political change

one of the reasons that there was political change in Russia in the early 20th century was because of the impacts of WW1. The war was not only humiliating for Russia, as they suffered many defeats, but was also a huge cause of frustration back home. Stories were emerging of deserting soldiers and corrupt officers, and as workers were conscripted to be sent to war, the peasant farmers were sent to take their jobs in the city. this led to food shortages and extreme inflation. There were protests against shortages of basic needsm such as food and fuel, as the majority of the country’s railways had been taken over for the war effort. When the Tsar went to take over the army in 1915, the people finally had someone to blame for Russia’s military failure, which was one of the key reasons that frustration built up - people saw him as the reason for Russia’s military becoming a joke.

Furthermore, in Russia the provisional government was weak from the start. They were already undermined due to the Dual Authority they shared with the Soviets, and as they held no military control they appeared as ‘seconds'.’ Furthermore, much like the Tsar, the provisional government was alienated from the people. After the provisional government was formed, this continued to be an issue as they refused to give the people what they wanted - exit the war and land redistribution. There was increased anger, and a rise in popularity for the Bolsheviks as they promised to give the people what the provisional government refused to, as seen in the April Theses - peace, land and bread.

in ireland, one of the key causes of political change was the harsh British repression. Ireland had a long history of being mistreated and taken advantage of from the British. From Oliver Cromwell and the seizing of land by British Protestants from Irish Catholics, to the high rent and sudden evictions, this mistreatment was no new thing. But it rose in the 20th century, especially after the Easter Rising, when the British executed many Irish rebel leaders. While they felt that this would only reinforce their authority, it ended up backfiring as public opinions shifted, Not only did the punishments seem unnecessarily harsh, but they increased sympathy for the rebels as the British tapped into long-term resentment. During the Irish War of Independence, the British once again responded severely, with use of extreme force like the Blacks and Tans, and repression for many Irish citizens, which made their rule impossible to maintain