8.4 - Russian Revolution

Russia During WWI

  • Type of Government is a monarchy.
  • They are not very powerful.
  • They had the most number of casualties.

Causes of Revolution

  • Same problems exist from 1905 Revolution
    • Economic - very slow industrialization and low paid working class (families are not able to provide for themselves)
    • Social - suffering and persecution is prevalent
    • Political - frustrated with the autocracy, failure of Duma
    • Duma is the parliament like government that had no real power.
  • World War I caused further discontent and suffering
    • Lack of supplies
    • Inadequate transportation capability
    • Lack of trust in bad leadership

Marxist Ideas

  • Communist Manifesto - outlines ideas of communism
    • Written by Karl Marx and Frederich Engels
    • Class conflicts will lead to communist states
  • Core ideas of communism
    • Rich capitalists exploit proletariat (working class)
    • No profits - everything for the state
    • Common ownership

October Revolution

  • New government -> fatal decisions

    • Continued war effort against Germans
    • Failed to deal with land reform

  • November 1917 - Red Guard take Moscow

    • Bolsheviks, armed factory workers, & soldiers
    • Took 10 days to capture city

Civil War in Russia (1917 - 1921)

  • Civil War breaks out as result of revolution
    • Reds -> Communists/Bolsheviks
    • Whites -> All who oppose Bolsheviks 
  • Reds used terror to maintain power
    • Cheka - secret police who arrests & eliminates enemies
    • “War Communism” used - all actions are for the state
    • Commisars - enforce party principles & ensure loyalty

Emergence of Soviet Union

  • Reds win civil war (1921)
  • Creation of United Socialist Soviet Republic (USSR/Soviet Union) (1922)
    • Write new constitution
    • Guarantee voting rights
    • Control of resources by the state
    • Communist Party = supreme party
  • Instill New Economic Policy (NEP)

Stalin Comes to Power

  • Vladimir Lenin dies (1924)
  • Stalin did all the dirty work for Vladimir
  • Two potential successors: Leon Trotsky & Josef Stalin
    • Different views on future of communism
    • Trotsky = expand internationally
    • Stalin = build up homefront
  • Leon Trotsky flees, Josef Stalin takes power (1929)
  • Stalin becomes the voice of the communist party