1. Russian Revolution

3. Basic tenets of Marxism:
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Man is by nature good
Economic relations determine all human relations
Exploitation is an inherent failure of capitalism
Private property is evil
Capitalism produces two classes of people
Only revolution can rid society of capitalism and establish the dictatorship of the proletariat
Classlessness and statelessness will follow only after the revolution and a transition period

4. A Look At What We Will Cover
Slides = Background (RS Pre-WW1)
Slides = Russia in WW1 - Downfall
Slides = October / March Revolution
Slides = Bolshevik State
Slides = A Sneak Peak at Stalin

5. Russian Government Before Revolution
Monarchy: The Czar (Tsar)
Until 1905 the Tsar's powers were unlimited.
Russia had no constitution,
no political party system to check the Tsar's power
A strong secret police which terrorized the people. Called: Okhrana

6. Royal Background Nicholas I
Created the first secret police in Russia, brutal leader, response to revolt of army officers in 1825

7. Czar Alexander II
He implemented important reforms, notably the abolition of serfdom,
In 1867, he sold Alaska and the Aleutian Islands to the United States.
Killed by the Revolutionary Group: The People’s Will

8. Czar Alexander III
Alexander III's reign was during an industrial revolution in Russia .
His reign was harsh, against revolutionaries and other liberal movements.

9. Czar Nicholas II (1894) Last Czar of Russia
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Czar Nicholas II (1894) Last Czar of Russia
Nicholas II was a harsh and weak ruler
The Russian economy was bankrupt because of the Russo-Japanese War and WWI Russia’s entry into WWI became very unpopular.

10. Czar Nicholas II and Family

11. ***
1903
The Social Democratic Labour Party creates sides of the Mensheviks-minority (Martov) and Bolsheviks-majority (Lenin)
Iskra remained a Menshevik newspaper so Lenin had to create his own (Vperyod – “forward”)
Formal split of Mensheviks and Bolsheviks as a party in 1911
Bolsheviks believed that a small group of revolutionaries could cause the revolution - masses uniting all at once was unnecessary
Mensheviks focused on winning over the masses to start a revolution

12. Dispute over Manchuria with Japan
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Russo-Japanese War (1904)
Dispute over Manchuria with Japan
Shook national confidence in their progress and rule of Czar.

13. Loss of Russo-Japanese War
This proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back” was enough to foment all-out revolutionary action

14. ***
Bloody Sunday
Tsar’s troops fired on a group of protestors who were begging the Tsar for help – led by a priest – Father Gapon
In all, 130 were killed and hundreds wounded
The petition, as drafted in respectful terms by Gapon himself, made clear the problems and opinions of the workers and called for improved working conditions, fairer wages, and a reduction in the working day to eight hours. Other demands included an end to the Russo-Japanese War and the introduction of universal suffrage.

15. Bloody Sunday (1905)

16. Bloody Sunday – historical significance?
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Bloody Sunday – historical significance?
It revealed how utterly incompetent the Tsarist regime was in dealing with a dissatisfied people
Those who had previously supported the Tsar broke and joined revolutionary groups

17. Between October 20-30th, all of Russia was on strike
Considered the most effective general strike in history
During this time, the very first Soviet was established in St. Pete’s

18. October Manifesto

19. October Manifesto – Tsar’s promises:
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October Manifesto – Tsar’s promises:
Provided some civil liberties
Create a DUMA – legislative assembly controlled by the moderates

20. Between 1905 and 1917 Tsar reneged on most of his promises
Tsar bought off the moderates in the Duma
Tsar arrested radical opposition as terrorism grew
Then the Great War broke out…

21. Film – Russia Land of the Czars
16:00 Minutes Long
Rasputin

22. Russia and World War I Russia declares war on Austria-Hungary
War becomes unpopular
Rationing leads to starvation
Nicholas II leaves St. Petersburg to war front

24. ***
Ra Ra Rasputin
Won favour with Tsarina Alexandra for helping her haemophiliac child Alexis feel better
Nicholas joins the losing war front in 1915 which allowed Rasputin to gain favour with Alexandra
Prophesized a losing war for Russia – prophecies gained him popularity
Often clashed with the Duma – Duma saw him as a threat since he was so close to the royal family
1915 the Duma was disbanded and Rasputin was in charge of the government
1916 Rasputin was assassinated
Rasputin slowly replaces members of the Duma (qualified people) with Rasputin’s followers

25. Rasputin

26. Rasputin with Admirers

27. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zz0sHu-m7s Rasputin Death Scene

28. Rasputin – Music Video – Bony M
- Original Music Vid
- Vid With Lyrics and Pictures
- Rasputin Death Scene

29. Mensheviks Literally means “minority” (yet were more of them)
More moderate, less impatient, wanted to win over the masses
Led by Julius Martov

30. Bolsheviks Literally means “majority”
Believed that a violent revolution was necessary
Led by Lenin

31. FIRST OF TWO REVOLUTIONS

32. February-March Revolution 1917
March 12 demonstration due to hunger, a military regiment was sent to quell them (the Cossacks), they joined instead and disarmed the police
Russian Army commanders suggested to Tsar Nicholas to abdicate in fears of a violent revolution (like French)
The Army and the Duma convinced Nicholas that the people would no longer support him

33. February-March Revolution 1917
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February-March Revolution 1917
Nicholas abdicates on March 15 and is placed under house arrest
A provisional government under Alexander Kerensky is put in charge of Russia
Kerensky favours a continuation of war to boost Russian nationalism
Legalizes strikes
Organizes a constituent assembly (to figure out a new constitution)
Provisional government will have a power struggle between the Marxists and the Liberals (wanted to stop the revolution)
Lacked legitimacy since it was not elected by the people

34. February-March Revolution 1917
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February-March Revolution 1917
Lenin, who was in exile in Germany, was provided with safe passage from Germany to Russia in hopes that he would help stop the war on the Eastern front for Germany
Lenin returns to Russia and gains more support by criticizing socialists that supported the Duma (they’re supposed to start a revolution, not maintain subordination)
In April, Lenin writes the “April Theses”
calls for immediate revolution
Peace
Seizure of aristocratic lands
All power to soviets (labour movements)
Seizure of factories
Lenin’s return was planned by Germans

35. Kerensky fails Russia ***
Continues the war with a new offensive in July (Kerensky offensive)
The unsuccessful offensive quickly cause dissent amongst the people
Disagreement between Kerensky and Kornilov (leader of another party in power) causes Kornilov to attempt a coup using the army
Kerensky turns to Lenin and his Red Guards and Soviets (workers council) to help him defend Petrograd and won
Kerensky realizes the trouble he created and decides that he now needs to limit Bolshevik power
Kerensky closes down Bolshevik newspapers and cuts off telephone lines
Bolsheviks defeating the army won favour from the Soviets in Petrograd

36. Government troops open fire on a worker's protest in Petrograd in July of The shootings only served to further anger the citizens of Petrograd.

37. SECOND OF TWO REVOLUTIONS

38. October (Bolshevik) Revolution-1917
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Lead by VI Lenin “Peace, Land, and Bread”
Won support of people (especially peasants)

39. October Revolution 1917 (Bolshevik)
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October Revolution 1917 (Bolshevik)
Lenin rides on the unhappiness of the people with the Duma and promises “Peace, Bread and Land!”
Trotsky persuades Lenin to take over the government
November 7, Lenin with his Red Guards seized the Winter Palace
Peasants saw land seizures as ownership of plots, Lenin saw it as collective control

40. Lenin’s Immediate Policies
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Lenin’s Immediate Policies
Making good on his promise, he sanctioned peasant seizures of land, gathered grain to feed cities, and signed the treaty of Brest-Litovsk which gave up a large portion of Western Russia and 30% of Russia’s population
Nationalized banks
State controlled foreign trade
All opposition groups made illegal
Peasant seizure of lands
Factories under the control of Soviets

41. ***
1918
1918 March The Bolsheviks accept the peace of Brest‑Litovsk, ending WWI with Germany.

42.
-1919 White Armies (Royal and Menshevik troops) attack the Reds (Bolsheviks) from all directions.
-Help sent from Western countries – leads to Stalin’s distrust of West.
1920- Reds defeat Whites

43. Rule of Lenin
Economic Reforms included the New Economic Plan (NEP)
-moderate mix of capitalism and socialism
Political Reforms
-Bolshevik party became Communist Party
-Russia becomes the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

45. Communism A Form of Socialism
Central Planning of the Economy by the State
Gov’t (Communist Party) makes decisions on individual jobs and pay

46. 1924 Lenin Dies Power Vaccuum Leon Trotsky vs. Joseph Stalin
Stalin takes control
Now must decide how he will maintain power
Decides to create a totalitarian state

48. Characteristics of a Totalitarian State
Dictatorship- Absolute Authority
Dynamic Leader- Vision for the nation
State Control Over All Sectors of Society
Business, Family Life, Labor, youth groups, housing, religion, education, the arts
State Control Over the Individual
Obedience
Denies basic liberties
Organized Violence
Uses force to crush opposition

49. Stalin’s Totalitarian State
State Control of the Economy
5 year plan, collective farms
Police Terror
Great Purge, crush opposition
Religious Persecution
Control of the individual
Propaganda (socialist realism)
Molding peoples minds
Education
Controlled by the government