Ch. 28 The Russian Revolution

Revolution in Russia

Vocabulary Terms

  • Proletariat: The working class, especially factory workers.

  • Provisional: Temporary or transitional.

  • Marxism: The beliefs of Karl Marx which argue that capitalism is exploitative and that the working class would eventually rise to create a classless society.

Two Revolutions in Russia

I. The March Revolution

  • The Collapse of the Monarchy

    • Russia suffered significant losses in WWI.

    • Shortages of food and supplies led to public dissent.

    • Workers organized strikes demanding better conditions.

    • Women protested in the streets, chanting "Bread, Bread!"

    • When called upon, the army refused to fire on the people, indicating a loss of loyalty.

  • Outcome:

    • The Czar abdicated the throne.

    • Politicians from the Duma established a new provisional government.

      • They began working on a new constitution.

      • A critical mistake was the decision to remain in WWI.

II. The Role of Alexander Kerensky

  • Kerensky was a reform-minded leader who believed Russia should continue fighting in WWI.

  • He aimed to create a democratic society but struggled to satisfy all factions in Russia.

III. The Split in the Marxist Social Democrat Party

  • Mensheviks:

    • Believed a modern industrial economy had to be built before workers could assume power.

    • Advocated for an alliance with the middle class to develop a liberal, multiparty government.

  • Bolsheviks:

    • More radical Marxists led by Lenin, who believed workers were ready to seize power immediately.

IV. Lenin and Marxism

  • Lenin’s Beliefs:

    • Real name: Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov.

    • Advocated for Marxism, emphasizing the need for a revolution to seize control of the means of production.

V. The Bolsheviks Take Action

  • Lenin argued that gradual reforms were merely capitalist tricks.

  • He called for a "dictatorship of the proletariat" to achieve necessary changes.

A Return from Exile

A. Lenin's Return

  • After the March Revolution, Lenin was in exile in Switzerland.

  • Germany facilitated his return to weaken Russia.

B. The November Revolution

  • In November 1917, armed factory workers and sailors overthrew the provisional government.

  • The Bolsheviks established a Communist state from Moscow, abolishing private land ownership and redistributing it to peasants, effectively giving control of factories and mines to workers.

  • The Bolsheviks renamed themselves the Communists after signing the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, pulling Russia out of WWI.

Civil War and Aftermath

A. Civil War Erupts

  • The Whites: Counter-revolutionary forces loyal to the Czar.

  • The Red Army: Bolsheviks who executed civilians and dissenters, using the Cheka (secret police) to maintain control.

  • By 1921, the Red Army claimed victory, facing the challenge of rebuilding the war-torn nation and economy.

Lenin's Communist State

A. Establishing a Classless Society

  • Lenin aimed for a classless society; a constitution was created in 1922 outlining political power to the people, although control remained with the Communist Party.

B. New Economic Policy (NEP)

  • Introduced aspects of capitalism to stimulate the economy.

  • Allowed farmers to work on small plots and to sell surplus crops, leading to some recovery in food production.

The Rise of Stalin

A. Power Struggle after Lenin's Death

  • Lenin died in 1924, leading to a power struggle with Stalin emerging as the leader in 1929.

B. Stalin's Goals

  • Aimed to industrialize the Soviet Union quickly through Five-Year Plans, focusing on government-controlled command economy.

C. Agricultural Revolution

  • Forced collectivization of agriculture; peasants resisted, leading to catastrophic famines like the Holodomor.

D. The Great Purge

  • Stalin used terror to eliminate perceived threats, resulting in millions of executions and imprisonments in labor camps (Gulags).

E. Life in the Gulag

  • Brutal conditions; many died due to starvation, punishment, and forced labor.

Reflection

  • Consider the duality of Stalin’s rule, where oppression coexisted with industrial advances. Discuss the pros and cons of communism in the Soviet Union.