L2: Russia Before and After WWI. Flashcards
Russia at the End of the 19th Century and Early 1900s
1861 – freedom granted to the serfs (enslaved peasants);
Largely agrarian with poor state of agriculture (up to 80% peasants);
Industrialization started later than in some countries of Western Europe and the U.S.;
Emergence of first political parties at the second half of the 19th century (very wide spectrum), which developed into a strong multi-party system in the early 1900s.
Weak legal system and corrupt bureaucracy;
Strong workers’ movement;
Low living standards of workers and peasants;
Revolution of 1905-1907: set limits to the authoritarian tsarist regime; the creation of Duma (Russian parliament); the creation of multi-party soviets.
February Revolution of 1917
Russia was severely damaged by WWI.
Strikes, demonstrations, and protests.
March 2, 1917 - the tsar abdicates.
Market economy and a democratic form of government.
Dual government: the Provisional Government and the Soviets.
The Provisional Government:
The principle parties: the Kadets (Constitutional Democrats), the Mensheviks (a faction of the Social Democratic Labor Party) and Socialist Revolutionaries.
It was called “provisional” because it was to be in power until the next election to the Constituent Assembly in December 1917).
Its weakness of a lack of legitimacy, as it didn’t descend from the old imperial government and it wasn’t popularly elected.
It had no effective power of coercion, and as a result had to tolerate the soviets.
The Soviets
The leaders of the soviets recognized that the members of Provisional Government were experienced politicians; they had international legitimacy; they could command loyalty of army officers, and as a result, reduce the risk of a counterrevolution from the right-wing, monarchist supporters.
Peasants after February revolution
Saw the revolution as an opportunity to rectify the long-standing injustice that the land they worked on didn’t belong to them;
Hoped for a wholesale transfer of the land to the peasants.
Turned to direct land seizure.
Distrusted the Provisional Government.
Government price monopoly on grain.
Workers after February Revolution:
Tremendous capacity to organize themselves.
Soviets soon became too hierarchical and bureaucratized, so that rank and file members didn’t feel they had their voices heard.
Workers directed their efforts to other organizations, namely trade unions or factory shop committees.
Factory shop committees seemed to become the major vehicle in the workers’ struggle between February and October.
Workers’ demands included the eight-hour day, higher pay, better working conditions, and the increased control. ‘Red Guards’ (workers’ militia groups).
Bolsheviks between February and October 1917
Their leader (Lenin) believed that it was time for the workers to take power
“Peace, land, and bread.”
Kornilov affair
Led his troops to Petrograd with the purpose of dispersing soviets and arresting the leading Bolsheviks.
He was stopped by the troops loyal of the Provisional Government (and personally to Kerensky), and arrested.
Soviets and Bolsheviks became much more popular after the Kornilov affair.
To prevent another Kornilov affair, the Petrograd Soviet established a Military Revolutionary Committee.
October Revolution of 1917
Started when the PG closed two Bolshevik newspapers and arrest members.
MRC sanctioned the arrest of the PG.
Bolsheviks negotiated the unpopular Brest-Litovsk Treaty with Germany.
The Constituent Assembly
Bolsheviks won less than 24% of the vote.
Red Guards posted around Assembly building.
After declining a Bolshevik resolution recognizing the full authority of the Soviet Government, the red guards occupied the building and ended the assembly.
The Land Decree (October 26, 1917):
Abolished all private land ownership without compensation;
Called on local village land committees to redistribute the land;
In essence, reflected the Socialist Revolutionary program.
The Decree on Workers’ Control (November 14, 1917):
Gave elected factory committees the power of supervision over industrial and commercial enterprises.
Decrees of November and December 1917:
Abolished all ranks and hierarchical greetings in the army, and subordinated all military formations to elected committees of soldiers, among whose duties would be elections of their officers.
The Decree on People’s Courts (November 22, 1917):
Judges would be elected by the working population.
Special revolutionary tribunals were to be elected by the soviets to deal with counterrevolutionary activity, profiteering, speculation and sabotage.
The Civil War (Bolshevik era)
Weaknesses: political disunity and a failure to attract mass following.
The White Army did not receive as much foreign support as people think.
The Red Army had a very disciplined army structure.
The Cheka was also created. (The Extraordinary Commission for the Struggle with Counterrevolution and Sabotage).
