Russia Flashcards
Causes of the 1905 Revolution
Bloody Sunday
Russo Japanese War
Wiltes economic Policy
Inherent Weakness
Bloody Sunday
- 22 Jan 1905
- Peaceful March to the Tsars Winter Palace for a petition urging eight hour working day, minimum wage and better treatment
- Soldiers opened fire on the marchers, killed 130
- As a result, strikes broke out in St Petersburg
- Bloody Sunday destroyed the trust and bond between Tsar and people and destroyed image of the Tsar
Russo Japanese war
- 1904-15
- Defeats on land and sea shocked Russian Public
- In Jan 1905, Russia lost at port Aurthur
- War caused shortages of food and fuel, high prices and unemployment
- Upsurge of discontent as Tsarist goct seen as incompetent
Wiltes Economic Policy
- Under wilted industrialisation policy, urban workers and peasants squeezed by high taxes and low wages
- Economic slump after 1900 led to high unemployment and social tension
- Poor harvests in 1900 and 1902 led to starvation and violence in countryside
Inherent Weakness of Tsar
- Revolutionaries wanted a revolution
- Presence of national minorities, peasants and workers who wanted a better economic output, representation and treatment
- Weak ineffective Tsar
Why was the Tsar able to survive the 1905 revolution
Loyalty of Army
Opposition not co-ordinated
Split between liberals and socialists
Middle class fear of violence
Government suppression of opposition
Securing vital loans
Loyalty of Army
- Army received pay and changes to condition of service
- Became loyal to the tsar and helped din putting down the revolution in cities, revolts in the countryside
opposition not coordinated, lack of unity
- Different groups such as peasants, workers and middle class did not combine to provide a coordinated and effective opposition
- Had different aims and purposes and did not act together
Why did the Tsar survive 1905: Split between socialists and liberals
- Liberals wanted political reform and movement towards a constitutional democracy
- Socialists wanted a social revolution, equality
- Liberals felt like they had got what they wanted from the October manifesto
Middle Class fear of violence
- The middle class feared the continuation of violence and disorder
- They wanted the revolution to stop and wanted a return of control and authority
Government suppression of opposition - After 1905
- Govt used brutal, suppressive force to beat the population into submission
- Helped re establish govt control but fuelled the next revolution
urns vital loans
- By end of 1905, govt was in deep financial trouble, lost war and falling tax revenues drove the govt to the brink of financial collapse
- Was able to secure important loans in April 1906 which helped stabilise the economy
- Helped pay for troops who were needed to put down the uprising s and restore order
Why did the autocracy survive the 1905 revolution
1) POLITICAL COHESIONS -
October manifesto, political parties allowed, Share power (Duma)
2) SOCIAL IMPACT -
Middle class gain political voice, conditions do not improve for working class
Freedom of speech and relaxed censorship
3) MILITARY POWER -
Troops return from Russo-japanese war in 1906, allow use of army for repression
Retains military support
4) New Chief minister Stolypin
Did life get better for Russian People (1906-1914)
1) Stolypins Policies
2) Dumas
3) Wittes work
4) Political parties
Stolypins policies
- Repression: Courts and hangings
- Industrial reforms: Continued growth, increased employment but low protection
- Agricultural reforms: loans, tough conditions, only 15% qualified
Dumas
1st: Large number of socialists, dissolved by the Tsar
2nd: Similar to first duma, similar demands, dissolved
3rd: Change in election rules, more conservative
4th: Did not achieve much
Wittes work
- Economic minister
- Responsible for foreign credibility, leading to investment
Did life get better for the Russian People 1906-14 (NO)
AGRICULTURAL REFORMS:
- Only 15% of the peasant population qualified for loans
- Poorer peasants forced to sell land and move to the city
INDUSTRIAL REFORMS:
- Working conditions for the workers did not improve
- Workers employed were mostly children
STOLYPINS POLICIES:
- Increased repression
- Court hangings to suppress peasant uprising
- Stolypins necktie
DUMAS:
- Dumas were dissolved and made increasingly conservative
- Did not benefit socialists
Did life get better for the Russian people 1906-1914 (YES)
AGRICULTURAL REFORMS:
- Peasants allowed to consolidate strips of land
- Benefited the rich peasants, kulaks
INDUSTRIAL REFORMS:
- Employment and industrial output increased
DUMAS:
- Satisfied upper middle class
WITTES ECONOMIC WORK:
- Brought foreign investment for industry
Political parties
Socialist democrats:
- Revolutionaries
- Working class would drive revolution
- Split in 1903: Bolsheviks (Rapid revolution led by a small group) and Mensheviks (Mass movement)
Liberals:
- Constitutional, democratic, middle class
- Non-violent
Socialist revolutionaries
- Supported by peasants
- Land reforms for peasants
- Overthrow Tsar
- Violent
Overall public oppinion
- Mixed public oppinion for nobility, rich peasants and middle class: Loss faith in autocracy and tsars comparison to god
- Lower class peasants and working class against tsar, conditions did not improve, duma did not satisfy demands enough
How did WW1 contribute to the Tsars downfall
POLITICAL:
- Tsars decision to leave tsarina uncharge drew criticism due to poor resource management and tsarinas German background
- Influence of Rasputin tainted autocracy reputation
- Tsarina continued to suppress Dumas, provoking political anger
- Poor handling of economy and military was criticised
MILITARY:
- Tsars decision to take over as commander in chief made him personally responsible for defeats
- Heavy defeats in 1914 and 1915 led to disillusionment and anger
- Loss of officers led to more peasants in uniform who lacked sense of nationalism and support for the Tsar
- Lack of morale made military unwilling to defend Tsar
SOCIO ECONOMIC:
- Railways were used to supply goods to frontline, leading to lack of resources in cities
- Loss of land led to less land for growing crops
- Less produce for peasants and workers as resources had to be supplied to soldiers at the front
- Less workforce for food production
Unified opposition 1917 revolution
Nobility - Losing war
Middle Class - Loss of power of Duma, Governing of Tsarina
Peasants - Tsar is not protectors psychological and physical impacts, lack of resources
Workers - Poorer working conditions, radicalised be extreme parties, lack of resources
Armed forces: Poor morale, no longer willing to defend Tsar, scared of deployment
Why were the bolsheviks successful in October/November 1917
Role of Lenin and propaganda
The war
Kornilov Coup
Failure of provisional government
Revolution led by Trotsky
Inherent weakness of PG
Role of Lenin and propoganda
- Made a speech demanding that there should be no cooperation with PG, war should end, land should be given to peasants, soviets should take power
- Bolsheviks developed slogans ‘bread, peace and land’ and ‘all power to the soviet’, effective propoganda
- Lenin speeches, April theis
The war
- Kerensky launched huge attack in June which was a disaster
- Peasant soldiers wanted to take control of land, led to rise in desertation
- Military failure sparks July days uprising were PG is forced to use force against people by sending troops
Kornilov Coup
- General Kornilov, head of army decides to march into Petrograd with troops to set up own government
- Kerensky asked bolsheviks for help and armed Red Army with rifles
- Fighting did not occur as railway workers stopped them
- Portrays kerenskys weakness of army not supporting him
- Bolsheviks seen as saviours, rise to political stage
- Gain weapons
Failure of PG
- Lost support of workers as working conditions did not improve and food shortages continued
- Loss of support of peasants as they were asked to wait for new election before seizing land
- Lost support of army due to military failures and discontent from other policies
Revolution led by trotsky
- Trotsky led Red Gaurd to take key areas
- no opposition by PG, Kerensky fled
Inherent weakness of the PG
- Scope of provisional govt limited as real power is held by the soviet
- Temporary body which could not make binding, long term decisions
- Division between socialists and liberals
First few months of bolshevik rule
FEWWL
Food: Food obtained from peasants through use of force
Land: Land taken away from old landlords and given to peasants
Workers: Eight hour work day, 48 hour work week declared, Insurance for workers introduced, Class distinctions abolished, women and men equal
War: Trotsky negotiated with Germans, harsh treaty of BL signed
Elections: Elections promised by PG but constituent assembly shut down by Lenin after first meeting
Censorship - Bolsheviks
- Cheka arrested any opposition to bolsheviks
- Censorship and control as Kadets and non-bolshevik newspapers were banned
- Banks and church land taken over (Communism)
Why did the reds with the Civil Was
Geographical divide of Whites
Political Divide of Whites
Trotskys Leadership
War communism
Propoganda
Geographical divide of Whites
- White fought as ‘armies’ rather than as a unified army, unable to plan or execute a coordinated military strike
- Geographical spread made it harder to communicate and move weaponry/soldiers
- Red army was well organised
Political divide of Whited
- Whites comprised of various groups with only one aim, to defeat the reds
- Peasants and SRs fought to replace the Bolsheviks with own party
- Nobles and former Tsarists fought for the return of Autocracy
- Members of former PG fought for the establishment of democracy
- Made it harder to agree on unified political strategy and gain support from minorities
Trotskys leadership - Civil war
- Ability to organise soldiers helped re establish discipline and professionalism within the army
- White leadership led to high desertation rates
- Tsars army bribed and overseen
War communism
RILTCC
- Food and grain requisitioned, given to workers and soldiers
- Controlling central areas made it easier to conscript men and access industrial resources, enabled tight control over industry and resources
- Red terror, increasing intensity of cheka operations
- No capitalism, no (officially) private land
- Ability to utilise rail infrastructure by shifting capital enabled coordinated resources
- Land nationalised, industry is state owned
Propoganda - Civil War
- Whites were established as capitalists due to foreign aid
- Red propoganda presented a society which appealed to the most populous sections of society: workers and soldiers
- Propoganda and promise of and to peasants ensured support for reds was greater than support for whites
How successful was the NEP (Successful)
- Quantity of goods in market increased
- Trade links with other countries resumed
- Soviet economy boosted by free trade
- By 1926, economy had reached pre war levels
- Network of power stations established, energy output increased
- Countryside recovered
How successful was the NEP (Not Successful)
- Communists angered by the return of capitalism
- Outlines failure of communist ideas
- Peasants found price for manifactured goods high, unwilling to sell their grain for money as they could not buy much of it
- Continued use of backward farming methods
- Unemployment does not decrease, associated with high crime rates
- industry is not modern
- Continued shortage on consumer goods due to communist control, low supply, high demand, lack of incentive, rise in corruption
- Grain production flattens after a few years
How did Stalin win the power struggle
Stalin’s organisation
Stalin’s Political Tactfulness
Stalins policies
Trotskys policies
Trotsky high minded approach
Stalins Organisation
- Held control over the party through positions in Politburo and General Secretary
- Stalin was able to appoint own supporters to key positions, control membership
- Could deliver votes in part congress
Stalins Political tactfulness
- Down to earth and tact political approach
- Managed to trick Trotsky into missing Lennins funeral and used opportunity to portray himself as bearer of rennins foundation
- Accused Trotsky of factionalism to get rid of him
- Delibrately concealed Rennins testament
Stalins Policies
- POlicy of socialism in one country appealed to the nationalists and patriots. Based on principle of impatience over Trotsky’s idea of world communism
- Maintained neutral stance on major policy debates such as NEP, switching to the victorious side at the end
- Allowed Stalin to get rid of right wing opposition (Bukharain)
Trotsky’s policies
- Idea of word communism has no success
- Ideas did not resonate with larger sections of party: workers and soldiers, led to lack of support
Trotsky High minded approach
- Reluctant to get involved in low-level politics
- Did not view Stalin as a threat
Why collectivisation
GRAIN PRODUCTION:
- Growing cities needed more grain to prevent unrest
- Excess grain required for export, to bring money and investment to build factories
NEP:
- Deemed unacceptable in socialist ideology
- Presence of NEP men and kulaks is capitalist
DEKULAKISAATION:
- Removal of class enemies
How successful was colectivisation
Economic Success
Political Success
Economic Failure
Human Cost, Failure
Economic Success of Collectivisation
- State collected 22.8 million tonnes of grain in 1931, sufficient to provide for people and for exports
- Grain export continued even during the famine, providing investment for industry
Political Success of Collectivisation
- 90% of peasants in collective farms by 1936
- Famine and collectivised farms enable govt to get rid of political opposition and gain more control
- Collectivisation led to end of Kulaks, more central control
economic Failure of Collectivisation
- requisitioned grain was left rotting, led to more starvation
- Famine induced by continued selling of grain despite shortage
- Poor organisation of collective farms and lack of animals led to poor harvest
- Loss of livestock and crops due to riots
- Decline in actual grain production due to lack of incentive
- Did not succeed in economic and social goals
Human cost of collectivisation
- By 1932, famine had appeared in various parts of the USSR, including Ukraine
- Massive human cost to fulfil industrial ambition
- Famine led to death of 1 million peasants
- 3.9 million people died in Ukraine due to famine
- Collectivisation should have ensured better distribution, fairness and quality of life but did not
Why industrialisation - Stalin
NEP:
- NEP is capitalist and ideologically unacceptable
BOOST AGRICULTURE:
- Industrialisation is important for mechanisation of agriculture
- Mechanisation allows more peasants to become workers and provides more grains
INCREASE INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT:
- Industrial output was years behind west
- Stalin feared invasion from west and wanted to prepare USSR to a capability where it can fight
- Change to outshine western capitalism
LEADERSHIP:
- Stalin wanted to further consolidate power
How successful was the modernisation of Soviet Industry by 1941
Economic Success
Political Success
Social Success
Social Failure
Economic Failure
Economic Success of the modernisation of Soviet Industry by 1941
Political Success the modernisation of Soviet Industry by 1941
Social Success of the modernisation of Soviet Industry by 1941
Social Failure of the modernisation of Soviet Industry by 1941
Economic Failure of the modernisation of Soviet Industry by 1941
Collectivisation
1) Persuade, incentive
2) Dekulakisation
3) Collective farms
Purges
1) Propoganda
2) Secret Police
3) Informing on friends
4) Show trials
Features of industrialisation - Stalin
CENTRAL PLANNING AND STATE RUN ECONOMY:
- Overseen be vesenkha and gosplan
- Establishment of 5 year plan
NATIONALISAED INDUSTRY:
- Owned and run by state
- State resources nationalised - socialism
- No private ownership or profit
PRIORITISING ENERGY AND HEAVY INDUSTRY:
- Lack of focus on consumer goods
3 5 Year plans
1928 - 1932:
Industry, steel, coal, chemicals
1933 - 1937:
Similar to 1st + consumer goods
1938 - 1941:
Similar to second, ended by WW2
Why did Stalin undertake the purges
CONSOLIDATE POWER:
- Any member in the part with power was seen as a threat by stallin and therefore removed
- Stalin wanted an unchallenged dictatorship
- Portray himself as true leader by showing to people that other leaders cannot be trusted
COLLECTIVISATION AND INDUSTRIALISATION:
- Dekulakisationn required force and induced famine
- Need to get rid of capitalist kulaks and potential opposition
How successful was Stalin in establishing control over the Soviet Union
Social Success
Propaganda (Success)
Political weakness
Social Weakness
Social Success stalin
- Control over younger population through education
- Brainwashed with propaganda to create new generation of Stalinists
- Russian history textbooks changed, youth organisations set up, children encouraged to report parents
Stalin Propoganda (success)
- Propaganda convinced Russians of Stalins heroic nature and glorious image of communism
- Stalins image as fellow, leader, even god like image
- Propoganda built trust
Political Weakness - Stalin
- Need for purges and show trials suggest lack of holistic control
- Need to remove potential threats suggests presence of uncontrolled elements and opposition
- Actual political control would not have been known as those who opposed died
- Regardless, stalin did manage to dominate political landscape
Stalin Social Weakness
- Disagreement in society concealed by fear of being reported
- Need for gulags and secret police indicated presence of opposition
- Need for threat to comply suggests fear in stalin
- Did not matter as Stalin remained unchallenged
- Degree of control depended on section of society in control
