Communism and The
Russian Revolution
Objectives
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Students will be able to explain the
main beliefs and values of Marxist
Communism.
Students will be able to explain the
long-term and short-term causes of
the Russian Revolution.
Students will be able to explain the
long-term and short-term
consequences of the Russian
Revolution.
Karl Marx-Life
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Marx was born in
Prussia in 1818.
He moves to
France in 1843.
He meets Friedrich
Engles in 1844.
Karl Marx-Life
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In 1845 he is kicked out of France
and goes to Belgium where he meets
the League of the Just.
In 1847 he writes down the ideas of
the League of the Just, which
becomes the Communist Manifesto.
He dies in London in 1883.
Karl Marx- Thoughts
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History is a series of class struggles.
There are 2 classes: a group who
owns the means of production
(bourgeoisie) and those who work
(proletariat).
Believes that people are naturally
good and society and men can be
perfect.
Thoughts (con.)
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Working is a
natural condition
for man so it
brings joy.
Capitalism
alienates man.
Communism
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The state or
government is the
vehicle of class
domination.
Political power is
the organized
power of one class
oppressing
another.
Steps to create Communism
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Proletariat must
unite and
overthrow the
bourgeoisie.
Make the
proletariat the
ruling class, create
a democracy.
Steps to Communism
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Abolish property
Institute a heavy graduated tax
Abolish inheritance
Take property of immigrants and
rebels
Government takes control of banks
and communication, factories,
factors of production, and farms.
September 23—Why do you think
Communism was popular after
WWI?
Steps to Communism
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Everyone works. Creation of
industrial and agricultural armies.
Equally distribute population over the
country.
Free education for all children in
public schools.
Communism
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When class distinctions have
disappeared and all production is in
the hands of the whole nation, the
government will be dissolved.
Key Terms
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Nicholas II
March Revolution
Soviets
Bolsheviks
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
WWI and the Revolution
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Russia was cut off from trade
Central Powers cut Russia’s land
routes to the West and Russia’s
naval access to the Dardanelle
Straits
Trade was limited to the Siberian
ports of Vladivostock and Archangel
which were served by only 1 railroad
line.
Causes of the Revolution
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Food shortages
began in 1914
when the military
requisitioned
railroad cars.
Causes of the Revolution
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Government inefficiency—
In September 1915
Nicholas assumed personal
command of the Russian
Army and disbanded the
Duma.
After September 1915
political authority was in
the hands of Alexandria
and Rasputin. In a short
time the two disorganized
the entire Russian
government.
Causes of the Revolution
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Russia was unprepared both
militarily and technologically for the
total war of World War I.
Between 1914 and 1916, two million
soldiers were killed while another 4-6
million were wounded or captured.
The March Revolution
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On March 8, 1917 about 100,000
women marched through Petrograd
demanding “Peace and Bread” and
“Down with Autocracy.”
Women and workers called for a
general strike and all the factories in
the city were shut down.
The March Revolution
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On March 10
Nicholas ordered
troops to break up
the crowds by
shooting them if
necessary. Initially
the troops did so,
but soon many
soldiers began to
join the
demonstrators.
September 26—What do you
know about VI Lenin?
The March Revolution
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On March 12, the Duma established
a provisional government.
Nicholas II resigned on March 15.
The new provisional government
decided to remain in the war which
left the peasants and workers
unsatisified.
The Soviets
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Councils composed of
representatives from the workers
and soldiers.
Were largely made up of socialists,
who represented the more radical
interests of the lower class.
The Soviets
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Were divided into 2 groups:
Mensheviks and Bolsheviks
Mensheviks wanted the socialists to
cooperate temporarily in a
parliamentary democracy while
working toward creating a socialist
state.
Bolsheviks
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Led by Vladimir
Lenin
Became a party
dedicated to
violent revolution.
Bolsheviks
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Lenin realized that the soviets were
ready-made instruments of power.
He had the Bolsheviks gain control of
these groups and then used them to
overthrow the provisional
government.
Bolsheviks
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Promised an end to the war
Redistribution of all land to the
peasants
Transfer of factories and industries
from capitalists to committees of
workers
Transfer of government power to the
soviets
Support of the military
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The Petrograd
Soviet issued Army
Order Number 1 in
March 1917 and by
July the army had
dissolved as an
effective fighting
force as masses of
soldiers deserted.
Bolshevik Revolution
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During the night of
November 6,
Bolshevik forces
seized the Winter
Palace and the
government
quickly dissolved.
Effects of the Russian Revolution
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On March 3, 1918 Lenin signed the Treaty
of Brest-Litovsk with Germany.
Russia gave up regions containing 25% of
their population and much of its wealth.
Effects of the Russian Revolution
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Between 1918 and 1921, the
Communists or Red Army fought a
civil war against the White Army.
The White Army was supported by
foreign forces. At 1 point, over
100,000 foreign troops, mostly
Japanese, British, American and
French were stationed on Russian
soil.
Effects of the Russian
Revolution
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White Army was split between those
who supported the tsar and those
who wanted democracy.
By 1920, the major White forces had
been defeated and the foreign troops
left after the troops mutinied since
they had not desire to fight and
perhaps die in Russia.
Effects of the Russian
Revolution
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At the Versailles Conference, the
Allies suggested a boundary for
Poland that would set the Poles to
the west and non-Poles to the east.
The Polish government wanted
“historic” boundaries which required
Russia to surrender all land west of
the 1772 border.
Russia refused.
Effects of the Russian
Revolution
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Poland launched an attack in the
spring of 1920 and by October the
two sides agreed to a new frontier
short of the 1772 border.
It left 4 million non-Poles inside
Poland, a humiliation which Soviet
forces were quick to avenge in 1939.
Effects of the Russian Revolution
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On July 16, 1918
Nicholas II and his
family are
executed
Romanov dynasty
which had ruled
Russia for 300
years comes to an
end.
AP p. 746-757
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Sacco and Vanzetti
KKK
Emergency Quota Act of 1921
Immigration Act of 1924
John T. Scopes
Compare and Contrast Marxism
and Leninism
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Marxism
Country must be

industrialized
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History is a series of struggles
between bourgeoisie and

proletariat
First step is a revolution of a
proletariat followed by a
dictatorship of the proletariat 
that redistributes land and
wealth.
When there are no more
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classes, the government is
disbanded.
Leninism
Country is agricultural
Struggle is between the
peasants and landowners
Intelligentsia (educated
people) are going to unite
peasants and lead them in a
revolution
Dictatorship of Intelligentsia
begins industrialization and
redistributes land and wealth
When there are no more
classes, the government is
disbanded.