Russian Revolution
What was it?
Actually TWO revolutions:

1.
2.
February/March of 1917 – overthrow of the Tzar
October/November of 1917 – Bolshevik
(Communist) Revolution
Why Important?
1.
2.
3.
Led to Russia withdrawing from WWI to
deal with internal problems.
“Communism” put into effect instead of just
an “idea.”
Conflicting ideologies – communism vs.
capitalism – was the reason for the Cold
War.
So what is Communism Anyway?

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Communism is an ECONOMIC system.
Part of Karl Marx’s theory of economics.
Says that all the “means of production” should be
owned by the government for the good of the people
– everyone “owns” everything and shares in the
profits.
Nice ideas – no hunger, everyone works to the “best
of their ability,” and everyone gets just what they
need.
Fails to take into account that we humans are
greedy and lazy!
So why did they choose communism? We
know it doesn’t work!

We know because hindsight is 20/20, but it
sounded good to 90% of the Russian
population in 1917.
This is the choice they made:
Utopia – everybody has
something and no one
goes hungry!
Living in abject poverty with
no chance of ever advancing!
OR. . .
Back to the Revolution
Causes of the Revolution

The Russian involvement in the RussoJapanese War, and its ensuing loss brought
embarrassment to the country and also
decimated its economy. In response to the
perceived incompetence of the Russian tsar
and the shortage of food and work, the loss
of the war led to the Revolution of 1905 that
was quickly put down.
Causes of the Revolution


Besides the embarrassment and perceived
incompetence of the government after the
Russo-Japanese war, the citizens of Russia
were desperately hungry and landless.
Russia relied on an agrarian economy that
was outdated and inefficient.
The small farming communes had trouble
providing enough food for the country,
creating massive food shortages.
Causes of the Revolution

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Factory workers also had to endure long
hours, low pay, and horrible working
conditions. Strikes for improved situations
were often ignored or suppressed. Wartime
inflation also caused prices to inflate, causing
the already scarce food and goods supply to
be unaffordable.
Most peasants did not own the land they
farmed, causing more resentment towards
the government.
Nicholas II (1894-1917)


Decided to lead troops into
battle during WWI – stupid
idea by a stupid man.
Forced to abdicate in 1917
Causes of the Revolution

The losses and casualties during World War I
led people to believe tsar Nicholas II was
incompetent. Due to his song, Alexei’s
hemophilia the questionable Rasputin was
called on to heal him. Russian citizens
mistrusted Nicholas’s wife and Rasputin to
run the country while the tsar fought the war.
Rasputin
Alexandra was heavily under
the influence of Rasputin. He
was the only one who could
bring Alexei some relief.
He was murdered in December
1916

World War I: “The Last Straw”


Corrupt military
leadership had
contempt for
ordinary Russian
people
Average peasants
had very little
invested in the
War
World War I

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Ill-trained, ineffective
officers, poorly equipped
(Russ. was not ready for
war)
Result: mass desertions
and 2 million casualties
by 1915
Result: Chaos and
Disintegration of the
Russian Army
The Revolutions of 1917


February Revolution (March 8, 1917)
Czar Nicholas Abdicates
February Revolution

On February 28, 1917, tsar Nicholas II was
asked to abdicate the throne. A provisional
government took over, led by Alexander
Kerensky. The new government supported
the war, upsetting the army and the country.
Kerensky ordered the arrest of the Bolshevik
party, for its anti-war protests.
Then what happens?


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In April, Vladimir
Lenin arrives in
Petrograd (St.
Petersburg) with the
help of the Germans
Lenin calls for
armed resurrection
October 16,
1917/November 6,
1917 (Russian
Calendar)
Bolsheviks toppled
the Provisional gov’t
in a coup
October Revolution


Lenin led the Bolsheviks in the October
Revolution under the slogans, “Peace, Land,
Bread!” and “All power to the Soviets!”
Lenin was elected the head of the Bolshevik
part and led the new Russian government
through a civil war against all its anticommunist enemies. The Reds or
Bolsheviks defeated the Whites or anticommunists.
Treaty of Brest Litovsk—March 3, 1918

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Trotsky
negotiated it
Very Harsh!
Lost 32% of the
land
Lost Estonia,
Latvia,
Lithuania, much
of the Ukraine
and of
Belarussia
Lenin didn’t care
– this was a
capitalist war
Civil War
From 19181920
 Reds
 Whites
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Creation of USSR
Nationalization of all
land and banks
Millions of Russians
died in the fighting
and from famines
Lenin’s New Economic Policy (NEP)

Lenin wanted to accomplish specific goals
with his NEP. They were:

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Reduce mandatory food offerings from the
peasants
Regulate supply and production (limited
capitalism)
Generate money to industrialize
Secure Russia for communism
Lenin’s Death



NEP was Lenin’s attempt to help the USSR
recover from the devastating Civil War
But then Lenin died in 1924 from a stroke
He had named no clear successor which led
to a power struggle
Who
would
succeed
Lenin?
OR
Trotsky – Red Army
Commander and
Commisar of Foreign
Affairs
Stalin – Commisar for
Nationalities
Stalin


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Stalin rose to power through the use of political
alliances to pit his enemies against each other.
He would align with one group to discredit
another, and then separate himself from that
group to discredit it.
Stalin became the head of the Communist Party
(Bolsheviks) in 1928. He believed in
“Communism in one country” instead of Lenin’s
idea to spread communism abroad.
He changed Lenin’s NEP to his own Five-Year
Plan that designated the desired goals to the
Russian economy for the next five years.
Winners and Losers

Winners


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Communist Party
Some Workers
Massive Literacy Project—
all those who learn to read
and write
Vastly improved health
care—all those who lived
longer and healthier
Women had greater
opportunities

Losers
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Poorest peasants
Traditional Russian upper
classes
Many of those in traditional
Russian middle classes
Those killed or imprisoned
because of oppressive regime
Jews, Muslims, other ethnic
minorities
Romanovs – the royal family
was killed, and their bodies
were “secretly” disposed of –
led to rumors of their survival
Democracy