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The Russian Revolution

The Russian Revolution. Exam Revision. The Study Design. Unit 3 Area of Study One Revolutionary ideas, leaders, movements and events. Russian Revolution 1905 to October 1917 (Bloody Sunday to Bolshevik Revolution Outcome One

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The Russian Revolution

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  1. The Russian Revolution Exam Revision

  2. The Study Design Unit 3 • Area of Study One • Revolutionary ideas, leaders, movements and events. • Russian Revolution 1905 to October 1917 (Bloody Sunday to Bolshevik Revolution • Outcome One • On completion of this unit the student should be able to evaluate the role of ideas, leaders, movements and events in the development of the revolution.

  3. Tsarism • The Romanovs ruled over Russia for over three hundred years- beginning in 1613 • Tsar Nicholas II • Became Tsar at 26- father died unexpectedly in 1894. • Sir G. Buchanan, Bristish Ambassador wrote; ‘The Emperor Nicholas has not inherited his fathers commanding personality nor the strong character and prompt decision making which are so essential to an autocratic ruler.’ • Nicholas wrote to his brother in 1894; ‘I am not prepared to be a Tsar. I never wanted to become one. I know nothing of the business of ruling.’

  4. How was Tsarism implemented? Government divided into three: • Imperial Council of the Tsar’s personal advisers • Cabinet of Ministers who each had a responsibility over a specific department • Senate who turned Tsar’s ideas into state laws None share power with the Tsar and are all chosen by the Tsar Corrupt bureaucracy: Russian bureaucracy was based on undeserved privilege and therefore was inefficient. Civil service were often competing with one another. Oppressive Police: divided into two groups • Okhrana – Secret Police protected interests of the state (Tsar) • Normal police maintained law and order using oppressive measures and the fierce Cossacks. Conservative Russian Orthodox Church • Official religion of Russia • Reinforced autocracy and conservative values • Under state control since 1721

  5. Russian Social Structure • Ruling class: Royal family and members of government - 0.5% of population • Upper class: Highly paid for low workloads • Nobility, landowners, merchants, church leaders, civil service, Officers in army. 12% • Middle Class: professionals, intelligentsia, and technical specialists 1.5% • Industrial working class: Called the proletariat and lived in cities. 4% • Peasants: Mainly subsistence farmers growing crops and livestock for summer only. Lacked knowledge, technology and equipment. The Tsar feared educating the masses. Were easily affected by drought, disease and famine. 82% of population.

  6. Chronology of Events • Russo-Japanese War- 10 February 1904 – 5 September 1905 • Humiliating defeat • January 1905- ‘Bloody Sunday’ • Massacre of protestors led by Father Gapon by Tsarist troops. • January-November 1905- 1905 Revolution • Wide-spread unrest, strikes, rioting and mutinies

  7. Chronology of Events • October 1905- St Petersburg Soviet formed by Trotsky (body representing workers and soldiers) • October 1905- October Manifesto issued by the Tsar • Creation of a representative parliament- Duma • April 1906- Tsar issued the Fundamental Laws • Maintained the Tsar’s sovereignty over the Duma • October 1906- Stolypin (Russian Prime Minister) introduces land reforms/response to opposition • Carrot and Stick

  8. Chronology of Events • August 1914- WWI begins, Russia enter on the side of the Allies • Initial surge of patriotism • However early defeats demonstrate that troops were ill-prepared and poorly led • September 1915- Tsar takes personal control of military operations • Tsar now personally associated with continued defeats, while domestic matters were controlled by the German-born Tsarina, who was in league with Rasputin • 1916-17- Long involvement in war causes social and economic chaos • Inflation sky-rocketed, food was scarce, and the transportation system collapsed • Revolutionary discussion and activity rose, mutinies in the military increase

  9. Chronology of Events • February 1917- February Revolution • Mutinies and bread shortages spark the revolution • The Tsar was overthrown and arrested, while elements of the Duma assumed control as the Provisional Government • 300 years of Romanov rule came to an end with the Tsar’s abdication. • March/April • Petrograd Soviet issued ‘Order Number 1’ • Suggests non-compliance with the Provisional Government • Lenin returned from exile • Released his ‘April Thesis’ calling for an immediate socialist revolution

  10. Chronology of Events • July/August 1917 • July Days • Bolsheviks attempted revolution but failed due to lack of support • Many key Bolsheviks arrested, Lenin goes into exile • the Kornilov revolt • Attempted counter-revolution by General Kornilov weakened the Provisional Government • Bolsheviks asks to fight in support of the revolution- gains them increased support • October 1917- Bolshevik Revolution • After gaining a majority in the Soviets- the Bolsheviks feel confident enough to attempt another take-over. • Did so with comparative ease- with thanks to Trotsky’s organisation. • Proved more of a challenge to extend this power across Russia – ‘10 Days that Shook the World’

  11. Key Knowledge This knowledge includes • the chronology of key events and factors which contributed to the revolution. • the causes of tensions and conflicts generated in the old regime that many historians see as contributing to the revolution; for example, rising and unfulfilled class expectations; fluctuations in economic activity; failed attempts at economic, social or political reform; perceived social or economic inequality or lack of political voice; the impact of war or economic crisis that contributed to revolution such as the social and economic impact of World War 1 on Tsarist Russia • the ideas and ideologies utilised in revolutionary struggle; for example, Marxist ideas. • the role of revolutionary individuals and groups in bringing about change; for example, in Russia, Kerensky, Trotsky, Lenin, the Socialist Revolutionaries, Mensheviks and Bolsheviks.

  12. The Study Design Unit 4 • Area of Study Two • Creating a New Society • Russian Revolution November 1917 to 1924 (Initial Decrees to the death of Lenin) • Outcome Two • On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse the challenges facing the emerging new order, and the way in which attempts were made to create a new society, and evaluate the nature of the society created by the revolution.

  13. Chronology of events • Initial Decrees • The Decree on Land- 8 November 1917 • Private ownership abolished- land property of whole people. • Right to land accorded to all citizens (including women) • Land tenure (occupancy) based equally. • Peace- Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, March 1918 • Pull Russia out of WWI. • Harsh penalties- lost 32% of its land, 34% of its population, and 54% of its industry.

  14. Chronology of events • Elections to the Constituent Assembly- November 1917 • When came to power, agreed to hold elections • Bolsheviks didn’t win enough seats • Lenin shut it down • Political Structure • Sovnarkom- for Bolsheviks only • Three executive bodies • Politburo – policy making body • Orgburo – organising body of Communist Party • Secretariat – appointed people to implement decisions of the Communist Party

  15. Chronology of events • Creation of the Cheka- December 1917 • Secret Police- establish political control and maintain it. • Order given in Feb 1918- immediate arrest and execution of agents of enemy spies, counter-revolutionary agitators, organisers of revolts against the government, those selling weapons to counter-revolutionaries. • Dzerzhinsky was commander of the Cheka

  16. Chronology of events • The Civil War- 1918-1921 • Red Army- The Bolsheviks- led by Trotsky • White Army- control under different ex-Army leaders-included the Mensheviks, Socialist Revolutionaries, Kadets, tsarists • Green Army- Ukrainian and Georgian Nationalists. • International- opposed to communism and withdrawal from WWI- included; USA, Great Britain, France and Japan sent aid to the anti-Bolshevik forces (the ‘Whites’) during civil war, although this declined after WWI • Terror- repression through the Cheka and Red Army- included execution of the Tsar and his family. • The Red Army won- the terror (Cheka), unity, central control, propaganda, War Communism, Trotsky and the Red Army.

  17. Chronology of events • War Communism- 1918-1921 • Grain requisition, militarisation of the workplace, state-supplied services, elimination of monetary economy • Resulted in hyper-inflation, teamed with bad weather in 1920/21 caused a terrible famine- estimates 7 million died – reports of cannibalism • the Kulaks- richer peasants, accused of hoarding grain, blamed for food shortage- resulted in mass terror from the Cheka. • The failure of war communism lead to open rebellion- workers left the cities went on strike, peasant rebellions broke out killing 250,000 Red Army soldiers.

  18. Chronology of events • The Kronstadt Revolt- March 1921 • Sailors at the Kronstadt Naval Base (strong supporters of them during the civil war) felt betrayed by the Bolshevik Govt and mutinied, but were crushed by 6000 Red army troops. • The 10th Party Congress- 8-16th March 1921 • Introduced the NEP- aimed at providing food to the starving population- ended grain requisition, peasants could choose what to do with their surplus grain (element of capitalism), industry and production encouraged. • Result of NEP- grain harvest doubled by 1925, railways transported twice as much, average wage of a factory worker increased by 150%. • Also led to increase in factions within the Party- Lenin declared two decrees to address this: • ‘On the Anarcho-Syndicalist Deviation’- advocacy of opposition these ideals was illegal. • ‘On Party Unity’- banned factions within the Party.

  19. Chronology of events • Formation of the USSR- February 1922 • Treaty of Union- joined six former Soviet Republics, under the banner of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics- government in Moscow • Evolution of the Cheka • Feb 1922- Cheka replaced by the State Political Administration (GPU) • 1923- the United State Political Administration (OGPU) was created- existence was written into the constitution of the USSR • Lenin’s death • First stroke 26 May 1922, December 2 more, 4 March 1923 (crippling stroke), 21 January 1924 Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov died, he was 53. • Party leadership major issues over next four years, wasn’t resolved until Stalin released the first Five Year Plan in 1928.

  20. So what should you know? • Key knowledge • the contribution of individuals and groups to the creation of the new society; for example, in Russia, Trotsky and Lenin. • the cause of difficulties or crises faced by the revolutionary groups or governments as a new state was consolidated; for example, the civil war and foreign intervention in Russia • the response of the key revolutionary individuals, groups, governments or parties to the difficulties that they encountered as the new state was consolidated; for example, the Red Guard in Russia; Civil War, and War Communism. • the compromise of revolutionary ideals; for example, the NEP in Russia and the Red Guard; the radicalisation of policies; for example, during the civil war in Russia. • the changes and continuities that the revolution brought about in the structure of government, the organisation of society, and its values, and the distribution of wealth and conditions of everyday life.

  21. Key Questions AOS2 • What impediments were there to the creation of a new society? • What were the responses to these impediments? • How did he new regime cope with ruling the new society? • How/Did the new regime realise its ideals?

  22. Historiography SOVIET INTERPRETATION • Established and fostered by the Communist Party of the USSR up until 1991. • Praise the leadership of Lenin- the revolution was the result of his powerful leadership- he was able to guide and lead Russia’s masses in a genuine popular uprising against a corrupt, bourgeois regime- success of the October Revolution was evidence of Lenin’s brilliance. • Celebrate the triumphs of the Revolution • The Bolsheviks played a central role in shaping the workers’ protests (from 1905-1917) • Maintain that there was continuity of mass radicalism between the revolutions of 1905, February and October 1917. • October was the ultimate fulfilment of the revolutionary aspirations of the masses and laws of history (Marx) • Legitimise the rule of the Party- the increasing authoritarian measures that had to be taken during the Civil War were necessary responses to crises and external military threat • ‘Marxist’ in their analysis of the Revolution: the Bolshevik victory was inevitable and followed the general laws of history established by Marx • Bias- justify the Revolution and celebrate the triumphs of Communism • Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, John Reed. Christopher Hill

  23. Historiography LIBERAL INTERPRETATION • Dominant view by historians writing in the West. • Hostile to the notions of socialism, Marxist theory and Communist Party rule. • Interpreted history ‘from above’- focussing on the role of key figures (Tsar Nicholas II, Kerensky, Lenin, Trotsky) and policies. • The masses viewed as largely irrational, passive or simply anarchic in their demands and actions- the Bolsheviks successfully manipulated and exploited this to ensure their victory. • The failing and unpopular war effort, rampages of the peasants and unrealistic demands of the workers created a situation in which the democratic Provisional Government could not hold power. • The October revolution was “a classic coup d'état”: • Bolsheviks disguised their real aim- to build “a one party dictatorship” (Pipes) • October was neither popular nor democratic • Due to superior organisation and deception of the masses by a professional, dedicated elite who were intent on just one goal: the seizure and retainment of power. • Events following the Revolution were said to prove this opinion • Some Liberal historians have seen the collapse of the Soviet Union as the vindication of their views • Bias- Cold War influence underscores dismissal of ‘mass participation’ (‘Marxist’ ideal), demonises the Bolsheviks • Orlando Figes, Richard Pipes

  24. Historiography REVISIONIST INTERPRETATION • 1970s- a number of scholars began again questioning the assumptions of both the Soviet and liberal scholars- in-depth research alongside modes of analysis borrowed from sociology, economics and politics. • Believe an analysis of the Revolution based purely on its ‘chief’ actors is limited- therefore an overall recognition of the importance played by the ordinary people in creating the revolutionary nature of Russian society in 1917 is emphasised • Understand and read history ‘from below’ • Outline the complexity, changing nature and regional differences that were active in the Revolution. • Acton, “Russia’s workers were not one uniform, grey mass but flesh-and-blood individuals, highly differentiated in terms of level of skill, cultural development, nationality and outlook, Rather than responding en masse to events, their reactions depended closely upon their own particular experience”. • Russia’s peasants also had their own legitimate, articulate and very real demands. • Key revisionists: Sheila Fitzpatrick, Robert Service, Steven Smith, Harold Shukman • Unlike liberals, revisionists revealed that there was a degree of mass support for the Bolsheviks in October 1917. • Lenin was a key figure in shaping the course of the Revolution and it was the Bolshevik Party who were able to best articulate the demands of the masses- an end to class struggle, Soviet power: “All Power to the Soviets” • Revisionist research has revealed that the Bolsheviks in 1917 were far from disciplined, centralised and tightly organised- Party members were diverse, democratic debate was common, orders given by the leadership were often ignored, problems with communication often led to decisions being ineffectively managed. • Bias- critical of both polarised views, and seek a deeper, more complex analysis

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