Background
History
You need your writer’s notebook to
take notes. 
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Last Emperor of Russia–
Russia led to economic and political collapse
under his rule –the proletariat suffered
(working class)
Royal Family : Bourgeoisie (rich)
Ousted from power in 1917-his entire family
including 5 children and his wife were
assassinated
Lenin took over aided by Trotsky and Stalin
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German Philosopher :“Marxism” - a
government based on what is best for the
majority of people not just the rich and upper
class
Beliefs:
 Religion: It was the “opiate for the masses”
 Dulls the pain caused by oppression
 Helps people at the bottom accept their
situation
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Revolutions against corrupt governing
Pure communism
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Basic plan for communism
 the proletariat would become unhappy
and overthrow the bourgeoisie
 there would be a Revolutionary
Dictatorship of the proletariat
 withering away of the state
 all ultimately leading to a classless
society
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Russian Marxist Revolutionary
Creator of Soviet Communist Party
Founder of the USSR
Head of Bolsheviks
Presided over Russia during the transformation from
country ruled by Czars to communist country
Formation of the Red Army
 Terror campaign that executed anti-communists
 Caused a civil war within Russia
Lenin dies 1924. Before he dies recommends the
dismissal of Stalin.
Revolutionary leader that led to
ousting of Czar Nicholas II
Brilliant speaker/writer 
passionate about Marxist
communism, wanted to make
Russia better for all
Lead the Red Army and aided
Lenin
Exiled and assassinated in Mexico
– icepick in the neck 1940
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Rose to power after Lenin’s death
Did not follow Marxism,
Russian Socialism:
system of that advocates the ownership and control of the means
of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the
community as a whole.
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Tried to industrialize the country and
compete with other nations
Made a pact with Hitler which Hitler did
not honor
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Would not tolerate competing ideas and essentially
became a tyrant
 Maintained power through social and political terror
 KGB (secret police)- increased size, used to spy on
enemies
 Silenced opposition with incarceration or worse
 Gulags- used inmates as cheap labor  designed to
instill fear in prisoners and critics of regime
 Purged own government  made random arrests for
crimes they didn’t commit
 Mock trails and forced confessions
 Ukrainian Famine of 1932-1933- was on purpose 
gov’t decision to starve the people
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Born in British colonized India 1903
Became a famous journalist
Critical of Stalin
Published Animal Farm in 1945—an allegory of
the corruption of Socialism/Communism
Other famous novel: 1984 –prophetic vision of
the results of totalitarianism (absolute control
by the state )
*Capitalism: an economic system in which private citizens own land, property,
and business; characterized by a free competitive market motivated by profit
*Communism: a type of government in which a single party holds power and the
government controls the economy; classes are abolished and property is
commonly controlled by the “whole”
Czarist government (also Tsarism): a system of government in which a Czar has
absolute power and authority, including over religious issues
Democracy: a type of government ruled by the people by means of elected
officials
*Socialism: an economic system against private party ownership, in which
production and distribution are controlled by a majority and citizens are paid by
the work done rather than by need
*Totalitarianism: a government system in which a single party rules without
opposition over political, economic, social, and cultural life; this type of
government sees no limit to its rule, and strives to control all aspects of its
citizens, including personal and private means through
*Proletariat-the class of workers, especially industrial wage earners, who do
not possess capital or property and must sell their labor to survive.
*Bourgeoisie – the class that, in contrast to the proletariat or wage-earning
class, is primarily concerned with property values.
Bolsheviks- a. a member of the more radical majority of the Social Democratic
party, 1903–17, advocating immediate and forceful seizure of power by the
proletariat.
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b. (after 1918) a member of the Russian Communist party.
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Terms to Know: Try to complete the definitions
as you watch this again.
Communism
 Capitalism
 Karl Marx
 Proletariat
 Bourgeoisie
 Totalitarian
 Socialism
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