The Russian Revolution and the Soviet Union

1. The Russian Revolution and the Soviet Union

2. Russia in 1881: Reaction and Progress • Classes in Russia • Nobles and bureaucrats (Westernized and wealthy) • Intelligentsia (educated; not part of either the gov’t. or common people) • Serfs • Alexander II emancipated serfs (1861) and created local councils to help govern-zemstvos • 1881, Alexander II assassinated by People’s Will • Alexander III (1881-1894) enacted harsh reforms and Russification w/ worst pogroms to date • Alexander’s Assassination

3. Russia after 1881: Reaction and Progress • In spite of Russification, culturally Russia begins to look like the West • Novels by Tolstoy, Symphonies by Tchaikovsky • Russia began to industrialize • Railway mileage doubled (1888-1913) • Telegraph wire X5 • Russian industrial worker in 1890 like English worker in 1850 • 11 hrs. a day, horrible conditions • Russian industrial workers were highly concentrated • ½ worked in factories of over 500 workers

4. Russia after 1881: Reaction and Progress • The “Cadets” • Business/professional classes form Constitutional Democrat party (Cadets) in 1905 • More concerned w/creating a constitution than w/ the peasants • The Communes (Mirs) • No one can leave w/o communal permission • Land divided and redivided by community • Paid heavy taxes to Tsar • High exports meant less food

5. Russia after 1881: Reaction and Progress • Peasant Demands • More land • Communes grow but not fast enough • Kulaks (successful farmers) stand above the serfs

6. The Emergence of Revolutionary Parties • Emancipated Russian peasants revolutionary in that they were still extremely resentful of the gentry (landed class) • The Intelligentsia • Hated Russian empire and desired its violent overthrow • In constant struggle w/secret police • By 1890, no longer attempting assassinations but trying to gain an army through either: • Peasants or the factory workers

7. The Emergence of Revolutionary Parties • Populism • Believed Russia did not need to be capitalist before it became socialist • Believed in strength of the peasants and the communes • Populists formed Social Revolutionary (SRs) Party (1901) • Marxism • With the growth of factories and more strikes, many populists turned to Marxism

8. The Emergence of Revolutionary Parties • Lenin • From middle-class family of bureaucrats • Brother was incidentally involved in plot to assassinate Alexander III and was executed by the Tsar’s orders • Lenin could longer work in gov’t. so he became a professional revolutionary • Arrested and spent 3 yrs. of exile in Siberia, then immigrated to W. Europe where he stayed until 1917

9. The Emergence of Revolutionary Parties • The Social Democrats (SDs) • Founded in 1898 by Marxists in Russia • Saw revolution as international phenomenon • Believed revolution would occur in industrialized countries first • More oriented towards Europeand most leaders lived in exile • Did not see violence/assassinations as helpful

10. Split in the Social Democrats: Bolsheviks and Mensheviks • Russian Marxists split in 1903 between Bolsheviks (led by Lenin) and Menshevik factions • 1912 Bolsheviks form own party • Bolsheviks (Leninists) • Party should be small, strongly centralized, revolutionary elite • Central committee would act as a dictatorship of the proletariat • Mensheviks • Favored larger, more open party w/membership for mere sympathizers • Recommended cooperation w/liberals, progressives and bourgeoisie democrats

11. Split in the SDs: Bolsheviks and Mensheviks • Lenin accepted and added little to Marx’s main ideas: • Capitalism exploits the workers • History is shaped by economic forces and was moving towards socialism • Religion, philosophy, gov’t. and morals were weapons of the ruling class • Lenin believed himself a pure Marxist and did not tolerate any deviation from Marxist philosophy

12. Split in the SDs: Bolsheviks and Mensheviks • Lenin as activist • Lenin was the supreme agitator and organizer • Believed (unlike Marx) that small, revolutionary elite could impose its socialist ideas on the masses

13. Split in the SDs: Bolsheviks and Mensheviks • The Party • Lenin saw the party as the leader of the revolution • Embraced the use of secret codes, false names, and clandestine tactics • Saw trade unionism w/its day-to-day demands as allied with the bourgeoisie • Saw the party as the intellectual leaders and the workers as the muscle of the revolution • The insistence on a powerful party elite is a distinct feature of Leninism • Marriage of Marxism w/Russian revolutionary tactics became communism

14. The Revolution of 1905: Background and Revolutionary Events • Growing Discontent • Formation of SDs, SRs and Cadets was a sign of intelligentsia’s discontent • After 1900, popular discontent too • Peasant rebellions against tax collectors and landlords • No connection between popular discontent and political parties • Tsar Nicholas saw autocracy as the only way to rule Russia and offered no concessions

15. The Revolution of 1905: Background and Revolutionary Events • Response to Military Defeat • Russo-Japanese War exposed Russian gov’t. as incompetent • Bloody Sunday • In Jan. 1905 Father Gapon, a priest, led a group of 200,000 peaceful protestors to the Tsars’ palace asking for: • An 8 hr. day • A 50 cent minimum daily wage • An elected constituent assembly • Tsar was away, several hundred protestors were shot dead by troops

16. The Revolution of 1905: Background and Revolutionary Events • Reactions to “Bloody Sunday” • Peasants’ emotional bond to the Tsar is broken • Peasant rebellions occur throughout Russia • Gentry lands overrun, manor houses are burned • Councils of workers or “soviets” were formed in Moscow and St. Petersburg • SRs, Cadets and SDs (mostly Mensheviks) try to lead rebellions w/limited success • All agree there needs to be more representation in gov’t. • Tsar grudgingly gives vague promise of democratic legislature • In response St. Petersburg soviet (led by Mensheviks) calls general strike across Russia • Tsar issues October Manifesto promising constitution, civil liberties and a Duma (parliament) elected by all classes

17. The Revolution of 1905: Background and Revolutionary Events • Reaction to the October Manifesto • Manifesto divides opposition • Cadets got the Duma and were somewhat satisfied • Liberals were now afraid of revolutionaries • Workers/peasants still want demands met • Intelligentsia believe, rightly, that October Manifesto is a ruse • In the end, gov’t. is able to maintain itself through: • Contenting of middle class liberals • Crackdowns (arrests and executions) of revolutionaries • Peace w/Japan (reliable soldiers brought in from Far East)