1. The Ten Days that Shook the World
October 1917

2. The Russian Condition Growing Rich-Poor Gap
80% of population illiterate
90% of population agricultural
Trade unionism repressed
Workers radicalized

3. Poverty by the Numbers
Population of St. Petersburg doubled between 1890 and 1910
1.5% of the Russian population controlled over 30% of the land
Average of 16 people per apartment in St. Petersburg (six per room)
Widespread food shortages …

4. Meanwhile ……
At The Winter Palace

5. Over 1000 Rooms

6. Revolutionary Movements Evolve
Thus …. No surprise ……..
Revolutionary Movements Evolve
Intellectuals dominated dissident groups
Populism (borrowed from England and America) found a following in Russia
Anarchists existed ……
But
Socialists were dominant

7. Intellectual Origins

8. Philosophical Influences
Hegel
Marx/Engels
Kant
Schopenhauer
Nietzsche

9. Friedrich Nietzsche Son of German Lutheran minister, well-educated
Theology-Philosophy
Influenced by friendship with Richard Wagner (atheism and a ‘turbulent view of the world’)
Series of physical aliments and a mental breakdown lead to early death
Very little of his writing is published in his lifetime.
Friedrich Nietzsche

10. Nietzsche’s Arguments
The highest value is to be true to yourself
Knowledge and strength are greater virtues than humility and submission
Anti-democracy, anti-religion, anti-socialist and expressed belief in a master race and the coming of a superman - "man is something which ought to be overcome"

11. Existentialism Nietzsche’s legacy
Assumes we are at our best when we struggle against our nature
Man must know that perfection is not possible, but must be attempted
Rejects religion because it presents rules, but man cannot live by the rules because a ‘sin-free’ life is beyond human nature
Core of Marxist philosophy

12. Georg Hegel German born theologist
Argued for Teleological Ethics, a theory based on an assumption that what makes an action right or wrong is its outcome
One ought to act in whatever way will maximize happiness.
Drawn from historic perspective

13. Dialectic Reasoning Hegalian model
Critical thinking about problems and evaluating conflicting viewpoints
Theses-Antitheses-Synthesis
Becomes most critical in determining the morality of an action
Leads to Marx and Dialectic Materialism (defines historic development as a class struggle)

14. Conditions Ripe for Revolt
Weak leadership – Nicolas II unqualified
Suspicious of the Czarina
Rumors of Rasputin’s influence
An economy in decline
AND …………………..
Losses and Failure of Russian Efforts in WWI

15. 1.8 million killed, 2.8 million wounded 2.4 million taken prisoner

16. Duma
Kerenksy

17. The Provisional Government
Headed by Minister of Justice, Alexander Kerensky
Established full civil liberties, but did not guarantee land reform
Did not resolve economic crisis
Did not remove Russia from the War
Influence was undercut by the creation of socialist soviets (Petrograd).

18. July Crisis Led by Gen. Kornilov
Appointed head of armed forces by Kerensky
Conspired with aristocrats to establish a military dictatorship
Kerensky called on the Soviets for help
Coup was thwarted
But – more revolutionary activity was coming
General Kornilov

19. Second Revolution
October 1917

20. Mensheviks Minority – wanted a more inclusive party.
Bolsheviks Majority – Followers of Lenin Believed revolution should be the responsibility of ‘professional’ revolutionaries
Mensheviks Minority – wanted a more inclusive party.

22. Red Terror September to October 1918 Response to White Terror
Mass arrests and executions by the Bolshevik government
Interrogations and torture by the Cheka
Between 10,000-15,000 dead

23. Cheka ‘Temporary’ organization to control unrest
Originally had no arrest powers, but quickly gained them (as well as the right to try and execute).
Forerunner of Soviet KGB.

24. War Communism 1917-1920 Largely determined by military events.
Effort to sway the population to the Bolsheviks
Capital was moved from Petrograd to Moscow
Attempt to create a worldwide Communist Revolution

25. Russian Civil War
Follows Red Terror and during period of War Communism
Whites vs. Reds
Foreign intervention – Japanese, French, U.S.
Leads to death of Czar and family
Red army led by Trotsky succeeds

26. Trotsky Marxist exiled to Siberia in 1900 and ended in London
Returned to Russia in 1905, headed Petrograd Soviet
Exiled again, escaped again, and returned to Russia in 5/17
Arrested by Kerensky, released, assisted in the October Revolution
Negotiated Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

27. Trotsky Inspecting the Red Army

28. Russian Leadership
Nicolas II
Alexandra

29. Rasputin
; Russian Mystic; influence over royal family; ultimately murdered by military (brutalized, shot, drowned)

30. 1918

31. Kronstadt Revolt 1921 Period of economic crisis
Worker unrest in Petrograd
Kronstadt Naval Base led the revolt
Crushed by Trotsky and the sailors were deemed traitors to Communism and executed or exiled
The Party tightened ideological control, and the New Economic Policy was introduced

32. The New Economic Policy
Announced by Lenin in 1921
Farmers were allowed to sell food on the open market - the kulaks
Allowed some internal trade, state banks, and private commerce
Improved food distribution – helped farmer.
Resented by urban workers
Abolished in 1929 by Stalin

33. Lenin 1874-1924 Russian born lawyer
Deported for revolutionary activity – settled in Switzerland
Returned to Russia 10/17
Leads Bolsheviks to overthrow of Provisional Government
Struggled with Stalin over power

34. Leadership Structure Soviets Congress of the Soviets Politburo
Comintern

35. Stalin’s Russia

36. Stalin’s Character & Early Career
He was born in 1879 into miserable poverty in Georgia (territory of Russian Empire).
Ruthless - did whatever was necessary to further the cause of the Bolshevik Party, e.g. crime - rob banks & trains; endure repeated imprisonment & torture in Siberia.
Devoted to Communism & Bolshevik Party, e.g. turned his back on early religious education;
Steadily rose up through Bolshevik Party – eventually became part of its leadership: member of Central Executive Committee; editor of Pravda (party newspaper); after revolution - Commissar for National Minorities) and member of the Politburo (eventually Chairman); played minor role in the Bolshevik Revolution (unlike Trotsky)

37. The Struggle for Power (1924 – 1929)
UNDERESTIMATED BY HIS RIVALS Stalin not seen as credible successor to Lenin
Ruthless, determined, cunning, treacherous, manipulative.
As General Secretary, controlled appointments, supporters in key posts - removing those loyal to rivals.
How did Stalin become the leader of the USSR?
Presented himself as a reasonable politician who wanted best for USSR & Communist Party.
Built Political Alliances to isolate rivals
PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGNS AGAINST RIVALS - discredit rivals & present him as Lenin’s successor.

38. Stalin’s Goals :
Modernise Soviet society & economy - creating a truly Communist and prosperous society
Ensure the national security of the USSR (After the death of Lenin Stalin had called for ‘Socialism in One Country’ )
Maintain his position as leader

39. Stalin’s Key Policies Opposition to NEP Collectivization
The Five Year Plans
The Cultural Revolution (inc. the cult of personality & policies towards women, religion, education & young people)
The Purges
Leading USSR during ‘The Great Patriotic War’ ( )

40. The Five Year Plans
“The history of the old Russia has consisted in being beaten again and again…because of her…backwardness, military backwardness, industrial backwardness, agricultural backwardness. She was beaten because to beat her has paid off and because people have been able to get away with it. If you are backward and weak then you are in the wrong and may be beaten and enslaved. But if you are powerful…people must beware of you. We are fifty to a hundred years behind the advanced countries. We must make up this gap in ten years. Either we do this or they crush us.”
From a speech by Stalin, 1931

41. The Five Year Plans (1928 – 1941)
GOSPLAN, the State Planning Commission for economic development since 1921, acting under Stalin’s orders.
Three ‘Five Year Plans’ between 1928 and 1942:
coal; iron & steel; oil; hydro-electricity; farming
– above & manufacturing
– above & consumer goods BUT shifted to rearmament early on & interrupted by Nazi invasion (1941)

42. Cultural Revolution
Peasantry –peasants found themselves the victims of increasing state control & famine.
Industrial Working Class – Grew as a class due to the success of the Five Year Plans – their achievements in the service of the USSR were celebrated over other groups. Living and working conditions eventually improved. Healthcare improved.
Women (& Families) – Some ‘liberation’ in their lives after 1917 – more freedom of choice in marriage, divorce & childbirth (abortion) – represented in Communist Party
Religion – Persecution by Lenin and Stalin seen as a rival for people’s loyalties & an obstacle to spreading Marx’s teachings

43. Cult of Personality – 1930s
Media focused on Russian strength based on the programs and strength of Stalin
Poems praised his deeds, speeches exalted his skills, modesty, wisdom, and brilliance.
People were careful to applaud long and loudly, The person who stopped first would most likely be arrested as it showed great disrespect and disloyalty.

44. Purges
From 1934 to 1938 Stalin conducted a series of purges of the Communist Party, Red Army and other sections of Soviet society – millions died in labour camps, executions or mass killings.
A product of Stalin’s paranoia and the result of the tensions awakened by the drastic agricultural, industrial and cultural policies pursued by Stalin, which made Stalin vulnerable to criticism.
A series of ‘show trials’ of prominent Communists and military leaders justified the purges –Trotsky (in exile since 1929) was finally assassinated on Stalin’s orders in 1940 in Mexico.
Purges secured Stalin’s hold on power, generated more labour for the GULAG system and brought the Red Army to heal, but did immense damage to the operational capability of USSR’s armed forces

45. Foreign Policy
Pragmatic agreements with other states – Treaty of Rapallo with Germany (1922).
Less emphasis on ‘World Revolution’ as Stalin had called for ‘Socialism in One Country’