The Russian Revolution
• occurred in a feudal society (farmer based)
• happened because the Russian Czar (king)
was not able to adapt to a changing world
• resulted from poor leadership and extreme
hardships during the First World War
• saw the bloody death of the royal family
• became a symbol of hope for the poor
disillusioned people of the world as the
Russians started democratic reforms
• was seen as a threat by the leaders of the
Allied Powers
• was betrayed by leaders seeking power who
turned the Revolution into a totalitarian
society
The Romanov family ruled Russia for
three centuries.
The Czar left his wife Czarina Alexandra
to run Russia.
In the mid-1800s Czar Alexander II
tried to modernize Russia. He freed
The Czar and Czarina’s only son was a
the peasants and started reforms.
hemophiliac (dangerous disease for which
there was no cure)
Unfortunately, Alexander III
reversed all of his father’s reforms
The
fell under
the of
influence
of
TheCzarina
royal family
was out
touch with
and turned Russia into a policeRasputin,
state. a “holy
man”
who convinced her
most
Russians.
to make terrible decisions in running the
Nicholas II country.
suffered a humiliating
In 1894, Nicholas II became Czar
when
IIIin
died.
defeat
to Alexander
the Japanese
1905.
In March 1917, there were popular
Nicholas II promised to maintain
like his
Russia’s power
entry
into
theancestors.
First
War
uprisings
all over
Russia.
The World
Czar had
a disaster.
He wanted to modernize Russia to
lost
catch
the support
up towas
western
of
the industrialization.
people and the
nobles and hesoon
abdicated.
Weak
accounted
His old style of government did
notleadership
match the demands
of an for
more
than 4 million Russians being
industrializing
country.
killed, wounded, or captured.
Industrialized workers and university students started to meet and
The of
Czar
moved
discuss the ideas
Karl
Marx.to the front to lead
the army personally in 1916.
In 1917, the Czar
abdicated.
Democracy came
to Russia.
The Russians set
up Soviets – the
local branches of
workers parties.
Lenin’s Bolshevik party
changed its name to
Communists – after
Karl Marx’s classless
society.
In November 1917
Lenin and the
Bolsheviks took
over power in
Russia.
Lenin was a dynamic
leader.
Democracy spread…at
first…
The Communist government promised so much at first.
But the gains of the Revolution would have to be defended.
But, most Russians were peasant
farmers – not urbanized factory
workers.
How could the industrial workers
lead the society when they were a
The Communists followed the idea of Marx
minority
that within
society’s
Russia?
leadership
should come from the urbanized industrial working class.
An illiterate man is a blind man…
All good communists learn how to
read…
Under the
Czar,
children
worked…
Communists
wanted the
children to
get educated.
Even the milk
maids that
worked on
the farms
should take
time to read
and get
involved in
politics and
their
community…
The Revolution was opposed by
some Russians (they became
known as “White Russians”)
A Civil War devastated Russia
Over 15
million
Russians
die during
the Civil
War…
Russia
would
have a
difficult
time
trusting
the Allies
again…
The Russians at
first think that
their Revolution
would be welcomed
by the American
American
and Allied
and French
people
(who hadforces
also had
invade and
successful
occupy
revolutions
for
much
of
freedom
and
Russia
democracy)
The Russians write letters of goodwill to the Americans…
who immediately send troops into Russia to put down the Revolution…
Much of the success
of the Russian
Revolution comes
from the work of
Lenin.
He is charismatic and
dynamic.
He realizes that the
proletariat society does
not exist in feudal Russia.
A classless society could
only exist once the
urbanized working class
took control of Russia.
But Russia had never been
through a capitalist phase.
So Lenin introduces the
NEW ECONOMIC POLICY,
making the state develop a
kind of capitalist society.
Russian productivity rises
with the introduction of 5
Year Plans.
Lenin is followed by Joseph Stalin.
Stalin creates a totalitarian
society in Russia.