The Russian Revolution 1917
The Rise of Communism and the
Totalitarian State
TERMS
CAPITALISM
 An economic system based on private
ownership of the factors of production
(land, natural resources, labor, capital).
Entrepreneurs compete to produce goods
and services in a free market system for
profit.
Marxism aka Marxist SocialismKarl Marx (pg. 438)
 The economic/political philosophy that believes that
capitalism is the cause of the world’s problems.
 History is the story of class struggle
 Struggle between the capitalists (bourgeoisie) & the
workers (proletariat).
 When the proletariats’ numbers become so great a
spontaneous revolution will occur.
 The revolution would end with a “dictatorship of
the proletariat (worker)”-with communal
ownership of wealth
 No need for a government
Communism-Lenin (pg. 438)
 History is a story of class struggle.
 Struggle is between the capitalists and the peasants
and the proletariat
 Proletariat And Peasants are not capable to lead a
revolution and need guidance from professional
revolutionaries.
 After the revolution, the state needed to be run by
a single party, centrally directed administrators in
order to ensure goals-The Communist Party.
DOMESTIC CLIMATE
INSIDE THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE
BEFORE THE REVOLUTION
Political Climate before Russian
Revolution
 Romanov dynasty ruled for 300 yrs.
 Autocratic rule: ABSOLUTE POWER BY Divine
Right
 Czar Nicholas II and Czarina Alexandra (GER
princess)
 Rasputin’s influence on the Czarina
 Political reforms, domestic policies & foreign
policies: limited, ineffective & unsuccessful.
 WWI not going well.
Rasputin: The Mad Monk
The Last of the Romanov
Dynasty
Economic Climate before the
Russian Revolution
 Feudalism: Very Rich & Very Poor
 Crop failures, food shortages
 Beginning of Industrial Revolution-rising
middle class & emerging working class
wanting more.
 Russian Orthodox Church : powerful land
owner
Social Climate before Russian
Revolution
 Russian Orthodox Church-very powerful
cultural influence
 Education was limited to the upper class
 Strong Anti-Semitism (hatred of Jews) led
to “pogroms”
 Pogrom: Gov’t organized oppression,
harassment, and massacre of an ethnic
group
FILM: Witness to History:
The Russian Revolution
 Intro: The Climate before the Revolution
 The Seeds of the Revolution
 The Revolution
 The Civil War & Lenin’s Policies
Your Task:
Now watch the primary source
footage and take notes on each
section. Remember your terms.