Transcript RUSSIA – A BACKGROUND

THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
By the
th
20
Century
• A major crisis was due and had to happen
• Russia was an unfair society and needed
social, economic and political reform.
• WHY????
Political
• Nicholas II – autocratic and ineffective
• Ruled a country covering one-sixth of the earth’s
total land surface
• Massive personal wealth
• Backed by an army of 1million and secret police
(OKHRANA)
• Political parties banned – critics ended up in
prison or exile
• Press was censored
Yet
• Many Russians worshipped the Tsar and peasants
typically had a picture of the Tsar on a wall of their hut.
His rule
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His word was law
He appointed his ministers
But did not have to listen to them
AND could ‘hire and fire’ them at will
He was a true autocrat.
SOCIAL
Russia was…..
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Only 40% ethnic Russians
80% were peasants – subsistence farmers
60%+ = illiterate
Life expectancy = 40
Low tech and low investment
Land ownership rare
Land owned by OBSCHINA (Commune)
It also organised taxes and allotted strips of land to
each household
Peasants cont’d
• Peasants could not leave the commune without the
consent of the elders
• Discipline and punishments harsh – even to exile
in Siberia
• Drought and crop failure common
• 1891 = famine + cholera and typhus = 400,000
dead
• 1890 – 64 % of peasants called up for military
service were declared unfit.
YET..Yet…
• Some did prosper and it was generally the
shortage of land rather than shortage of food
that was the irritant.
• Rural population grew but land owned by
peasants and land size failed to keep pace.
• Faith in Tsar remained strong
• BUT hunger for land would grow.
Industrial and urban
• Russia had grown industrially but living and
working conditions were horrendous
• Average working day was 14 hours
• Trade unions banned but some strikes took
place
• Potential for hotbed of political activism
Unrest prior to 1905
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The passivity of the Russian people had limits
May 1896 – riots in St. Petersburg
1902 - Street demonstrations in Rostov on Don
1901-1907 arson of manor houses in rural areas
became commonplace
Criticism of the
Tsar
Criticism of the
Tsarina
Poor military
commander
Poor political leader
Left the Tsarina in
charge of the
government
Refused to accept
advice from the
Duma
Impact of WWI
Inexperienced and
incompetent ruler
Under the
influence of
Rasputin
Role of Rasputin
Claimed to be a
healer. Disliked by
many yet held
influence over both
the Tsar and Tsarina
Unpopular
because she was
German
Impact WWIEconomic problemsImpact WWI
• Over 15 million men joined the army
• not enough workers in factories and farms
• caused shortages of food and materials
• Railway system very poor
– could not supply the troops
– could not supply the towns
– food prices rose
• In 1917, two revolutions swept through
Russia, ending centuries of imperial rule and
setting in motion political and social changes
that would lead to the formation of the Soviet
Union.
– In March, growing civil unrest, coupled with
chronic food shortages, erupted into open revolt,
forcing the abdication of Nicholas II (1868-1918),
the last Russian czar.
– Just months later, the newly installed provisional
government was itself overthrown by the more
radical Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin (18701924).
Russian Revolution:
Background
• By 1917, most Russians had lost faith in the
leadership ability of Czar Nicholas II.
• Government corruption was rampant
• the Russian economy remained backward
• Nicholas repeatedly dissolved the Duma,
(the Russian parliament established after the
1905 revolution), when it opposed his will
First Phases of the Russian Rev
• The immediate cause of the February
Revolution was Russia's disastrous
involvement in World War I (1914-18).
• Economy was hopelessly disrupted by the
costly war effort
• Moderates joined Russian radical elements
in calling for the overthrow of the czar.
Feb Rev 1917
• (known as such because of Russia's use of
the Julian calendar until February 1918)
began on March 8, 1917 (or February 23),
when demonstrators clamoring for bread
took to the streets in the Russian capital of
Petrograd (now called St. Petersburg).
Events of the Revolution
• Feb 22 20,000 steelworkers on strike
• Feb 23 Women take to the streets to
demonstrate
• Feb 25 Now over half of Petrograd is on
strike
• Feb 26 Tsar orders troops to fire on crowds40 killed
Events of the Revolution
• Feb 26 Tsar closes the Duma
• Feb 27 Soldiers mutiny and establish the
Petrograd Soviet with workers and sailors
• Feb 28 Tsar returns to Petrograd
• March 1 Tsar loses support of army
• March 2 Tsar abdicates
• March 3 Grand Duke Michael refuses
throne
Feb Rev continued
• Supported by huge crowds of striking
industrial workers, the protesters clashed
with police but refused to leave the streets.
• Strike spread among all of Petrograd's
workers, and irate mobs destroyed police
stations.
• Several factories elected deputies to the
Petrograd Soviet, or council, of workers'
committees, following the model devised
during the 1905 revolution.
Dual Government
The Provisional
Government
The Petrograd
Soviet
1. A 12 member
government led by
Kerensky (Full of
A council of
2,500 deputies.
Aristocrats and middle-class
politicians)
2. Planned to rule
until elections could
be held
Determined to
share power with
the Provisional
Government
Problems facing the Provisional
Government
• Land - Peasants demand land
• Hunger - The workers in the cities were
demanding food
• The war - fight on or make peace
• Revolutionaries - how to stop the
spread of their influence
• The Army - needed loyalty of the army
• Petrograd Soviet issued Army Order #1
• Czar Nicholas II abdicated the throne in favor of
his brother Michael, whose refusal of the crown
brought an end to the czarist autocracy.
• Lenin returns from exile and denounces
provisional government
Events
Results
Aug 1917 General
Kornilov attempts a
coup (and fails)
Bolsheviks seen as
heroes.
Kerensky is forced to
ask the Bolsheviks
for help. Bolshevik
leaders are released
and the Red Guard is
given weapons
Bolsheviks defeat
Kornilov
Popularity increased
The Kornilov Revolt
Became a well armed
force
• Lenin called for
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Overthrow of Government
End to war
Soviets to form new government
Land given to peasants
State to control factories and banks
• Lenin launched a nearly bloodless coup
d’état against the provisional government
Lenin and the Bolsheviks
• Lenin became the virtual dictator of the first
Marxist state in the world.
• made peace with Germany
• nationalized industry and distributed land
More specifically…
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Land
Land taken from
Church, Nobility
etc and given to
peasants. Land
not taken over by
the State (yet)
Press
All non -Bolshevik
papers were banned
Peace
The first decrees
Factories
All factories
put under
control of
workers
committees
Lenin ends the war
sends Trotsky to
negotiate with
Germany. Treaty of
Brest-Litvosk
Establishes the
CHEKA
Why were the Bolsheviks able to seize
power?
• They had a strong
political and economic
centre in the Petrograd
Soviet.
• They had their own
armed forces, the ‘Red
Guards’.
• They were organised
and disciplined and had
clear planned
strategies.
• They were realistic,
practical and clever in
setting their short term
goals.
• The Provisional
Government was weak
and ineffective.
• Lenin was an inspiring
leader with vision,
clarity and ability.
Lenin continued
• Beginning in 1918 had to fight a devastating
civil war against anti-Bolshevik White
Army forces.
• In 1920, the anti-Bolsheviks were defeated,
and in 1922 the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics (USSR) was established
• This new government, based on socialism
and one-party dictatorship, encouraged
worldwide revolution
Why were the Bolsheviks successful?
Role of Lenin
Role of Trotsky
Organised party
Published Pravda
Joined Bolsheviks
after July Days
Avoided capture and
organised the coup.
Masterminded the
events of the coup
Popular slogans to
raise moral and
public awareness
Great military
leader organised
the Red Guard
Provisional
Government
Kerensky
knew of
Trotsky's plan
but had lost
support of the
army and so
was helpless