest gold reserves of any European country
67
What did the ministry of finance do in 1916?
Developed alternative sources of revenue such as income and profit tax and printing money. Government spending increased from 4 million in 1924 to 30 million in 1917 and the gold standard was abandoned which led to rapid hyperinflation. Money supply grew by 336% but prices grew by 398% as producers increased their prices to take into account the drop in the value of money
68
Identify 8 impacts of hyperinflation
Prices of Rye went up 47%, prices of matches up 500%, wages went up 100% but prices of good went up on average by 300%, increasing incidents of disease due to malnutrition, unsanitary living conditions (cold and damp due to lack of coal and wood), 30,000 workers strike in Moscow in 1917, 145,000 strike in Petrograd
69
How much were the wages of an electrician in 1916 in comparison with the rent for a corner of a room?
Electrician wages increased from 2.00-3.00 roubles pre war to 5.00-6.00 in 1916 but rent for a corner of a room raised from 2.00-3.00 monthly to 8.00-12.00 in 1916
70
Identify 9 impacts on the Russian army of WW1
14.6 million in army by end of 1916, 5.5 million casualties, 2.1 million prisoners of war, 3.4 million sick/wounded, army made up of insufficiently trained peasants led by inexperienced officers drawn by ranks of intelligentsia (middle class), 1914 infantry only had two rifles for every 3 soldiers, 1915 Russian artillery limited to 2 or 3 shells every day, soldiers relied on weapons of fallen soldiers, 1.5 million desertions by end f 1916
71
What was the Dardanelles Strait and what was the impact of its closure?
Narrow natural strait and international waterway in northwestern turkey that forms part of the continental boundary between Europe and Asia. When it closed Russian industry and raw materials could not meet army’s demand for weapons/boots/clothing/munitions
72
When was the battle of Tannenburg and what happened?
1914 and lasted three days, 10,000 of 150,000 Russian soldiers escaped, general Samsonov committed suicide, Germans lost 20,000 men but took over 92,000 Russian prisoners
73
What happened when General Alexander Brusilov (commander of Russian army in South West) led an offensive against the Austria Hungarian army and when was this?
June 1916, his troops advanced 80km and captured 200,000 prisoners in the first two weeks but german army reinforcements gradually pushed the Russians back. Russian army lost a million men by the time the offensive was called to a halt in 1916 autumn
74
When and what was the battle of the Masurian lakes?
A Germán offensive in the eastern front during the early stages of WW1 which pushed the Russian first army back across its entire front eventually ejecting it from Germany. 100,000-125,000 killed/wounded/missing including 30,000-45,000 prisoners
75
How were the early stages of war dark days for Lenin’s Bolsheviks?
They were vilified as traitors and German agents for their opposition to the war so were forced to flee or go into hiding. Lenin who was already in exile in Poland made his way with Austrian hell into neutral Switzerland
76
Which six empires engaged in the First World War?
Germany, Austria, Turkey, Russia, France and Britain but only the last two survived
77
Give 7 points about WW1s impact on food supplies
Requisitioning of horses and fertilisers by the military for the war effort made it difficult for peasants to sustain agricultural output, inflation made trading unprofitable so peasants stopped selling food and began hoarding their stocks, the army had first claim on the more limited amount of food being produced, the military had priority in use of the transport system, shortages were at their worst in towns and cities, Petrograd suffered because of its remoteness from the food producing regions and the large number of refugees which swelled its population, by early 1917 bread rationing meant Petrograd inhabitants were receiving less than a quarter of the amount that had been available in 1914
78
Give 9 points about WW1s impact on transport
Between 1881-1914 railways grew from 13,000 miles to 44,000 miles, the attempt to transport millions of troops and masses of supplies to war fronts created pressures, signalling system broke down so blocked lines/ trains stranded by engine break down or lack of coal were commonplace, by 1916 some 575 stations were no longer capable of handling freight, pile up of un distributed goods caused stations to sink into the ground under the weight of new supplies, food rotted in railway trucks that could not be moved, by 1916 Petrograd and Moscow were only receiving a third of their fuel and food requirements, before the war Moscow had received an average of 2200 wagons of grain per month but by February 1917 this dropped to below 700, in February 1917 the capital Petrograd only received 300 wagon loads of grain instead of the 1000 it needed
79
How many people were in Russia’s army in 1914 and 1918?
Increased from 5.3 million in 1914 to 15.3 million in 1918 -it had the largest army of all the countries that fought in the war but it’s total population was 180 million so only 8.8% of the population was mobilised
80
What was Russia’s army’s crippling weakness?
Its lack of equipment however until 1914 Russia led Europe in the amount and proportions she spent on defence. This lack of equipment was caused by poor administration and lack of liaison between the government departments responsible for supplies
81
What did Mikhail Rodzianko (president of the Duma) say about lack of equipment in the army? 6 points
Great shortage of boots, lack of ammunition, war hospitals were disorganised unlike hospitals and stations of the Red Cross which were in excellent condition, shortage of bandages and such things, one had to walk about ten or more versts (third of a mile) from a war hospital to reach a Red Cross, there was plenty of material and labour in Russia but one region had leather/another had nails/another soles/still another cheap labour
82
What role did Nicholas II play in WW1?
In 1915 he had formally taken over the direct command of Russia’s armed services. The intention was to rally the nation around him as the Tsar of Russia but it just meant he was personally responsible for Russia’s performance in the war
83
Give 3 points about morale in the war
Morale was high at the start but was damaged by lengthening casualty lists at the front and declining supplies at home, ill equipped/underfed men deserted in increasing numbers, however 1917 produced mutinies in all major armies not just Russia’s
84
What vital role did Russia play in WW1?
Being an ally to Britain and France in tying down German army for over three years on the eastern front. Russia managed to produce more shells than Germany in 1916
85
How did Rasputin influence the Tsar?
Advised him to promote a large number of Germans in the Russian court e.g Boris Stürmer who became Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior, Foreign Minister and Supreme Minister for State Defence by June
86
How did Rasputin influence the Tsarina? 3 points
Alexandra became the autocrat in the capital when the Tsar was at the front. She wrote to Nicholas with Rasputins recommendations on food supply, transport, finance, land reform. Growing domination of the Tsarina over the Duma: she and Rasputin had a direct line to Berlin and were in the pay of the Germans, Nicholas regularly warned his cousin Kaiser Wilhelm II of troops movements (British King George V was also his cousin). Rumours of Rasputins affair with Alexandra mobilised an angry public against the dynasty
87
What happened in the Anti German riots of 1915? 5 points
Mobs burned and looted German shops, Bechsteins and Bluhners thrown out the windows of piano shops, suspected Germans attacked and robbed, in red square crowds shouted at ‘German Women’, calls for Tsar to abdicate
88
Identify 8 causes of the February Revolution 1917
Long term problems before 1914, impact of the war, impact of Rasputin, role of Tsar, failure to make political reform and formation of progressive bloc, desertion of the elites, institutional crisis, strikes and demonstrations
89
What made February 1917 different from other opposition the Tsar had faced?
The range of opposition to him and the speed at which protests turned into a revolution
90
What did the Okhrana report in 1917?
There was an increase in hostile feelings among the peasants against the government and other social groups due to: prohibition of all labour meetings, closing of trade unions, prosecution of men using sick benefit funds, suspension of labour newspapers
91
What did Rodzianko warn the Tsar on 14th February?
The Duma president warned that ‘very serious outbreaks of unrest’ were imminent and that there every honest man in his entourage had been dismissed or left
92
What was the system of dating in Russia?
Until February 1918 Russia used the Julian calendar which was 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar (the one generally used in most western countries)
93
When did the February revolution begin and end?
18th February to 4th March 1917
94
What happened in the first day of the February revolution?
On 18th or 22nd Feb a full scale strike was started at Putilov steel works (Petrograd’s largest and most politically active factory) which threw approx 30,000 workers onto the street inflaming tensions. During the next five days the Putilov strikers were joined in the streets by growing numbers of workers who had been angered by rumours of a further cut in bread supplies
95
What happened on International Women’s day in 1917?
23rd February brought thousands of women from various textile factories on to the streets to join the Putilov protestors in demanding food and an end to the war. More than 100,000 workers (a third of the city’s industrial workforce) had stopped working by the end of the day
96
What state was Petrograd in by 25th February?
It experienced a city wide strike: factories were now transformed into political meeting places and attempts by the authorities to disperse the workers were hampered by growing sympathy among police for the protestors
97
How did the Tsar respond to the disorder in Petrograd in February?
At his military headquarters in Mogilev (400 miles from Petrograd) he relied for news largely on the letters received from the tsarina who was still in the capital. When he heard of the disorder he ordered the commander of the Petrograd garrison (General Khabalov) to restore order but he called back that, with the various contingents of the police and militia either fighting eachother or joining demonstrators, and his own garrison troops disobeying orders, the situation was uncontrollable
98
What had Khabalov earlier begged the government to do?
Declare martial law in Petrograd which would have allowed him to use unlimited force against the demonstrators but the breakdown of ordinary life in the capital meant that martial law proclamation could not even be printed let alone enforced
99
What happened with garrison troops in February?
By 26th Feb all but a few thousand of the original 150,000 Petrograd garrison troops had deserted, desertions also depleted a battalion of troops sent from the front under General Ivanov to reinforce the garrison
100
How did Nicholas respond to the situation with the garrison troops?
Rodzianko informed him only a major concession on the governments part could preserve the imperial power. In response Nicholas ordered the Duma to dissolve but a group of 12 members disobeyed and remained in session as a ‘Provisional Committee’ (first open constitutional defiance of the Tsar)
101
What did Alexander Kerensky do after the Provisional Committee was created?
This lawyer and leading SR member in the Duma called for the Tsar to stand down as head of state or be deposed
102
What event took place on the 27th February?
The first meeting of the ‘Petrograd Soviet Union of Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Workers’ Deputies’ at Tauride Palace (same place that housed the Provisional Committee), set up by the Mensheviks whose local leader was Alexander Shlyapnikov, it represented the reformist elements of the old Duma and spoke for the striking workers and rebellious troops
103
What happened on the 28th February?
Soviet published the first edition of its newspaper Izvestiya (the News) which declared its determination to wipe out the old system completely and summon a constituent assembly elected by universal suffrage
104
How did Tsars cabinet (the elites) respond after the 28th?
Used the pretext of an electricity failure in their government offices to abandon their responsibilities and slip out of the capital. Rodzianko advised the Tsar to abdicate
105
What did Nicholas do on February 28th?
Returned to Petrograd (believing his presence would have a calming effect) but the royal train was intercepted by mutinous troops who forced it to divert to Pskov (a depot 100 miles from Petrograd). Here, a group of generals from stavka with the representatives of the old Duma advised abdication
106
When did Nicholas II abdicate?
The decree of abdication was signed on 2nd March which nominated his brother the Grand Duke Michael as the new Tsar but he refused the title on the pretext it had not been offered to him by the Russian constituent assembly
107
What were the consequences of Nicholas II’s abdication?
The Provisional Committee (renamed Provisional Government) became responsible for governing Russia and on 3rd March they informed the rest of the world of the revolution that had taken place, his abdication was formerly announced thus ending the house of Romanov
108
How many people were killed in the February revolution?
1500-2000
109
Why weren’t the Bolsheviks involved in the February revolution?
Their leaders were in exile (Lenin was in Switzerland) and their were difficulties of communication created by the war
110
Give 7 key characteristics of the February revolution
Institutional crisis (failure of its institutions to cope with the problems), bolsheviks played no part, started by Tsardoms traditional supporters, failure of leadership and nerve at the top, revolution of one city (Petrograd), not the result of a social or political movement but a consequence of war
111
How many strikes were there in April 1917 and in June 1917?
35,000. 175,000
112
How many strikers were involved in the strike issue of wages between April and October 1917?
1.8 million
113
How many issues of open land seizure were there in March 1917 and in June 1917?
2.6 then 37.0
114
How many issues of crop seizure were there in March 1917 and in June 1917?
7.7 then 23.7
115
Explain the problem with war caused by the Provisional Government in 4 points
Kerensky urged Russia to embrace the conflict as a struggle to save the revolution and made a number of impassioned speeches, Kerensky went ahead with 16th June offensive against Germany which failed badly and ended 2nd July, combined counter offensive on 6th July by German and austro Hungarian forces, whole regiment desertions or mutinies after kerensky took yo the position of prime minister
116
What were the effects of Kerenskys actions concerning war? 6 points
195,000 desertions 1914-Feb 1917, 365,000 between March and May, army elected their own soviets and ignored officers commands, PG refused to sign a separate peace with Germany, Kronstad and Petrograd sailors and revolutionaries were tempted into thinking it was time to bring the PG down, Kronstad sailors supported bolsheviks
117
How was the Provisional Government in a paradoxical situation?
Russia was virtually bankrupt after tsardom and needed cash and supplies from western allies but if they pulled out of the war this would stop, general populous were discontented and army were unhappy if they continued with the war
118
How did the Bolsheviks gain support? 3 reasons
They believed they should end the war and automatically aligned themselves with popular opinion in Petrograd whereas pg lost touch with people’s feelings. They encouraged land seizures, their policy of ‘land to the peasantry’ was opportunistic but gained them support because Petrograd factory workers often retained close links with their home villages, land seizures were suppressed by armed force, they represented themselves as representatives of the working class interest
119
How did the Provisional Government deal with the problem of land?
They refused to allow land seizures believing land reform was a matter of the constituent assembly, it wanted land reform to be lawful and fair, set up the Land Commission in April 1918 to collect information on local land arrangements/needs, but the body made little progress, Provisional Government members come from the landed and propertied classes so wouldn’t want a policy that threatens their own land, feared that land reform would lead to wholesale desertions
120
How did the Provisional government try to deal with the peasant problem? 2 points
Set up a state monopoly on grain whereby food committees administered fixed prices at 60% above tsarist level but this was not linked to price rises in consumer goods so producers had no incentive to sell, government retained existing administrative bodies that were democratically elected but dominated by local landowners, armed forces used to suppress rural disturbances
121
What problem did the PG face with workers?
Workers formed soviets and trade unions and factory committees which negotiated with employers over working conditions and management of the factory and in some cases these groups were powerful enough to undermine factory owners however the pg gave permission to owners to dismiss workers or ban committees from meeting during working hours and refuse the 8 hour day, the same level of worker organisation was set up for living conditions, failed to stop further decline in living standards in cities and increasing unemployment
122
Who was chosen as prime minister after the February revolution?
Prince George Lvov, wealthy aristocratic landowner and zemstva libéral leader chosen by Pavel Milyukov who was made minister of foreign affairs but eventually emigrated to Paris, home of many tsarist emigres
123
Who was made minister of the war ans navy after the February revolution?
Alexander Guchkov but he supported the pro tsarist whites in the civil war before emigrating to Berlin in 1921
124
Who did the Provisional Government have the support of?
Army commanders, government officials, police, landowners, intelligentsia
125
What did the soviet control?
Railways, posts, telegraphs, army
126
What was the First All Russian Congress of Soviets?
In June in Petrograd attended by 1600 representatives from 350 local Soviets. Only 40 Bolshevik delegates attended
127
Why did the Petrograd soviet not cease power when it could have as early as June?
Believed it needed a middle class bourgeoisie revolution first before a socialist stage could arrive, Provisional Government was composed of men with skill and experience to keep the economy running, socialists knew that unless events were controlled a working class revolt would occur and anarchy would follow
128
On what condition did Kerensky negotiate the Soviets co operation?
The Provisional Government agreed to grant: a general amnesty, civil liberties, removal of legal restrictions based on class and religion and nationality and the right of labour to strike and to organise. These demands had been included in the programme or the revolutionaries in 1905 and demands of the progressive bloc
129
How did the PG respond to the nationalities hopes and expectations?
Recognised the independence of Poland which was behind German lines, other nationalities ordered to wait for decisions of the constituent assembly
130
Which seven factors explain the failure of the Provisional Government?
Refused to take initiative until a fully democratically elected assembly was in place but it was also torn by internal disagreements/party divisions/personal conflicts, by lifting censorship restrictions it lost its power to mound public opinion to its favour and a lot of anti war propaganda was aimed at the government, lost control of the countryside when it replaced provincial governors with zemstva and a system of peasant committees/Soviets developed and showed independence discipline collapsed as they elected their own Soviets, workers become more radical as living standards decreased/food shortages/unemployment/inflation, resignation of Milykukov and Guchkov in April replaced with socialists from the soviet so landowners/army leaders lose faith in the PG, Lenin’s return on 16th April 1917
131
When were the July Days and what were the causes?
Series of demonstrations in Petrograd between 3rd and 6th July carried out by a crowd of 30,000 composed of sailors from Kronstadt, soldiers and workers against the war, low wages and and hatred of the Provisional Government particularly after the June 16th offensive and combined counter offensive by German and Austro Hungarian forces on 6th July
132
When did Stalin and Kamenev arrive in Petrograd?
12th March 1917
132
What did Lenin’s ‘Letters from Afar’ (written in exile) urge? Two things
The war Russia was fighting should be turned into a class war; bolsheviks should infiltrate the armies of the combatant nations and encourage the soldiers to turn their weapons against governments, Bolsheviks should not co operate with the Provisional Government or other parties
133
How did Stalin and Kamenev ignore Lenin’s instructions in his Letters from Afar?
Stalin wrote to the Bolshevik in Petrograd telling them to pressure on the Provisional Government to announce its willingness to start peace talks at once, Kamenev backed a proposal for the Bolshevik to consider linking again with the Mensheviks
134
When and how did Lenin arrive in Petrograd?
3rd April 1917, supposedly the German government arranged for Lenin to return to Russia in a sealed train across occupied Europe
135
Why was Lenin accused of being in the pay of the German high command?
Between 1914-17 the German foreign office had given regular financial support to Lenin and the Bolshevik in the hope that if they achieved their revolutionary aims Russia would be pulled out of the war
136
What did Lenin declare in his speech on his arrabal at Petrograds Finland Station?
February revolution had not been a genuine revolution, far from giving Russia political freedom, and it had created a ’parliamentary-bourgeois republic’, he condemned the Provisional Government and called for its overthrow in a second revolution
137
When were the April Theses and what were the 5 points in it?
Issued on 4th April 1917 they spelt out future Bolshevik policy. This included: abandoning all co operation with other parties, working for the true revolution entirely by their own efforts, overthrowing the Provisional Government, transferring power to the workers, demanding authority pass to the Soviets
138
How did Lenin view the Soviets?
Although he rejected much of what they had done he saw them as a power base, they offered his small Bolshevik party the means by which it could obtain power in the name of the proletariat, the party needed to infiltrate and dominate the Soviets
139
What were the two Bolshevik slogans?
‘Peace, Bread, Land’ and ‘All Power to the Soviets’
140
Why would problems not be solved if the Provisional Government stayed in power?
They had no wish to end the war which brought them profits, to supply food to the Russian people whom they despised, or reform the land holding system which guaranteed their property rights and privileges
141
When did the Soviet issue an ‘Address to the people of the whole world’ and what did this call for?
14th March 1917. Calles for ‘peace without it annexations or indemnities’. The government declared that it accepted the address however Milyukov (foreign minister) pledged to the allies that Russia would fight on until Germany was defeated
142
What happened within the government April-May 1917? 5 points
In late May a series of violent demonstrations occurred in Petrograd directed at Milyukov. Milyukov and Guchkov (war minister) resigned early in May, Guchkov replaced by Alexander Kerensky, places found for leading Mensheviks and SRs, socialists in Government become isolated from the soviet as they had to enter coalition with the Kadets
143
How did General Kornilov (commander on the south western front) react to the June offensive?
Called on the PG to halt it and direct its energies to crushing the political subversives at home
144
How were the governments troubles deepened after the June offensive?
Sailors and workers on the island of Kronstadt (naval base situated 15 miles west of Petrograd in the bay of Finland) defied the central authorities by setting up their own separate government, this tempted revolutionaries in Petrograd into thinking it was time to bring down the PG, the July Days followed
145
What did the July Days involve?
Spread of Soviets, worker control of factories, widespread seizure of lands by peasants, creation of breakaway national minority governments most notably in the Ukraine, 500,000 soldiers/workers/sailors marched from the Kronstad Naval base to Tuaride palace
146
What was the Ukraine?
Largest non Russian collection of people (23 million) in the empire and the nations largest food producing region
147
When and why did the Kadet ministers in the government resign?
They learned in late June that a Provisional Government deputation in Kiev had offered independence to the Ukraine, they protested that only an all Russian constituent assembly could decide such matters, this ministerial clash coincided its large scale street demonstrations in Petrograd
148
Why did the July Days uprising fail? 4 points
In the three days the demonstrators fell out amongst themselves, members of the soviet who seemed reluctant to make a real bid for power were physically attacked, this disunity allowed the Provisional Government to crush the rising, troops loyal to the government were rushed from the front and scattered the demonstrators
149
When had Lenin declared that the Bolshevik party was ready to take power?
At the All Russian Congress of June 1917
150
What did Trotsky say about the July Days?
Called it a semi insurrection started by the Mensheviks and SRs to avoid Bolsheviks being blamed for a rising that failed, Bolsheviks later said they had come heroically to the aid of workers of Petrograd and their comrades in arms the sailors of Kronstadt
151
What was the opposite view to that of Trotsky on the July Days?
Nikolei Chkheidze the Mensheviks chairman of the soviet argued that the Bolsheviks were behind the rising from the beginning and had later tried to disclaim responsibility for its failure
152
Identify 6 consequences of the July Days rising
Two days after the rising was crushed Kerensky became prime minister, Pravda (Bolshevik newspaper) closed down, Bolshevik leaders like Trotsky and Kamenev arrested, Lenin fled to Finland, Kerensky launched a propaganda campaign in which Bolsheviks were branded agents in the pay of the German high command, a fortnight after the July Days the Bolshevik party appeared to have been broken as a political force in Russia
153
What did the February revolution lead peasants to believe?
They would benefit from a major land redistribution following a government takeover of the landowners estates, when the government did no such thing the peasants in many parts of Russia seized the property of local landlords, disturbances in the countryside occurred daily throughout 1917
154
What was the Bolshevik land policy?
They did not have one, Trotsky dismissed the peasantry as ‘the pack animal’ of history as the party was Marxist but the circumstances of poor tsarist Russia produced a situation in which the peasants were acting as a truly revolutionary force so Lenin added them to the proletarian cause and stole the SRs land policy ‘Land to the Peasants’, they recognised the peasant land seizures as perfectly legitimate which produced a swing to the Bolsheviks in the countryside and split the SRs (a significant number of whom aligned with the Bolsheviks, becoming known as left SRs)
155
Who was General Kornilov?
The new commander in chief, a right wing officer who wanted to destroy the socialists in Germany
156
What did the Kornilov affair involve? 9points
By late August the advance of the German forces into Russia began to threaten Petrograd and large numbers of refugees and deserters flocked into the city, Kornilov informed Kerensky that he intended to bring his loyal troops to Petrograd to save the Provisional Government, on 7th September Kornilov demanded resignation of the cabinet and surrender of all authors to the commander in chief, kerensky dismissed Kornilov from office and placed Russia under martial law (police and soldiers), Kornilov sent troops under General Krymov to take control of Petrograd, Bolsheviks enlisted 25,000 armed recruits to defend Petrograd, railway officers refused to operate trains to bring Kornilov army to Petrograd, Kornilov allowed himself to be arrested
157
What are the two interpretations of Kerenskys involvement with Kornilov?
He was involved in a plot with Kornilov to destroy the soviet and set up a dictatorship but when he realised that Kornilov also intended to remove the PG he turned against him. He did not plot with Kornilov and his actions had been wholly consistent and a commission of enquiry into the affair in 1917 cleared Kerensky of any complicity
158
What did the Bolsheviks gain from the Kornilov affair? 3 points
Presented themselves as defenders of Petrograd and the revolution, revealed PGs political weakness and vulnerability to military threat, By mid September 1917 Bolsheviks gained a majority in both Petrograd and Moscow Soviets
159
How did a political shift occur in Petrograd after the Kornilov affair?
In the firsts few months after the feb Rev soviet meetings had been fully attended with over 2000 deputies in the Tauride Palace but by autumn 1917 attendance often down to a few hundred, Bolsheviks continued to turn up when other party members attended irregularly so they exerted a huge influence
160
Which two events caused Lenin’s sense of urgency to take power?
All Russian Congress of Soviets in late October, November election for the constituent assembly. These would limit the freedom of action for the Bolsheviks because the Constituent assembly’s moral authority would be difficult to challenge so they needed the authority to undermine the results of the election
161
How did the Bolsheviks react to Kerenskys plans for the creation of a Pre parliament?
This would be a body drawn from a variety of parties, representative of a greater range of popular opinion, intended to fill the interim before the constituent assembly came into being, Bolshevik members who were members of the soviet who were entitled to attend the pre parliament derided it then walked out according to Lenin’s orders
162
How did Kerensky make the first move in the October revolution?
Two members of the Bolshevik central committee wrote an article about an imminent Bolshevik coup which made Kerensky believe a date had been set and he didn’t want to be caught off guard so ordered a pre-emptive attack on the Bolsheviks. On 23rd October Pravda and Izvestiya were closed down by government troops and the attempted round up of Bolsheviks began so Lenin ordered the planned insurrection to begin
163
When did Lenin slip back into Petrograd in disguise and what did he do in the following two weeks?
7th October 1917. Series of central committee meetings trying to convince those who doubted the wisdom of striking against the PG (Kamenev and Zinoviev believed Russia was not economically ready for a revolution and didn't want to act until after the calling of the constituent Assembly, Trotsky thought an armed uprising could be avoided if the Bolsheviks became leading party in Congress of Soviets 26th October) On 10th October the central committee agreed to an armed insurrection but not to a specific dat, Kamenev and Zinoviev still didn't support plan
164
What did Trotsky do after the creation of the Military Revolutionary Committee?
If the Bolsheviks could control the MRC they would control Petrograd so he used his influence to have himself accepted as one of the troika (three man team) appointed to run it, meaning he had the only effective military force in Petrograd at his disposal
165
When and why was the Military Revolutionary committee set up?
16th October by Trotsky and Dzerzhinsky to organise the defence of Petrograd against a possible German attack of another Kornilov type assault from within Russia, brought 200,000 Red Guards, 60,000 Baltic sailors and 150,000 soldiers of remaining Petrograd garrison under its control
166
How did the Provisional Government collapse in the oct revolution?
Three days (25-27th October) it took for city to fall under Bolshevik control, only six deaths which were all red guards most probably shot by mistake by their own side, the PG had hardly any military forces on which to recall as the Petrograd garrison had been reduced to a few loyal officer cadets, a small group of Cossack and a unit of female soldiers known as the Amazons
167
What did Trotsky direct the Red Guards to do during the Oct revolution?
Directed these faring elderly men recruited from the workers in the factories (numbered at about 10,000) to seize key vantage points in Petrograd such as the bridges and telegraph offices. He had convinced Lenin to put him in charge of organising the seizure of power due to his strong organisational skills, he gathered red Guard militias at Bolshevik headquarters and sent commissars to get loyalty of Petrograd garrisons
168
What happened when the Bolsheviks reached the Winter Palace?
They strolled in through the back doors as there was nobody defending the gates, the Cossacks walked off when confronted by red guards, it did not take much pressure to persuade cadets and Amazons that it was better to lay down their arms and go home rather than die
169
What happened to Kerensky after the Oct revolution?
He fled to the American embassy, he slipped out of Petrograd dressed as a female nurse and became a professor of history in the USA
170
When did Lenin claim power?
On 27th October 1917 in the name of the a congress of Soviets where Mensheviks and right wing SRs walked out, protesting that it was not a taking of power by the Soviets but a Bolshevik coup
171
Why was it the Bolsheviks and no other party that took power in October 1917?
All other parties had accepted February as a genuine revolution so they cooperated with the Provisional Government. Supposedly revolutionary parties were prepared to enter into coalition with the kadets (dominant party in government) and await the convening of the constituent assembly
172
Why didn’t the PG make more of a sustained effort to destroy the Bolsheviks politically?
They were more frightened of an attack from the right than the left. For much of 1917 Kornilov was considered s bigger threat than Lenin
173
Why shouldn’t Lenin’s power to dictate events in 1917 be overstated?
In 1902 Lenin’s pamphlet What is to be done? visualised the development of a tightly knit and disciplined Bolshevik party that would seize power in the name of masses at the opportune moment but the structure and authority of his party in 1917 was markedly different because there were many disputes within the Bolshevik ranks over policy between February and October 1917 and into 1918
174
What is the explanation for the change in composition of the Bolshevik party?
After the Feb rev there had been s large increase in membership which the central committee had not wanted but seemed unable to prevent. In February the memberships was 24,000 then 100,000 in April then 340,000 in October (60,000in Petrograd)
176
What was the Provisional Government?
Temporary government formed by representatives of the old Duma who refused to disband at the Tsar's order, lasted 8 months.
177
Identify the two major weaknesses of the Provisional Government
It was not an elected body so lacked legitimate authority and had no constitutional claim upon the loyalty of the Russian people and no natural fund of goodwill on which it could rely. Its authority was limited by its unofficial partnership with the Petrograd Soviet (SR leader who was for a time chairman of the Soviet as well as a minister in the Provisional Government) because after the February Revolution soviets were rapidly set up in towns and cities of Russia
178
What did the Soviet Order Number One mean for the Provisional Government?
Military affairs were only binding if they were approved by the Petrograd Soviet. History shows that unless a government has control of the army it does not hold any real power. Between February and April this arrangement worked fairly well
179
What was an important factor in lessening party differences in the PG?
Widepread elation in Petrograd in the weeks following the February Revolution, people felt that Russia had entered a period of real freedom
180
Which moved increasingly to the right as the year wore on: the PG or Petrograd Soviet?
The PG and the Soviet moved increasingly to the left
181
How did Lenin get the new government on its feet?
He had proclaimed soviet power but did not exercise power through the soviet. He formed an entirely new body after the Oct Rev- the council of the people’s Commissers or the Sovarknom. This was made up of 30-40 Bolsheviks and some left SRs. It operated until 1941 but had less influence after the creation if the Politburo in 1919 with 7-9 members
182
Identify 7 key posts in the Sovnarkom
Lenin was chairman, Trotsky was Commissar for foreign affairs until Feb 1918 then Chicherin, Trotsky was Commissar for War from 1918, Rykov was Commissar for internal affairs and later Dzerzhinsky, Alexandra Kollantai was Commissar for Social Welfare, Lunacharsky was Commissar for Popular Enlightenment
183
Describe the 5 aspects of Tsar Nicholas’ personality which caused his weakened authority
He believed completely in his divine right to rule, he was stubborn and saw advice as criticism, he undermined his ministers to stop anyone challenging his authority, he and Alexandra his wife believed there was a religious bond between the Tsar and the people, they believed Russia should put its faith in God and tradition so Nicholas did not try to solve Russia’s problems as he believed they were in gods hands
184
Who were the three main groups opposed to tsarism?
Liberals (loose collection of groups that favoured reform and a constitutional monarchy, included the Constitutional Democrats known as Kadets, Octubrists and Progressives), the Social Revolutionaries who founded their party in 1901 and chiefly represented peasant interests eg land reform but suffered internal divisions (some extreme SRs believed in political assassination but moderate wing gained influence after 1905), social democrats whose party was founded in 1898 and represented the proletariat but split in 1903 into Mensheviks and Bolsheviks following arguments about how to apply Marxism to the Russian situation
185
What were the five areas of conflict between the PG and PS?
Soviet order number one said soldiers and workers should obey the provisional government but only where the Soviet agreed with the provisional government decisions, PG wanted to improve discipline in the army to stop more desertions and wanted to restore order in the countryside but the Soviet encouraged soldiers and worker and peasants to assert their rights, PG wanted an all out effort to win the war while the Soviet wanted to end Russia’s involvement as it meant not giving up territory to the Germans, Soviet saw its role as protecting workers and soldiers and peasants rights which was an obstacle to the PG, PG committed to holding elections for a constituent assembly but in 1917 any elections would be won by the SRs which the liberals of the PG didnt want
186
What 6 freedoms had the PG granted by April 1917?
Amnesty for political prisoners, civil liberties, freedom of trade unions, election of a constituent assembly, freedom of religion and the press, abolished the death penalty
187
Identify the 7 reasons for Bolshevik success
Failures of the provisional government, impact of Lenin, impact of Trotsky, July days, kornilov affair, lack of strong opposition, lack of party politics
188
Describe economic problems before October Revolution
PG has limited success in dealing with economic problems leftover from tsarist times and war which strengthens appeal of Bolsheviks. Food in short supply, fuel shortages make living conditions unbearable, prices continue to increase, government could not guarantee enough grain or ammunition or weapons for troops fighting in war
