HIST 1115 Lecture : HIstory- October 4th
Russian Revolution
Lenin
Vladimir Lenin
Marxist
He knows that there will be a revolution
There was revolution in Petrograd (St. Peters)
Feb (Russian calendar) march (normal calendar) there is a huge revolution that
topples the Czar
oThe duma – wasn’t really elected by the people
oThey didn’t totally stop
The Romanov rule is over
His revolution makes everything change
oFirst socialist revolution in history
oIsolates Russia
In 1913
oRomanovs had a huge celebration
Lenin creates his own version of Marxism: Marxism-Leninism
The experience of war made the proletariat realize the conditions they were living
in
oWar was a catalyst
Vanguard of Revolution
oHis party
oOrganized
oWanted revolution
Pre-Conditions
Extreme Autocracy
oThey never shared authority
oThe duma was elected, but the czar could still get rid of them
oHe could still elect officials and pay them off to do his bidding
The people are only able to express themselves through violence
oThe Winter Palace Revolution
oPeople shot down for peacefully protesting
oViolent secret police Okhrana
oThe protests were crushed
They had no practice for peaceful exchange of opposing ideas
Political Parties are illegal
oNeed disguises, and secrets codes
A lot of socialists have been exiled, sent to Siberia etc.
oThey couldn’t trust each other because they so feared the Okhrana
oThey were all alienated from Russia
oThey didn’t really know the real Russian experience
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All the socialists fought a lot
oThey wanted the Czar gone
oThey did not agree on much else, and they emphasized their differences
The Class Structure
oIn Marxist ideals, there is a middle class that is called bourgeoisie
oRussia doesn’t have a middle class
oBasically, the Czar owns the factories, he then hires professional
managers
oThe working class in Russia, the workers are very miserable
they live in terrible circumstances
they are able to talk about their problems
they organized a SOVIET
they wanted their own land that they could farm themselves
Russia is the father of the other smaller Slavic nations
oRussia is allied with the other powerful and developed nations
The czar is not able to hide Russia’s problems during the war
Russia wants to preserve their great power status, but really, they have no power
War as Catalyst
Russian Agriculture is extremely underdeveloped
oThe Peasant soldiers are mobilized
oAlmost all the horses are mobilized
oNow they need to feed more people, and they have not enough workers
and no horses
Russian Industry
oThey don’t have enough supplies to give to their troops
oThey look like they’re doing pretty well
oThey had very little transportation
oWhen the allies tried to supply them, it’s very hard to get to them through
arctic ocean
oThe Russian people are suffering at home
oCost of living goes way up
oThey have to start calling up the reserves
oThere is a lot of pent up hostility and angry
oThey used the excess grain to make vodka
The war means that arms have been put into the hands of the people
February (March) Revolution
Rebellion swells to revolution
oWas hard to predict it/ see it happening
Started as a Bread Riot
oThe women are protesting this
oWorkers join them in their protest
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find more resources at oneclass.com
Czar Nicholas
oHe decided to run the war effort himself
oHe leaves the governing to Alexandria and her friend Rasputin
Alexandria
oShe believed that Rasputin had divine powers
Rasputin
oHe was able to help her son with his Hemophilia
oA lot of people think that Rasputin is a German Agent
oPeople wanted to kill him
They give him cyanide
They shoot him
Shackle him and throw him in the freezing canal
After Rasputin Is gone, Nicholas continues to govern through Rasputin’s people
Nicholas starts to stockpile the weapons from France just in case there is a
revolution so the gov’t can fight back
War is very unpopular, most of their men are dead or dying at the front
Early in 1917
oNo morale
oThere are strikes in the city
oThe head of the Duma warns him, but he ignores
oHe sends troops to put down the revolution but they switch sides and join
the revolution
oHe realizes that he will have to Abdicate with his son
oMarch 13, 1917 the Autocracy is gone
oThe Romanov reign is over
Revolutionary Parties
Social Democrats
oTrue Marxist party
oBased on the idea of the revolution, in a city, by the proletariat
oThey understand that Russia is going to have to be patient
oThey knew they needed they Proletariat and Bourgeoisie Revolution
Socialist Revolutionary
oBiggest party
oProjected utopia on peasantry
oLead reform and wanted peasants to become dominant
oNot Marx, but based on peasant economy
oBased on the Peasants
Lenin
oHe is a professional revolutionary
oWhen they make a decision, they should all agree
oA small party of super revolutionary people
oThey will lead the masses
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
