Russian Revolution Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards for the Russian Revolution lecture notes.

Capitalism

An economic system where businesses are privately owned and run for profit.

Communism

A political and economic system where all property is publicly owned, and everyone works and is paid based on their needs and abilities.

Karl Marx

A German philosopher who helped develop the idea of communism.

Proletariat

The working class, especially factory and labor workers.

Bourgeoisie

The middle and upper class who owned businesses and wealth.

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

Co-authors of The Communist Manifesto; they developed communist theory.

The Communist Manifesto (1848)

A book by Marx and Engels calling for workers to rise up against capitalism.

Bloody Sunday

In 1905, peaceful protesters were shot by the czar’s troops in St. Petersburg.

Russo-Japanese War

A war between Russia and Japan in 1904–1905; Russia lost, showing weakness.

Duma

A Russian national legislature created after the 1905 revolution.

Autocracy

A system of government where one person has absolute power.

Czar Nicholas II

The last emperor of Russia; overthrown during the Russian Revolution.

Red Army

The military force of the Bolsheviks, led by the communists.

Rasputin

A mystic who influenced the Russian royal family, especially during WWI.

White Army

Anti-communist forces that fought against the Red Army in the civil war.

Pogroms

Violent attacks against Jewish communities in Russia.

Soviets

Councils of workers and soldiers that played a role in the revolution.

Command Economy

An economy controlled by the government, where they make all decisions.

Bolshevik

A radical group of communists led by Lenin who seized power in 1917.

Provisional Government

A temporary government set up after the czar stepped down in 1917.

USSR

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; the new name for Russia after the revolution.

Vladimir Lenin

Leader of the Bolsheviks and first leader of the USSR.

The New Economic Policy

Lenin’s plan to allow some private businesses to help the economy recover.

Joseph Stalin

Communist leader after Lenin; ruled with terror and strict control.

The Great Purge

Stalin’s campaign to eliminate his enemies, using arrests and executions.

Five-Year Plan

Stalin’s plan to quickly grow industry and agriculture in the USSR.

Leon Trotsky

Lenin’s ally and leader of the Red Army; later exiled by Stalin.

Collectivization

Stalin’s policy of merging small farms into large, government-run ones.

Gulags

Forced labor camps used by Stalin to punish political enemies.

Holodomor

A man-made famine in Ukraine caused by Stalin’s policies, killing millions.