russian revolution the good, the bad, and the borsht

Russian Revolution

The Good, the Bad, and the Borsht

Background

RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

A. 19th Century Russia

1. Russia was unlike any other country in Europe -- a huge empire from Germany to the Pacific (more than twice the US).

Background

2. 130,000,000 people in 1900a. Less than half of these were ethnic

Russiansb. Other Slavs: White Russians,

Ukrainians, Poles.c. Non-Slavs: Latvians, Lithuanians,

Mongols, Turks, Estonians, Finns, Germans, Jews, etc.

Background

3. Rulersa. Romanov tsarsb. Mostly autocrats, believed that only

unlimited power could hold the empire together.

c. After 1881, tsars generally opposed major reforms.

Background

4. Majority of people were peasants: poor, illiterate.

5. The ideas and economic (industrial) changes that had been taking place in Europe since the end of the Middle Ages had hardly touched Russia.

Background

6. Under the tsars, some progress was made in education and local government,

but, overall, they wanted to maintain their power; used terrorism. Lower wages, longer hours worse working conditions.

Background

• 7. Workers often went on strike in late 1890's, though illegal

Revolutions…You say you want one!

A. 1905 Revolution: "Bloody Sunday" -- Jan. 8, 1905.1. People upset over food shortages, working

conditions, coming loss in Russo-Japanese War, monarchy government.

2. Protest in front of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. Chaos erupts; guards kill100 and injure at least 300.

Revolutions…You say you want one!

3. Tsar establishes the Duma (parliament) for the first time, giving some representation to people, though tsar has ultimate veto over everything. Duma is basically impotent.

World War I….All these people and we still got thumped??

1. Shocking defeats in battles with Germany.

2. Shortages of food and other goods.

3. 4,000,000 casualties (dead or injured) in just the first year.


4. 14,000,000 Russian soldiers will be involved.

5. The tsar was at the front after 1915. The tsarina (Alexandra) ran the government and allowed a lot of corruption (including being under the influence of Rasputin).


6. People lost interest in the war as the number of dead and wounded rose. By the end of 1916, 1.5 million Russian soldiers had been killed, and 2 million had been captured.

7. Food and fuel supplies fell; prices went up.

“We’re not gonna to Take It!!”

C. The March Revolution: March 8-12, 1917.1. "A leaderless, spontaneous, and

anonymous revolution in Petrograd (formerlySt. Petersburg, later Leningrad, now St. Petersburg again –

• the name was changed to Petrograd during WWI because it sounded "too German.").


2. The guards refused to fire on workers striking in protest against food shortages,and instead joined the strikers!

3. Nicholas II abdicates to his brother on March 15, but brother turns down the throne, ending the monarchy in Russia. Romanovs were turned down by other countries for asylum; basically under 'house arrest.'


4. Middle-class liberal officials set up a Provisional Government, led most of the time by Alexander Kerensky, pending the establishment of a permanent democratic government.

5. Workers and soldiers in the cities formed "soviets" (councils) with 15-man executive committees. Soviets soon took over control of the local governments.

You’re going to take it…and like it mister!!!

C. Provisional Government1. Restored civil rights.2. Promised free elections.3. Continued the war (though most of the people wanted out of the war).


4. Refused to approve land reforms for peasants.

5. Delayed holding free elections.


• 6. July, 1917 -- a moderate socialist, Alexander Kerensky, became 'prime minister' of the Provisional Government. He couldn't win the people's support because he refused to stop the war or carry out land reforms. (Pulling out of the war would break their alliances with countries they would be depending upon in the future.)


7. Peasants, on their own, began to seize estates and divide land among themselves.

Lenin…not the singer

D. Lenin (Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov) and the November Revolution1. April 16, 1917 -- Germany sneaks Lenin (a Bolshevik

in exile in Switzerland) into Russia to disrupt its war effort.

2. Lenin and his followers won a great deal of support by promising "Peace (to the soldiers), Bread (to the workers) and Land/Freedom (to the peasants).“ He carefully planned to take power.

•


3. Fall, 1917 – – Bolsheviks were a small party, but controlled

soviets of 2 major cities; formed a workers' militia called the Red Guard (Kerensky had actually helped arm them when he distributed arms to political parties of the Prov. Govt. to protect against a military coup.)


4. Nov. 6 & 7, 1917 -- Red Guard seized the central government (meeting in the Winter Palace (the tsar's old home)). by force.


5. Bolsheviks quickly set up a party dictatorship and took the name "Communist.“

The elections were still planned, but the Communists were confident of victory.

Communism; It looks good on paper….but looks can be deceiving!

A. Lenin became chief of state with unlimited power.1. Devoted his life to making Russia

communistic and applied Marxist principles.a. All private property went to the state.b. Industries, banks, railroads , and

shipping placed under government ownership.


c. Land holdings of Orthodox Church taken away; atheism encouraged.

d. To increase food supply, peasants allowed to farm the land they had already taken.


i. Peasants tried to hold back food from cities because money was worth-less and factory goods were not available.

ii. Bolsheviks sent soldiers and secret police to villages to take grain by force. Angered peasants.


B. The Assembly1. The Russian people were not pro-Bolshevik,

so when Lenin permitted the elections for a constituent assembly (the first free elections in Russian history), the Bolsheviks only got 25% of the vote. The other socialist parties got 62%.


2. Lenin permitted the assembly to meet only once (Jan. 18, 1918). He dissolved it the next day and sent guards with rifles to enforce it. Thus, he nullified the popular will.


3 Russia didn’t' have the high literacy rate, tradition of debate, respect for individual rights, or large middle class usually associated with a successful constitutional government.

4. But, it was Lenin's arbitrary use of force that ended the chance for true parliamentarism in Russia.

It’s going to get a little confusing!!

C. Civil War1. The anti-Bolshevik "White Army" (made up

of democrats and monarchists – an odd combo) formed in the South, countered by the Bolshevik "Red Army,“ under the command of Leon Trotsky (who removes Stalin from the font).


2. White Army = 150,000. Red Army grows from 400,000 to 5,000,000 in two years.


3. By end of 1919, Red Army has re-captured all lost territories and in charge.

4. From 1917-1920, 19 million Russians dead due to World War I, Civil War, and famine.

Lenin! You the Comrade!!

IV. Russia Under LeninA. State still owned basic industries,

but private enterprise was allowed in retail trade and small business (as Lenin begins to divert from Marxism).


B. Communists laid basis for a powerful dictatorship.1. Built a strong, well-organized party.2. Ensured the party controlled the government

and economy.3. Used force and terror to put down all enemies.4. Taught people the ideas of Marx and Lenin.5. Made everyone become a worker for the state.


C. 1922: Communist party created the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to replace the Russian Empire. Consisted of four republics (after WWII, it included 15 republics).

Stalin….Please don’t Kill me!!

V. Russia Under StalinA. In 1924, Lenin died, resulting in a bitter fight for power between Trotsky and Stalin.

1. Trotsky: A brilliant writer and speaker, as famous as Lenin. Most people expected him to become the new party leader.

a. philosophy: spoke of world revolution (more Marxist).


2. Stalin: Not well known, but a shrewd politician. Used his job as "party secretary" to place his supporters in key jobs.

a. philosophy: build socialism in a single country; make Russia a "workers' paradise," set an example.


B. 1925 -- Stalin's policy was accepted. Trotsky forced to resign as Commissar for Military and Naval Affairs.

C. 1927 -- Trotsky expelled from Politburo (ruling committee of the Communist Party).


1929 -- Trotsky exiled from USSR; goes to Turkey – (and later to Norway and Mexico,

continuing his revolutionary work and attacking Stalin in his writing).

Terror can get Things Done!!

E. Stalin's "10-Year Plan" (actually, two 5-year plans)1. Peasants would pay the costs of industrialization.

a. peasants would combine their small plots of land into large farms ("collectivization")

b. farms produce more by using tractors and other modern machines.

c. peasants forced to sell crops at very low prices to the government.

d. government would export most of the crops to obtain needed funds.

Terror can get Things Done; But we can still be a little sneaky!!

2. Peasants' reactions.a. peasants objected; many

burned their grain and killed their livestock.b. government shipped angry

peasants to less fertile areas where many starved. Others, particularly the Kulaks, were shot or sent to labor camps.

From Rags to Riches

3. In 12 years, USSR became a powerful, industrial nation.

Check out the Perks!

F. Benefits?1. Near full employment; increased

production.2. Illiteracy decreased; education improved.3. State medical care; old-age pensions;

illness and accident insurance.4. Women gained almost complete equality

with men.

Nothing is Perfect….Quit your Whining!!

G. Drawbacks1. Intellectuals forced to participate in building

communism.2. Historians had to glorify Russian heroes

and past.3. Novelists had to show all Communists as

pure idealists.4. Composers had to write melodies that the

common people could easily enjoy.5. Freedom?

“Hey Stalin…What about Sticks and Stones?!!”

Aug. 20, 1940 -- Trotsky killed by Stalin's agents with a pick ax in Mexico.

russian revolution the good, the bad, and the borsht

Documents

majority of people

world war

monarchy government

food shortages

shortages of food

provisional government

local government

russian soldiers