Russian Revolutions

Nicholas I

Russian Czar who had autocratic principles; first in the timeline

Alexander II

Successor of Nicholas I; enacted many reforms and abolished serfdom

Nicholas I

Russian Czar who had autocratic principles; first in the timeline

Alexander II

Successor of Nicholas I; enacted many reforms and abolished serfdom

Alexander III

succeeded Alexander II in 1881 and clung to autocratic principles and paused all reforms; considered those who question authority or did not worship the Russian Orthodox Church to be “dangerous”

Nicholas II

succeeded Alexander III in 1894 and was unfit to be Czar/blinded to changing times

Trans-Siberian Railway

world’s largest continuous rail line built from 1891 to 1916 that connected European Russia to Pacific ports in Russia

Bolsheviks

Russian Marxist group that consisted of a small number of revolutionaries that were willing to sacrifice for the revolution

Mensheviks

Russian Marxist group that was focused on gathering a broad base of popular support for revolution

Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (Lenin)

Bolshevik leader who was engaging, a good organizer, and ruthless

• fled Europe to avoid arrest from the Czarist regime

Russo-Japanese War

loss in 1904 that sparked revolts

Bloody Sunday

January 22, 1905 uprising that triggered 1905 revolution — workers petitioned for better working conditions, freedom, and elected legislature

October Manifesto

promised civil liberties, constitutional monarchy, and duma

“Socialism in one Country”

Stalin’s policy that posited that the Soviet Union could successfully construct a socialist society even in the absence of a worldwide revolution

Comintern

international organization that aimed to promote communist revolutions and establish communist states globally. It saw internationalism and world revolution as essential for achieving socialism

Causes of the 1905 Revolution

• poor working conditions

• lack of personal freedom

• autocratic government

• class-wide economic discontent

• defeat in Russo-Japanese war

• Bloody sunday

Effects of the 1905 Revolution

• october manifesto

• 200 civilians died, 800 wounded

• strikes occurred across empire

• liberals, workers, and peasants demanded reform

• soldiers mutinied

How was 19th century Russia different from the rest of Europe?

• feudal, not constitutional

• underdeveloped

• rest of europe was modernizing

• did not improve citizens’ lives or give individual freedoms

Why were the Bolsheviks able to win the Russian Civil War?

• The White army lacked unity and cooperation

• effective use of propaganda

• widespread support of peasants

• strong military leadership of Trotsky

What was the NEP? Did it work? Why/why not?

• The New Economic Policy was introduced by Lenin as a capitalist compromise which allowed peasants to sell surplus crops and for small businesses, farms and factories to operate privately.

• It worked because it brought economic stability to the country and Russian farms and factories were producing as much as before WWI.

Defining characteristics of totalitarianism

• ideology (glorification of govt)

• state control of individuals (no liberty + demands loyalty)

• methods of enforcement (police, indoctrination, censorship, persecution)

• Modern technology

• state control of society

• dictatorship

• dynamic leader