Communism in Russia 1900 to 1940 Study Notes

Communism: A social, political, and economic ideology aiming for a stateless, classless society where production is controlled by workers and resources are distributed according to ability and needs.
Karl Marx: Co-authored the Communist Manifesto (1848) and wrote Das Kapital (1867); theorized that class struggle between the bourgeoisie (owners) and the proletariat (workers) would inevitably lead to communism.

Long-term Causes: Peasant and industrial worker discontent over living conditions, unpopular Tsarist policies, and the adoption of Marxist beliefs.
Immediate Triggers: Humiliating defeat in the war with Japan, fuel shortages, and the assassination of Plehve in 1904.
Bloody Sunday: A peaceful protest suppressed by soldiers, resulting in 200 deaths; sparked a short-lived revolution where the Tsar lost control of large areas.
Legacy: Showed the power of mass strikes and workers' councils (Soviets); Lenin and Trotsky developed revolutionary theories based on these events.

Political Causes: Nicholas II’s refusal to reform, Prime Minister Stolypin’s policy of repression, and the influence of Rasputin over Tsarina Alexandra.
Economic Causes: World War I created food shortages, high prices, and unemployment; the Central Powers (Germany, Austria, and Italy) blocked trade.
Social Causes: Overcrowded and insanitary housing, poor wages, and unsafe factory conditions.
Outcome: Triggered by a mass protest on International Women's Day, leading to the February and October Revolutions and the eventual Bolshevik seizure of power.

Civil War (1918–1921): Conflict between the Bolshevik Red Army (led by Trotsky) and the White Army (supported by Britain, France, and the USA).
War Communism: An economic policy of food requisitioning and nationalization that destroyed the economy and led to the 1921 drought and famine.
State Formation: In 1923, Russia was renamed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR); the Bolsheviks, now called Communists, banned all opposition and religion.

Marxism-Leninism: Lenin’s belief that revolution required a "Vanguard" (elite group of intellectuals) and could occur in peasant-heavy societies despite Marx's focus on industrialization.
New Economic Policy (NEP): Introduced in 1921 to replace War Communism; allowed peasants to sell surplus grain for profit and encouraged foreign investment to stabilize the economy.
Kulaks: A new class of wealthy peasants that emerged during the NEP period.

Power Struggle: Following Lenin’s death in 1924, Stalin defeated Trotsky (exiled in 1929, assassinated in 1940) by promoting "Socialism in One Country."
The Purges: Sparked by the 1934 assassination of Kirov; involving Show Trials where revolutionaries were forced to confess to treason.
Statistics of Terror: 93 of 139 Central Committee members were executed; the Red Army was purged of its Commander in Chief and seven leading Generals in 1937.
NKVD: The Secret Police used to carry out terror; Stalin eventually executed senior NKVD members under Beria.

Five-Year Plans (1928–1941): Managed by Gosplan to develop heavy industry and infrastructure; emphasized quantity over quality and relied on forced labor.
Collectivization (1929): Forced merger of farms to feed industrial workers and export grain; Kulaks were brutally punished or sent to Gulags.
Consequences: Major famines in 1930 and 1932–1933; approximately 20 million ordinary people were sent to Gulags, where half died.

Rights under Bolsheviks: Women gained voting rights, divorce on request, and equal treatment in the workplace; mass literacy classes were established.
Stalin Era Changes: While women made up 40% of the industrial workforce by 1937, abortion was made illegal, and divorce became difficult again.
Repression: Wives and children of accused men were frequently condemned during the purges.

Non-Aggression Pact: An agreement with Germany to divide Poland, though both sides remained suspicious.
German Invasion: On 22 June 1941, Hitler attacked Russia with 3 million soldiers and 3500 tanks.
Outcome: Stalin joined Britain and France; the Eastern Front saw 20–30 million casualties before the 1945 German surrender.