1. The Russian Revolution

2. Nicholas II  Late 19 th Century: persecution of intellectuals, non Orthodox, and Jews Escaped to avoid persecution Brought Russians into contact with W ideas, including Marx  1896--Great Beer Fiasco: Celebrating crowning Nicholas II, free beer was given out at the palace in St. Petersburg. People stampeded for the beer; several peasants were injured. That night Nicholas went to his lavish coronation ball anyway, making him appear callous right from the beginning of his reign.

3. Revolution of 1905--Background  Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labor Party formed in 1898; split 1903 into Mensheviks “minority” (moderate) wanted change, but not with emphasis on workers and peasants, gradual and natural Bolsheviks “majority” ironic because they were a tiny minority (extreme) wanted immediate revolution with power to the workers and peasants by violent means, if necessary  Russo-Japanese War, with military failures, loss of prestige of czar (Rasputin, etc.)  Economic boom in the 1890’s fell into a slump: workers and peasants suffered Lower rents, better wages, bigger plots of land Land seizures with violence and burning, looting, illegal hunting and logging Poles, Finns, Baltic provinces wanted autonomy

4. Revolution 1905: What Happened?  Bloody Sunday peaceful protest march in St. Petersburg, lead by priest Mostly peasants and workers, many with pictures of the czar to show loyalty purpose: to present petition about working conditions to czar put down by armed forces: 1,000+ killed, injured; prisons, courts, police attacked by mobs; government buildings set on fire

5. What happened in the Revolution of 1905 (continued):  Consequences: splinter groups with no overall leadership demanded changes  Widespread strikes in St. Petersburg spread to 400,000 involved by January; many killed in repressions; railroads shut down; universities closed by authorities added to protests.  Government concessions: October Manifesto granted civil rights, political parties, widened suffrage, Duma as legislature  Conservative reaction=violent anti Jewish (500 killed in one day in Odessa); general strike in Moscow repressed violently by army, 1,000 dead by the time Bolsheviks surrendered.

6. Attempts to stem the tide:  Legal political parties: Constitutional Democratic (19 th C liberal) Kadets; peasants Labour Group; Union (reactionary)  Electoral laws changed; election to Duma; boycotted by socialists, Bolsheviks and Mensheviks; Stolypin prime minister suppressed revolutionaries  April Fundamental Law=czar still absolute leader over foreign policy, church, military; legislation=Duma, Council and Czar to become law  NO real change: czar dissolved Duma, assassination attempt on Stolypin—arrest and “stolypin neckties” for 1000

7. Revolution of 1917: WWI as spark  Petrograd: protest vs Czar because of food shortages because of Total War: all going to war effort; particularly cold winter and much death  Dissatisfaction with Russ involvement in WW I (losing); Russ troops poorly supplied and lead, not convinced of the war (or the czarist government, full of corruption and privilege) as a cause, loss of territories, death and bad economy as a result

8. February Revolution, 1917  First day 90,000 demonstrated. Later the streets of Petrograd were filled with demonstrators—formed soviets in factories—de facto rule; Troops refused to fire on protestors and joined them.  When military (150,000) mutinied, too, Czar Nicholas II abdicated  Provisional (Kerensky) government formed: moderate and liberal, but would not seize and redistribute land to the peasants Civil rights with freedom of assembly, religion and speech; no persecution of religious minorities Disbanded secret police But basic social structure unchanged.  Though Duma existed, real power in the Soviets, especially Petrograd’s Supported Kerensky government until declared to continue with WWI Already 1½ Million killed; soldiers and supporters rebelled; Petrograd Soviet took over power, threw out Duma= endorsement of Bolshevik ideas; government continues with the war, but many desert and become Bolshevik supporters

9. Lenin Vladimir Illyich Ulynaov  Brother executed for part in plot to assassinate czar  Follower of Marx; jailed and exiled to Siberia as revolutionary, 1887-90 revolution will only come through violence Russia doesn’t have to wait for establishment of bourgeoise rule before revolution Revolution will come only through disciplined (mass worker/peasant) party lead by small, permanent elite  Published magazine in Switzerland; came back for 1905 revolt, but then escaped when it failed  Convinced Germans to sneak him back into Russia in 1917 in exchange for taking Russ out of war

10. October Revolution  Lenin lead, with Trotsky as brains (and brought financing from American exile) marked the beginning of the spread of Communism  Well planned and coordinated according to Lenin pattern against ineffective provisional government Armed workers and soldiers directed to capture key buildings in Petrograd Winter Palace attacked, Kerensky flees.

11. Second Congress of Soviets—Mensheviks walk out in protest; Soviet government declared with Council of People’s Commisars (Bolshevik) and Lenin as chairman in control; after the abortive elections, Commisars rule with no pretense of democracy Conservative general, Kornilov, tried taking Petrograd, failed when army greeted by Bolsheviks, faded away from him  Promised popular elections for the legislature: Bolsheviks only a minority; Trotsky refuses to accept them, disbands legislature at point of arms.  War continues between “whites” (monarchists, conservatives, liberals and socialists) and “reds” (Bolsheviks) throughout the country, resulting in suffering and death to millions. Mensheviks could have won, with much more popular support, except they allied themselves to the czar limiting choice to Bolsheviks or czar. Bolsheviks win.

12. Aftermath  “Red Terror” hunt for political opponents, many executed by the Bolsheviks, including the czar and his family  Establishment of the cheka, secret police, to hunt out those who oppose the Bolsheviks  Workers strikes, peasant uprising, military protests all put down violently, more violence and oppression than in the times of the tsar

13. Creating the USSR: Rule of Lenin  During the civil war, politics and economics under War Communism: all, both industry and agriculture, were controlled by state for war. When the war ended, the government kept these economic policies. Russia remained technologically- backwards without the institutions and resources; people starved (crops confiscated by the government, so little grown). It caused mass starvation and a shift in population from cities to the countryside. Once the war ended, the peasants rebelled and the workers struck in response to the starvation. Moscow was filled with demonstrations in March 1921.  The main job of the government was viewed as the "guardian of the population." The party structure was changed after the civil war; the Central Committee grew from 12 to 200 members. The people were supposed to have the power, but the Supreme Soviet was told, more or less, who to elect to the Central Committee.  The Soviet government became a military administrative state as a direct result of the war. The Red Army was the government's largest institution

14. Lenin’s NEP  NEP, or New Economic Policy, ended grain requisitions, and instead taxed grain and allowed peasants to sell the surplus. Peasants also were allowed to lease their land.  The NEP included a return to capitalism. Private businesses were revived and free trade was allowed, meaning people could buy and sell what and where they wanted. The government only maintained controlled of the "Commanding Heights" or big businesses such as banks, weapon manufacturing, and foreign trade.  The return to capitalism was very controversial, especially for the Bolsheviks. They saw the good in the NEP, but it was contrary to communism. Some argued the NEP was true to Marxism, completing the capitalist stage as prescribed. Lenin argued that the civil war had forced communism on the country prematurely. Supporters were starving and something had to be done. He also argued that capitalism did not have to be evil since the socialists would control it.

15. Stalin vs Trotsky  NEP=sharp disagreement in Politburo (highest governing committee Comm. Party) Questioned as partial capitalism, betrayal of Marxism  Struggle for leadership on death of Lenin Trotsky, “left wing,” wanted rapid industrialization (financed by expropriation of farm production=collectivization so peasants pay for industrialization); internationized Comm. Stalin, “right wing,” wanted to continue NEP, slower industrialization, continued tolerance of modest free enterprise and individual ownership of small properties Lenin criticized both men, but especially didn’t like Stalin  Bukharin faction (right wing) opposed to Trotsky controlled Pravda (official paper)  Stalin used control over Central Committee to oust Trotsky  1927—Trotsky removed, expelled, exiled to Siberia; 1929 exiled, went to Mexico, murdered in 1940 (by Stalin agent?)

16. Stalin  Power struggle with Trotsky on the death of Lenin: Stalin won, Trotsky escaped to Mexico, assassinated by Stalin agents  Stalin manipulated Russia for personal power, not ideological progress  Stalin declared “socialism in one country” (Russia)=Russian Communists, not Marxists who look for worldwide victory of the Proletariat; Russian Communists would not concern themselves about spreading the Marxist/ Communist movement internationally until Russia itself was on good footing Ioseb Jughashvili, Marxist activist and inner party leader with Lenin and Trotsky

17. Stalin takes control  Ends NEP and ends free trade and commits to state industrialization, specifically steel and tractors, not industrial goods.  Crops had been poor, while industry had stabilized. Befoe, the government had intervened and tried to force industrial prices down. This time, the government did not step in to control prices. The peasants, in response, began to withhold grain.  The government then began to seize the grain, beginning a war against the wealthy peasants called "Kulaks," or "fist," meaning they were tight-fisted and not willing to help their Soviet brethren. Peasants who refused to give up their grain were treated as criminals.  1928-1929--Grain Crisis. The situation culminated 1928-1929 with a grain crisis. Workers in the cities were starving, and bread lines grew longer. Peasants began to drink the grain, making vodka instead of selling.

18. First Five Year Plan  Free trade had been closed; there was no market, no money, but barter and trade.  It called for rapid industrialization, state ownership of all industries, and the collectivization of farms.  Industrialization became the primary focus of the government, such as iron, coal, and electricity. Stalin introducing "Catch up and overtake," meaning the USSR would overtake the West in industry.  Time was viewed as an enemy of industry. Everything was at a heightened pace, trying to beat the clock. Shock workers were fast workers, hailed as heroes, and they received rewards.  Collectivization of farms. Peasants lived together on communal farms, kokhoz, received some grain for their efforts. Suvkhov, or poorer peasants, would receive wages for their work. Collectivization would become a brutal take- over of the countryside. Government officials and soldiers were sent in; houses were burned, women were raped. It was as violent as the civil war had been.

19. Third International  Divisions in the Communist worldwide movement over Russian Communist success  1919 Soviet Communists found Third International of European socialist movement = Comintern Bolshevik Leninist socialism as model for all socialists outside USSR Twenty One Conditions to join Comintern (including admitting leadership of Russia, rejection of reformist socialism, repudiation of former socialist leaders  European movements split over whether to accept such terms  Exaggerated fears that this political activity roused in Europe and US made Communists target of all right wing groups (fascist, especially)