Soviet Foreign Policy Flashcards
Revolutionary Ideas in Russia
Development of revolutionary spirit in 19th Century:autocracy of the tsar, Gap between the state and the intelligentsia, Westernizers versus Slavophiles debate
Narodnichestvo ( faith in peasantry and social justice): V narod movement of 1860s ( going to the people), influence of utopian intellectual idea of a violent revolution
Anarchists
Mikhail Bakunin hate for any political authority
Tkachev terrorism and revolution
Idea if a highly disciplined revolutionary party
Assassination of the tsar Alexander II in 1881
Marxism in Russia
Marxists: a. Deterministic rationalistic and Western-oriented type of socialism:
1883 Plekhanov forms the first Marxist Organization in Russia;
1898 First conference of Russian Social Democratic Labor Party; 1903 Second RSDLP Conference
Bolsheviks: Proletariat should seize the leadership for a permanent revolution with the support of European proletariat
Mensheviks: Proletariat should first support bourgeoisie in a two stage revolution
Lenin
Lenins contribution to Marxism
Accepts Trotskys idea but believes in the establishement of a revolutionary - democratic dictatorship of the proletariat and peasantry because of the weakness of Russian bourgeoisie weakness
The idea of a Party a ( central directed group of professional revolutionaries that would act as leader of the proletariat)
Democratic centralism: all issues are to be fully discussed by everyone until a decision is reached, but when the majority decides on a course of a action discussion is over and party acts on behalf of everyone
Three promises to the Russian people
Immediate peace
All lands to the peasants
All power to the soviets ( council of workers and peasants deputies
Foreign policy and ideas
Marx: main conflict is between the classes and not nations; state is the instrument of the ruling class for exploiting other classes Slogan: working men of all countries, unite
Lenin: dissapointment with the German Social democrats
Theory of imperialism: a stage of capitalist development ( highest stage of capitalism)
International proletariat oppressed people of backward countries
War would be Instrument to defeat world capitalism even in countries which were not ready for socialist revolution
National liberation becomes as important as class struggle
Operational code?
Who is dominating whom?
Use of whatever means necessary to reach your final goal
No respect for morality everyone should be controlled
End of Russian Empire
Tsar Nicholas II
Weak, inexperienced and indecisive
Under the influence of other people
Misery of peasants and workers result in 1905 revolution (constitutional monarchy)
February revolution
Riots and strikes against the tsar in Petrograd soldiers join workers and peasants
Tsar Nicolas is removed from power
Executive power: Provisional government, soviets and workers and soldiers deputies
Legislative power: Duma
Bolshevik Revolution
Lenin returns from his exile in Switzerland
Believes that the time has come for dictatorship of proletariat
Reject the provisional government
Stages a coup against provisional government with the help of Bolsheviks military
A new government is formed: council of peoples commissars
:
Lenin - Prime Minister
Trotsky- commissar of foreign affairs
Stalin commissar of nationalities
Constituent assembly is dissolved and the soviets are subordinated to the Bolshevik Party
Decree of peace
Keine Annektionen
Demokratischer Frieden
8. November 1917
Brest Litovsk Treaty
Trotsky ofoffers peace to Germany and armistice is signed in December 1917, two proposals:
Trotsky: peace at all costs
Bukharin: revolutionary war in Europe
Lenin takes the Position of Trotsky and decided to sign the treaty
Treaty signed in March 1918
Russia loses Poland Ukraine and Baltic states
Ottomans take back territories in Caucasus
Russia loses more than one third of population, one third agricultural land and ore than the half of its industry
Russia pays a large indemnity to Germany
Annulled in November due to surrender of Germany in the World Sar I
Foundation of the UDSSR
Socialism in one country doctrine
Soviet socialism can be constructed even without the assistance of European proletariat (Stalins Influence)
Russian civil war
Red army against white army ( supporters of the tsar)
White army is supported by Russia former allies Britain and France
UdSSR is declared with the Unification of Russian, Belarussain, Ukranian and Transcaucasian SSRs
Lenins new economic Policy
Retreat from the socialist principles due to economic and social unrest in the country
Soviet foreign policy in 1920s
Trotsky replaced by Chicherin as foreign commissar in 1919
Main goal is receiveeconomic aid from European countries
Angola soviet trade agreement of 1921
Genoa economic conference in1922
Debts of tsarist Russia
Treaty of reallocate with Germany in 1922
A German - soviet axis
World revolution
Communist Internat Comintern founded in1919 for revolutionary
Communist Internat. ( Comintern)founded in1919 for revolutionary masses
Support for a armed uprising in Germany and anti- imperialist propagandising British colonies
India: someone believes anti imperialism should be Cominterns first priority
Support for nationalist movements in Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan
Stalins support to nationalists in China
General Chiangmai Kai Shem expels communists from his nationalist party
Chinese communist founded in1921 by Mao Zedong
Point of disagreement between Stalin and Trotsky
