Russian Rev. Flashcards
Causes of Russian rev.
1) structure of Russia’s economy prior to the rev.
2) lack of industrialisation
3) 1905 rev
4) Rasputin
5) February rev.
Structure of Russia’s economy
- Romanov’s ruled = last imperial dynasty
- Tzar Nicholas ll = not tolerate resistance = army to fight opponents - exile
- 2 political groups - Bolsheviks and Mensheviks (communists)
- communism appealed to poor by industrialised countries
- Karl Marx = communism based philosopher (Marxism) - threat to industrialised countries
- concerns for social inequalities + capitalistic systems that exploit workers = attracted politics in Russia
-
Lack of industrialisation
- beginning 20th century = subsistence farmers = poor + exploited
- land = nobles + church
- most employed by industry
- backward agrarian society
Rasputin
- had healing owners
- 1905 = royal family inner circle (eased pain of prince)
- said royal family + prince linked to him
- = powerful influence on royal family + public affairs
- predicted disaster befall family
- dismissed ppl not support Rasputin (queen’s closest advisor)
1905 rev.
- peasant unrest
- organised groups ( Soviet) to protests demands
- Duma = implementing a parliament= representative society
Entering WW1
- allies
- war nothing to do with Russia= public = opposition
- due to war = famine was rife
- Russia = not industrialised = ill-equipped (suffered defeats )
February Rev.
- 1917 = strikes = inflammation; food shortages; unemployment
-soldiers meant to stop disturbance = sympathised with demonstrators - Duma appointed provincial gov = soviets = more influential ( gov of ppl)
- became redundant
- after rev. = Iiberal reforms= freedom of speech + freed political exiles
Bolsheviks coup provincial gov
Lenin (exile) returned
Removed self from war (demanded redistribution of land)
Soldiers joined Bolsheviks + peasants killed land owners to seize land
Elections held = new constitution
Bolsheviks came into power (most seats)
Marxist/Leninist state
1917 communist party wins
1) 18- sign peace treaty (insist for peace)
2) land redistributed
3) insurances = protect workers (Soviets control factories)
4) free education
5) equality for women
Civil war
18-21
Red army (Bolsheviks) + white army (Mensheviks + nobles )
White army weaker= lack of leadership + common ground
21 red army defeated white
Caused suffering + destruction
Why Bolsheviks won
Propaganda (western imperialists)
Strong leadership (Lenin + Trotsky)
Trotsky related red army from scratch - ex - tsarist = loyalty (travelled w/ army = all equal)
Gained control of railway network
New acquired land confiscated if white won
War communism
Fully- fledged communism
Economy nationalised + controlled by gov
Supplies taken from peasants + given to soldiers
Food shortages
Ppl blamed Lenin’s gov = rebellions
Kronstadt = free elections, freedom + end communism dictatorship (dead)
NEP
Communists won civil war
Ppl starving + homeless (war communism)
Production stopped (strokes of peasants)
Get economy going = partial return to communism
Allowed medium/ small business run - independent of gov (Kulaks = rich farmers)
Not support NEP = betrayal to communism (split in communist party)
22- USSR created (union soviet socialist republic)
24 - Lenin dies (Marxist/Leninist survives the war)
Stalins rise to power
Party secretary (great power)
Rival = Trotsky
Stalin focus rev on one country
Trotsky = worldwide rev. - views were unpopular = exiled then killed
Stalinism
Centralisation of control in Russia - new constitution
Cheka (secret police)
State planning commission = Gosplan (5 yrs plan = economic growth) - 28 = superpower
