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The Russian Revolution

The Russian Revolution. Overview. 1917: war, collapse, revolution Tsarist government collapsed Provisional government proved unable to govern Lenin’s Bolsheviks overthrew the provisional government Two revolutions:

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The Russian Revolution

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  1. The Russian Revolution

  2. Overview • 1917: war, collapse, revolution • Tsarist government collapsed • Provisional government proved unable to govern • Lenin’s Bolsheviks overthrew the provisional government • Two revolutions: • Feb/March 1917: more collapse than overthrow, signaled failure of old autocratic system and created vacuum • Oct/Nov 1917: Leninist seizure of power in Petrograd To horse, Proletarian! (1919)

  3. Incompetence of Nicholas II • Autocratic philosophy in an increasingly democratic age • Failed promises of 1905 (Duma, Constitutional limits) • Decision to enter WW1 and become Commander-in-Chief linked tsar to military failure • Dependence upon conservative, aristocratic advisers • Family dependence upon Rasputin (killed 1916: poisoned, drowned and shot twice)

  4. Urban Economic Disaster • Economic infrastructure minimally developed • Massive inflation without wage increases • Most workers lived beneath poverty line • During war industrial output fell by over 50% • WW1 strained economy further: factory closures, strikes, bread riots • Urban revolutionary potential: unemployed, riots, deserting soldiers

  5. March Revolution • Nicholas returned from WW1 front to chaos in Petrograd • Faced with strikes, riots, deserting soldiers, and military losses, Nicholas II abdicated 3/17 to his brother, who also abdicated • Abdication was final attempt to save monarchy, preferable to revolution • Provisional Government created by Prince Lvov • Liberals: advocated moderate change and Constitution • Executive of P.G. by committee: Kerensky became Prime Minister

  6. Kerensky’s Provisional Government • Policies • Maintain the war effort to support allies • Tsarist estates were expropriated by state • Amnesty for all political exiles • Destruction of secret internal spy system • Struggle within PG for power: • Socialist Revolutionaries (leftists) • Mensheviks (moderate leftists) • Bolsheviks (radical leftists) • Conservatives (military and bourgeoisie) • Inadequacies of PG caused local governments to take power: Soviets • Petrograd Soviet vied with PG for national authority Kerensky (writing) and the PG

  7. Bolshevik Policies • April 1917: Germany transported Lenin from Switzerland to Petrograd in “Sealed Train” • Lenin's "April Theses" • Exit "capitalist" war • All power to the proletariat (workers) • Overthrow capital in Russia • No support to Provisional Government • "All power to the soviets!" • Abolition of police, army, and bureaucracy • Confiscation of all landed estates • Soviets to control all production • Create international socialism • Condensed platform: "Peace, Land, and Bread!"

  8. Leninist Seizure of Power • Use of the Petrograd Soviet: organize military under Trotsky • Support from Battleship "Aurora" in Petrograd harbor • 6 November 1917: Petrograd Soviet troops seized key points in Petrograd • 7 November 1917: • Seizure of "Winter Palace," center of P.G. • "All Russian Congress of Soviets" assembled • "Council of People's Commissars" named as government • Announced elections for Constituent Assembly • Lenin made two decrees: • Begin efforts toward democratic peace • Abolished private property: "state" ownership

  9. Conclusions • Bolsheviks took power without proof of popular support, but majority did support policies(“Vanguard of the people”) • Authoritarian methods were to clear way for democratic ideals • Authoritarian methods boded poorly for true of democracy • For the allies, Bolshevik seizure implied: • closure of the eastern front • impending focus of German strength to west • seed for revolution in west • demonstration of fate of the losing aristocrats • suggested that logical direction of democratization was socialism Nicholas II is considered a martyred saint by some Russian Orthodox Christians.

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