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The Russian Revolution. Background: 1917 Revolution Repressive autocratic empire; rapid industrialization -1900-1913, wretched conditions of workers and peasants revolutionary ideas embraced by working class middle class press for constitutional reforms.
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The Russian Revolution • Background: 1917 Revolution • Repressive autocratic empire; rapid industrialization -1900-1913, wretched conditions of workers and peasants • revolutionary ideas embraced by working class • middle class press for constitutional reforms
Nicholas II - stubborn, incompetent, autocratic • 1905 Revolution - a dress rehearsal for 1917
W W I and Revolution • Russia - challenge from Austria/Hungary; maintain Great Power status • brief patriotic support for war, followed by battlefield defeats • opportunity for centrist parties - progressive bloc formed, demanded a government responsible to the Duma
Duma prorogued; Nicholas takes command of the army and creates new institutions - Union of Zemstvos • war leads to scarcity of food supplies at the front and in the cities; refugees; unrest in military and among minorities
February Revolution 1917 • Petrograd - food shortages - women demonstrate - striking workers join in demonstrations call for general strike • soldiers fire on demonstrators; but following day join revolution • by 28th February tsarist ministers are under arrest • Nicholas dissolves Duma, then abdicates; offers crown to his brother Michael, but offer rejected • Duma returns - represents propertied classes
intelligentsia and workers form “Petrograd Soviet of Workers, Soldiers and Deputies” - willing to support “bourgeois” stage of revolution • ‘dual power’ emerges - Duma and soviets; but Petrograd soviet issues ‘Order No. 1. Provided for soviet authority over army units
Provisional Government established - includes Kadet party leader Miliukov and Kerensky, (SR) as Justice minister • program includes support for democracy, rights, autonomy for minorities, rule of law; new local government institutions • PG promises to recognize Poland’s independence
by March 25th Provisional Government forced to adopt socialist policies - state regulation of the grain supply • war undermines ‘dual power’ arrangement - soviets reject government’s war aims and support “revolutionary defencism” • coalition between soviets and government following unrest in Petrograd
April 1917 - Lenin returns from exile in Switzerland, with German assistance • rejection of “bourgeois” by radicals - Stalin willing to work with government and reconcile with Mensheviks
Lenin • Lenin’s role is to prove decisive in the unfolding of the revolution • Lenin publishes his “April Theses” - slogans call for “Peace, Bread and Land” and “All Power to the Soviets” - calls for end to ‘dual power’
Lenin’s vision - a complete transformation of Russia based on Marxist-Leninist principles • increased disagreements in coalition - regulation of economy, labor, land and minorities question • but war decisive - Bolsheviks present united front
Orlovsky challenges interpretations of the revolution which denigrate the role of the working class - Pipes/Melia - conservative view influenced by Menshevik bias • workers not simply a “backward” class manipulated by Bolshevik ideology
For Orlovsky collective action by workers profoundly shaped the revolution • radicalization of workers favors Bolsheviks over Mensheviks • widespread strikes show strength of opposition to the Provisional Government
peasants demand redistribution of land • land question divides government • socialists divided - Mensheviks Vs more radical socialists • “July Days” - abortive insurrection by soldiers and workers - Bolsheviks blamed, but popular radicalism key factor • crisis in government - war, land seizures, autonomy for Ukraine -Kadet ministers resign • Kerensky succeeds as prime minister - inept
Kornilov Affair - commander-in-chief • sought to end ‘dual power’ and anarchy of democracy - supported by industrialists, landowners • August - marched on Petrograd; aim to suppress the soviets; but betrayed by Kerensky • Kornilov defeated by ‘Red Guards’ • Kerensky installs himself as head of a new government, a “Directory”. Kerensky’s authority undermined by Affair and assisted in Bolshevik takeover
October Revolution • by September widespread industrial unrest and increased levels of violence lead to breakdown of law and order • moderate left and center unable to command situation • Lenin revived slogan “ all power to the soviets” - calls on soviets to take power in the name of the working class • Lenin’s fears of German intervention or deal with Kerensky • divisions in Bolshevik ranks
‘Old Bolsheviks’ Kamenev and Zinoviev supported broad-based socialist coalition taking power • majority of Central Committee support Lenin - including Stalin and Trotsky • ‘Military Revolutionary Committee’ formed in Petrograd - significant for revolution
problems, divisions in opposition facilitated Bolshevik seizure of power • October 24/25 Kerensky government falls - Winter Palace • Bolsheviks take power in the name of the soviets