The Russian Revolution

The impact of war : Russo-Japanese war : The Great War The state fails in its most important function Impulse for reform Impulse for a revolution

What’s wrong with the system Inefficiency Backwardness: Russia has not modernized The economy is underdeveloped The political system is archaic, rigid and corrupt Society is torn by tensions and conflicts Fire in the minds of men

Since 1905 – a contest between reform and revolution The inadequacy of reforms  The Tsar is reactionary  The nobility is stuck in the old order  The capitalist class is too dependent on the state, too afraid to show initiative Reforms don’t prevent revolution Revolution drives reforms Reforms:  Political (liberalization)  Economic (development of capitalism)

The gap between the rulers and the ruled Liberal reforms only stimulate radical protest: THE ATTRACTIONS OF SOCIALISM No consensus emerges When the state resorts to repression, that only makes the gap even wider Russia’s options:  A liberal-capitalist path: what it would require  An authoritarian-capitalist path: what it would require  A non-capitalist path

Russian Communists Russian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Bolsheviks) Lenin: Russia as the weakest link in the world capitalist system Russian capitalism is unviable Therefore, Russia may have to move directly to socialism Overthrow of the old ruling classes Establishing a state run by workers and peasants This will be followed by other revolutions

Few took this analysis seriously until the fall of months between the fall of the Tsar and the October Coup Dual Power:  The Provisional Government  The Soviets The Provisional Government loses its grip What about the Soviets? The Bolsheviks make their move:  Stage a coup  Proclaim a Soviet Republic

How is this Republic organized? As a revolutionary dictatorship What it does:  Decree on Peace  Decree on Land  Worker control of industry How it maintains itself The inevitability of a civil war The challenges  Old ruling classes fight back  Opponents of dictatorship (including many leftists) resist  Foreign powers

The Civil War ( ): Reds vs. Whites Why the Bolsheviks won: Their policy goals received wide support in society Their dictatorship was strong enough  The Red Army  The Cheka  The Party  Lenin  The mass base