Tsarist Russia

Background info The Land of the Tsars

Geography and Population:

o 1/6 of Earths land mass
o 11 time zones and climates
o Moscow and St Petersburg (main capitals)
o The Winter Palace main palace
o Boundaries insecure
o Travel and communication difficult
o Only 1/10 of land suitable for farming

Government:
o Autocracy one ruler with complete control
o Tsar and Tsarina
o Romanovs ruled for 300 years!

Social
o
o
o
o

Russian Orthodox Church

o Traditional form of Christianity
o Conservative
o Tsar is it head so he head of country AND church

Economy
o Weak agriculture
o Empire in debts
o Natural resources exploited by outsiders
o Upper class didnt have to pay tax (unfair!)

Structure:
0.5% ruling class
12% upper class
5% working class
82% peasants highly uneducated

Reform and Reaction Alexander II

Alexander II was the best prepared heir the Russian throne ever had (Lionel
Kochan)
Acted as Regent(acting Tsar) when father away
Well-travelled
Strict military training disciplined
Educated
Known as Tsar Liberator

The end of serfdom

In 1857, he created a committee to oppose defenders of serfdom.

EMANCIPATION 1861 - private serfs were freed.
o Was given a small plot of land for 49 years of redemption tax + 6%
interest
o Given personal freedom
o If unable to pay, had to do 2 years of labour services as payment
1866, state serfs were freed.
o Better treatment TWICE amount of land
Household serfs were freed with NO LAND AT ALL
However, this deeply affected the economic, social and political future of the
nation.
o Peasants had to pay huge amount so land not worth it
o Still farming with poor methods
Strip farming
o Led to problems
Peasant rioting
Little incentive
Landowners not happy nobles had 40% less land
Land shortage
Its better to abolish serfdom from above than below. Tsar Nicholas II

Alexanders Other Reforms

Military

Men over 20 were liable to conscription (if medically fit)

Length of service less than 10 years
Convicts not in army
Officer based on merit
Introduction of budget too much spent on Crimean War
Prussian model copy GEs good army
Introduction of military schools
Modernise mobilization
Training and discipline of soldiers were more humane and efficient

Governmental

In 1864, new bodies were created called ZEMSTVA

o Chosen by 3 electoral colleges peasants, townspeople and gentry
o Responsible for public health, prisons, roads, education, etc
o Problem? 45% of nobility unfair representation
In 1870, DUMAS were set up for towns and cities
o Only people who paid taxes were granted votes in Dumas
New bodies = new opportunity for many people in political life

Law

Introduction of juries
Judges well-paid less likely to take bribes
Public trials
Ability to appeal
Introduction of lawyers

Censorship and Press

Press openly discussed about issues

Less censorship

Educational

Rapid growth of schools

New regulations common curriculum of religion, reading and writing
(Russian only) and math
Women offered vocational training
Universities
o Scholars able to travel abroad
o Curriculum broadened
o Liberal professors
o Poor exempted from fees
o 2/3 were scholars

Economic

Industrial force expanded

Banks were set up
Growing railway system
Textile industry grew
Metals imported
Oil and coal greatly increased
Jews allowed to work in society

Least reform finial policies. Tax increased by 80% over Alexanders reign.
The End of Reforms

Growth of Opposition
o New openness encourage unrealistic expectations for Tsar
Study Abroad
o Intelligentsia very radical and became very violent turned to
terrorism
Literature of Opposition
o Writers wrote with full freedom, dangerous- shouldnt question status
quo
First Attempt on Tsars Life
o Dmitri shot Tsar, was arrested and executed. He was a landowner who
had given away his possession to peasant when they were freed. This
caused the undoing of reforms.
Guests of the Tsar
o Tsars prisons were so full as prisoners had to wait a long time for trials
o Arrest began with prison but most ended in internal exile in Siberia.
Hard labour sentences undernourished and died
Sentenced to exile sent out but problem was you couldnt go
back
Political Trials
o Trial of 50 and Trial of 193
Violence intensifies
o Two particular groups
Land and Liberty dressed as peasants to help the peasants
The Peoples Will people who believed in terrorist tactics

1 March 1881, Tsar was assassinated by bombs.

The Russia of Alexander III and Nicholas II

Alexander III (son of Alex II), moved his family away from Winter Palace in St
Petersburg to Gatchina, where he only saw guests twice a week
He was more traditional

Undoing the Reforms (Reactionary go back on reforms)

Police
o all centralised
Judges
o given clear advice on sentences and verdict
Introduction of Land Captains
o Authority in local court cases
o Gentry in-charge
Prisons
o severe conditions
Censorship
o Newspaper warned 3 times to censor before publications
o Govt ministers given power to close publications and ban editors and
publishers
o Libraries restriction on books stocked
Universities
o Lost power to run own affairs
o Students were inspected on their non-academic activities
Education
o Lower class children banned from secondary education
Zemstva
o Less peasants
o Peasant not elected but appointed
Jews
o Not allowed to be part of some professions
o No say in govt
o Quota of how many educated
o Pogrom organised violence against Jews.

Problems

Tax collection became corrupt

Debts were increasing
Absenteeism at assemblies were high

3 Improvements Alexander III made:

1. Poll tax which was only paid by peasants, were abolished
2. Peasants Land Bank created help peasants buy land from landlords
3. Nobles Land Bank created offered loan at cheaper rates to peasants
BACKWARDS METHOD OF FARMING DID NOT CHANGE! Plots of land for peasants
became smaller and lower yield from crops.

The 1891 Famine

Hit 17/39 provinces in Russia

Had an early winter long hot and dry summer which ruined crops
Inevitable outbreak of cholera
Govt responsible:
o Heavily taxed consumer goods
o Censorship about famine until situation severe in Aug 1891
Solution to famine:
o Govt had assistance schemes get public to help
o Alexander III used 2 lotteries to raise money to buy emergency
supplies
o Nicholas II in charge of Famine Relief
o Intelligentsia
Prince Lvov organised FR
Tolstoy organised soup canteens
Chekhov playwright become doctor. Treated cholera
We ourselves will not eat but we shall export peasants
350 000 died from starvation or disease
HOWEVER, this showed how all social classes were able to work together

Economic Growth
Industrial Growth

Rate of growth 8% per annum

Highest growth rate in the world
Credit given to COUNT WITTE
Huge increase in coal, pig iron and coal

Railways

Purpose:
o Unite country
o Open up trade
o Growth of RUs industry
Vast distance = safety and construction abandoned
Centrepiece Trans-Siberia Railway, linking RU with Far East

The Urban Poor

Millions of peasants worked in developing industries

Lifestyle:
o Lived in slums on the outskirts of the cities
o Some slept next to factory machines
o An apartment housed 16 people
o Only a third had running water
o Cesspools, piles of human manure and polluted water supply =
constant threat
o Wages were low
o Employement insecure
Russia was badly hit with world depression in 1899
o Peasants left for cities and mines to find better lives
o Peasants were more knowledgeable and conscious of their
surroundings. Not only influenced by Russian Orthodox Church

Government Finances

Problems:
o Govt forced to print more paper money
o Inflation
o 1/3 lost in debt interest
o Hardly any left for education and social welfare
o Debt of 8 billion roubles
Solutions:
o Reduce imports
o Loands from France
o Starts FORCED industrialisation
o Invite foreign experts to help industrialise
o COUNT WITTE created gold currency which turned into paper money

o
o
o

Allow trade union to set up

Allow child labour
Could only work 12 hours a day

The Intelligentsia and the Middle Class

Growth of professional and managerial middle classes

Work of zemstva led to expansion of
o Educated teachers
o Doctors
o Experts
Large increase in the number of banks
Intelligentsia werent mostly noble in uni but wealthy peasants.

NATIONALITIES
Russia had two ways of approaching this:
a. Recognize and give independent structure to each nationality
b. Try and control and suppress manifestations
Russification (under Great Russia)

Tsar chose option b

Russian language became the only language allowed in schools
Ukrainian was banned in all publications
Jews
o Death of Alexander II = widespread attack on Jews
o Jewish houses and businesses were broken into, women raped, men
beaten and raped. 47 died
o I am always happy when they beat the Jews Alexander III
o Alexander III and Nicholas II strong anti-Semites

o Had many restrications

o Forbidden to own land and be in the army
Successful?
o Tsar felt it was an essential policy
o Believed in Autocracy + Nationality + Orthodoxy
o Ignored national differences

OPPOSITION
The Romanovs faced difficulties from educated and free-thinking middle classes.

In 1887, 5 university students in St Petersburg who were part of The Peoples Will
tried to assassinate Tsar Alexander III.
Problem not successful
So these 5 were publicly hung. One of them was Alexander (Lenins bro).
Alexander III died a natural death and taken over by son, Nicholas II.

Populism

Land and Libery and The Peoples Will = Populists

Believed in a society where all land was held common
Chosen method was terrorism and assassination
Not doing well
o Secret police too efficient
o Very little public support
o Short of money
Set up political party The Party of Social Revolutionaries (SR)
o Illegal
o HQ in Switzerland
o Had propaganda campaigns
o Had own combat group

Purpose

Mensheviks
Spread propaganda
Raise awareness of

Bolsheviks
Seize power as soon as
possible

Future
Revolution

proletariat (working class)

Not ready for Marxist
revolution
Poor economic conditions
Proletariat too small

Decisions
in the
Party

By members, after open

debate and free voting

Membershi
p
Role of
Party

As many as possible

Educate workers to
appreciate jobs
Support all forms of protest
for better conditions

Believed a dedicated party

could lead proletariat into
power
Bourgeois and proletarian
could combine revolutions
By party leaders
All members would accept
and was known as
democratic centralism
Only genuine reliable
revolutionaries
Plan for revolution
Seize power on behalf of
future generations of
workers

Secret police considered Mensheviks to be a greater threat more involved and

supporting working-class discontentment.

Popular Violence

Strikes
Serious disputes
Peasant protests

Russian Revolution
Different Factions:

Liberals upper class

o Most moderate of Tsars opponents
o Goal:
to have a parliament BUT tsar not overthrown
allow everybody (not only rich) to vote

Socialist Revolutionaries (SR) Peasants

o Biggest group of opponents
o Goal:
Peasant uprising and overthrow Tsar
Set up a republic
o No central organisation

Known as populists and peoples will

Social Democrats (SD) Working class

o Goal:
believe in Marxist Revolution
working class take over
overthrowing Tsar to start Marxist govt
o Fight amongst themselves
Bolsheviks
- use violence to come to power
- small group of intellectuals
- centralised leadership
Mensheviks
- less violent
- working class
- democratic group

Marxism
Stages leading to Communism
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)

v)

primitive communism
no social class, no govt, no organisations everyone equal
futilism
serfs most oppressed
capitalism
ruling class: businessmen, bosses of workers
socialism
working class would overthrow bosses and run country in EQUAL
society
communism
no social class, no govt, no state control
utopian society everyone contributes willingly

Currently, Russian between futilism and capitalism and going to communism big
mess!

RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR 1904-05

Tsar Nicholas II didnt want to be king

Liked leisure activities and disliked intellectuals
Let things slide and other built up

He felt like Russia needed a small war to boost confidence and make profit. Created
more problems than actually solving them.
Russia were interested in Manchuria and Korea (which were under the control of
China) = better trading. But JP also interested and they were strong.
Japanese attacked Port Arthur and Russians stepped in to help. JP beat RU at
EVERY confrontation which was VERY embarrassing for a small country to beat a
large empire
Portsmouth Treaty

JP gets Port Arthur and Korea

RU got Manchuria and
Half a million casualties
Huge embarrassment
Lost almost entire fleet
Spent 2.5 roubles on war

In July 1904, terrorists succeeded in murdering Phleve, Minister of Interior. The man
most blamed for the war in Japan.
This led to Tsar appointing a new minister with more moderate views who lifted
some restrictions on zemstva and press freedom.

As pressure on Tsar grew, Nicholas II issued a manifesto stating his participation in

public affairs.
HOWEVER, Russians were still dissatisfied.
The intelligentsia made the most of the fundamental reforms made by new minister.

BLOODY SUNDAY

9 January 1905
Peaceful demonstration led by Father Gapon (a RU priest)
March was officially banned but went on anyways
Crowds headed for the Winter Palace to
o Present a list of grievances

Ask for radical reforms

Better working conditions
Representation in govt
Crowd carried icons and portraits of Tsar + Tsarina and sang national anthem
At first, armed troops tried peaceful dispersion but ended up shooting crowd
o Shot many women and children
o 200 killed and 800 wounded
o

The day that innocent women and children, who were gunned down in cold
blood, as they were simply trying to hand in a loyal petition to the Tsar.

Tsar was not even at the Winter Palace

o Cannot be blamed
o Can be blamed because he heard about it but doesnt handle it.

The October Manifesto

Strikes swept the country

Peasant revolts broke out in Russia
Assassination of Tsars uncle = Tsar created a consultative assembly
May Union of Unions set up (creation of Soviets)
June Union of Peasants set up
October strike at Russian railways and cities
By mid-October, Russia paralysed by general strike SUPPORTED by Union of
unions.

Tsars opponents from all classes were united and against him

Tsar accepted Cabinet govt

Russias 1st president: COUNT WITTE

17 October 1905 October Manifesto

Peasants happy as
o No more emancipation payment
o Civil freedom
o Dumas given more authority

November St Petersburg Soviet of Workers called general strike BUT no support

from working and middle class.
Thus, govt used this opportunity to arrest soviet.

Bolesheviks wanted to help the SP and so they fought the police (2 weeks long of
street-fighting, killing 1000 workers). The tropps then ended peasant uprising and
strikes with force.
Thus, govt hated and mistrusted.

Electoral Law

Rigged and fixed

Richer peoples votes worth more than poor peoples.
Issues fundamental laws hes still the ruler of the country. He decides:
Law
Military
Foreign affairs
Hire and dismisses
ministers
Dissolve Dumas (if
necessary)

Dumas has 2 houses:

o upper house
imperial council
made up of wealthy RU
appointed by Tsar
elected by wealthy
can veto anything lower house decides
o state Dumas
1 vote =
2 000 landowners

7 000 property owners

30 000 peasants
90 000 workers (most revolutionary)

Tsar has 4 Dumas until 1914

o 1st lasted 3 months argued about fundamental laws. Thus, dissolved.
o 2nd lasted 3 months disagreements
o 3rd rigged voting whereby peasant and worker representations were
cut down by 50%.
Wealthiest 1% controlled seats in elections
Lasted 5 years
o 4th interrupted by WW1

Dumas were more right-winged. Looks good to other EU powers = seems

democratic

Stylopins Reforms
July 1906, Peter Stylopin became Minister of Interior.

Firm
Ruthless
Attracted liberals
Greatly disliked (house bombed)
Still determined

The land
Problem (Peasants)

Made up majority of electorate

Numbers were growing rapidly

Reforms Introduced

All land were available to Peasant Land Bank for purchasing

Withdrawal from their commune (mir) without needing consent
Peasants who withdrew could still keep their land (instead of strip farming)
End to redistribution of land (land = hereditary property)

Aims

Hoped to create new class of well-to-do peasants = kulaks

o Peasants could leave commune, extend their landholdings and build
independent farms
o Try new agricultural techniques and grow any crops they wish
o Incentive to improve
Success!!!!!!!!

HOWEVER, by WW1, almost 2 million had left mirs. They OPPOSED the idea as they
appreciated security from the mir.
Other Reforms

Educational Reforms no. of primary schools doubled

Zemstva expenditure doubled on health, agriculture and poor relief
Reintroduction of elected magistrate
Religious toleration for Jews. Passed by Dumas but vetoed by Tsar
Extension of zemstva into non-RU areas

Stylopins Necktie

Conducted vigorous campaign AGAINST terrorists and revolutionaries

Many were arrested and executed hung
No judge/jury
EFFECTIVE!

This caused...

Revolutionary parties to lose support

Bolsheviks & Mensheviks failed to unite
Membership of RSDLP declined drastically
o Lenin had difficult time as he found himself as minority amongst
Bolsheviks

End of Stylopin

Shot at gala performance in October 1911

Extreme right and left rejoiced
Reappointment of Goremykin (aged 74) no commitment to post so basically,
Nicholas back in charge.

LENA GOLDFIELDS

Serious strike in 1912

Working condition were appalling
Bad wages and working conditions
Police arrested strike leaders Confrontation ended with troops firing at
unarmed demonstrators = MASSACRE
o Created a storm of protest throughout RU

This shows how the govt had not reached a new way of living.
Workers were denied right to trade unions & no political representation
Dumas & State Council did not criticise govt (dominated by landowners)

At the Outbreak of WW1 (Economic Situation)

Russia was making a great economical progress

o Savings grew
o Average annual growth rate very high
o National debt dropped
HOWEVER, to continue this success, RU needed:
o Domestic harmony
o Peace with neighbours
Which were shattered upon the assassination of Franz Ferdinand

RU Bad Performance in WW1

Public Reaction to Outbreak

Display of patriotic feelings

o Soldiers and civilians feel to their knees to the Tsar
Dumas met a week after outbreak and gave govt little confidence

Military Problems

Badly trained and badly equipped soldiers

Lost over 4 million in the first year of war
Transportation difficulties
Tsar decided to take command over armed forces

Problems Caused by WW1 (leading to revolution)

Scarcity of food and goods

RU burnt and destroyed their own property scorch earth property
o GE cant get to them
o But also destroying themselves
Corruption and crime high no one maintaining law
Cost of war escalate year by year, causing overwhelming debts and inflation
Military problem publicized causing people to worry
Tsar seen as incompetent took control of army
Tsars wife (Alexandra)
o First cousins
o German (big problem!) = thought to be a spy
o Disliked by RU
o Took control of govt
o Converted to orthodox
Tsars only son
o Sickly (haemophilia internal bleeding : TOP SECRET!)
Rasputin (monk)
o Stange man
o Felt closer to god through sins
o Drank a lot
o Bad reputation
o Had a magic touch
Whenever he came near the son, the son felt better
o Alexandra did EVERYTHING Rasputin asked of her
Followed his orders blindly
Most of the time he was wrong!
Rumour both Alexandra and Rasputin were having an affair

Thus, Alexandra was blamed for RU defeats as Nicholas was very dependent
on her and she was dependent on Rasputin.

Rasputins murder:
o Went to princes house
o Wife was beautiful
o Food at party was poison a lot but didnt die
o Prince so he shot Rasputin, threw the body into basement and left
o He somehow escaped, so shot again and threw into freezing rive
o Found days later died of suffocation
o Before death: he said no hope for Romanov Dynasty and thats exactly
what happened!

Romanov Dynasty Overthrown

February 1917
o 23 February
Strikes became worse
Intl Womens Day demonstration
Putilov Strikers
About 1 million people
o 25 February
Wide-spread strike across city = PARALYSED!
Soldiers joined demonstrators
Forced military action taken on demonstrators (some killed
more fights)
o 26 February
Dumas dissolved
o 27 February
REVOLUTION!
Aimed at overthrowing govt
of troops joined revolution
Winter Palace and govt building seized
Prison broken into and police stations burnt down (releasing
revolutionaries)

Who led Revolution?

Genuinely spontaneous
Streets filled with people from every possible social background
Lenin shocked by this,
o A month before he said We older ones will not live to see the
revolution in our lifetime.
Leaders emerged released out of prison, respected men

1 March 1917: Dumas leaders took over govt

Nicholas never made it to the capital. Disloyal troops blocked him. He signed an
abdication for his brother, Grand Duke Michael, who rejected the throne.

ROMANOV RULE ENDED AFTER 300 YEARS!!!!!!!!

February Revolution 1917

Different from revolution of 1905

More range in opposition
Quicker
Happening in St Petersburg
Dumas warned Tsar about unrest in St Petersburg
o Everyone was disloyal to him
o No honest men left in Dumas
Full on strike paralyse work effort
1917 winter
o Everything frozen over
o Food not getting into cities
o Trains couldnt move
o 1500 2000 died
st
1 Revolution!

1917 A Year of Promise and Turmoil

Introduction

No one wanted Nicholas back in power not even him

a nationwide honeymoon
New govt faced same problems
Provisional Govt:
o Mostly Dumas
o Govern country volunteerily
o Not elected
o High expections from people
o KERENSKY (leader of govt!)
Russia = anarchy & lawlessness
October Bolsheviks take over PG even though they were a small minority
of 23 000 people

March 1917 (government)

Provisional Govt not representative of the people

Their principles:
o Any political prisoner are forgiven and freed by the state
o Freedom of speech and right to strike
o Abolish privileges
o All soldiers could keep weapons and dont necessarily have to fight
Problems
o Helped Bolsheviks reorganize
o Had weapons
o Freedom of speech continuous complaints

The System of Dual Authority

2 political bodies
o The Petrograd Soviet
Created at the end of February after revolution
Wide variety of people representing them
Only appeared in major cities
authentic body of people elected and mixture of both genders
Variety of political ideas
o

The Provisional Govt

Member of ex-Dumas: didnt disband after Tsars departure
Ok with political changes BUT not ok with social changes
Mostly nobles and basically upper class
Temporary until elections
CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY
o Ensure votes
o Get power
o Not a good time at beginning to elect people

Relationship between these 2 groups were good

o Good communication
o Happy to kick out Tsar sense of optimism
o The Soviets didnt want to run country, wanted to just supervise
others
o If PG went against PS, then everyone would be against each other
Theyll have had no army, police, workers... nothing!

Provisional Govt... why they became popular?

o Success
Freed prisoners
Allowed personal freedom
Abolish death penalty
Improve working conditions
Replace old and corrupter ministers and police under Tsar
o Failures
Continued to fight WW!
Everyone was suffering and losing already
Afraid Allies would feel betrayed

Land problems in countryside

People expected better quality and quantity of land but
nobles didnt give any
Minorities felt that they could take over RU
Wanted INDEPENDENCE!!!
Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus
Did not fix econmy
Delayed Constituent Assembly people felt no right no rule

April Thesis Lenins Speech!!!

o Lenin returns from Switzerland
o GE govt smuggled him back
Knew he was radical
Had to create total unrest, overthrow govt and pull out of WW1
Lenin had imperial west
o Preached that a revolution needed to happen
Response? People thought he was crazy and too radical
o His two famous slogans
ALL POWER TO THE SOVIETS
PEACE, BREAD AND LAND

The Kerensky Offensive July 1917

Kerensky believed that only a successful war would stop the disintegration of
RU BUT RU army was a) inadequately equipped and b) had low morale.
Initial success against Austrians
o 400 000 men loss
o Armies worse
MORE CHAOS!!!!

JULY DAYS

Armed demonstations supported by workers, soldiers and sailors

o Mostly Bolsheviks and anarchist(dont want govt)
o 200 000 sailors mutiny
3rd July
o Beginning of demonstrations
o Called on PS to take power
o Chanted Bolshevik slogans of PEACE, BREAD AND LAND and ALL
POWER TO THE SOVIETS!
th
5 July
o Bolshevik press closed down
o Loyal troops cleared the streets

o Govt saved
8 July
o Kerensky became Prime Minister
Lenin fled to Finland and 800 leading Bolsheviks were imprisoned
July days gave Bolsheviks a bad impression though Mensheviks were blamed
and Bolsheviks fled the country.
th

The Kornilov Coup

Aim at overthrowing govt

26 Aug : Kornilov ordered troops to march to the capital to hang GE
supported and spies and close down the Petrograd Soviet
FAILED bcoz unable to advance, blocked by railways workers
This showed how workers and soldiers still against PG

Lenin = >:) = YES! TIME TO SEIZE POWER MUAHAHAHA

Kerensky supported Kornilov at first but later saw him as a threat, wanting to take
over PG, so instead, Kerensky let all Bolsheviks out of jails with weapons (STUPID
MUCH?!)

Problems in RU

Peasants dissatifisfied with land; began to seize it themselves

Elections finally fixed for November
Command structure of army collapse!
Wanted self-govt; eg. Ukraine and Finland
Workers saw no change in going on strike

Bolsheviks

Formed new govt in Petrograd in October

Stayed loyal to working class
Lenin felt Bolsheviks would take over govt alone
7 October Lenin returned to RU (wanted an immediate rising!)

The October Revolution, 23-25 October

Led by Trotsky
3 days to take over capital
Took over railway stations, buildings and Winter Palace!
Kerensky escaped
Only 5 deaths
500 loyal troops who could stop uprising, disappeared! :o
Almost no opposition, no real violence and all PG captured
1/6 Russians supported Bolsheviks

Provision Govt lose support

The Soviets
o Petrograd controlled by Soviets mostly
o PG lacked authority
The War
o Didnt want to let allies down
o BUT soldiers didnt want to fight anymore
Peasant Committees
o Cut rents and increased wages
Armed forces
o Soldiers and sailors undermined/destroyed power of officers
o Unpopular officers killed
Unrest in factories
o Horrible working conditions
o No action taken to change that
Inflation
o Price bad: winter 1916-17
o Made EVERYTHING worse
Nationalities
o Wanted self-govt

Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets (25 October)

Soviet meeting to discuss what to do

670 members
Mostly Bolsheviks

Non-Bolsheviks walked out. Trotsky said Go where you belong to the

rubbish bin of history!

Bolshevik Strength
Control Petrograd Soviet union
protecting people
Gained peoples trust after
Kornilov
Policies support
o End war
o Peace, land and bread
Trotsky led Red Army
Party leadership organized
Ruthless & destroyed enemies
Military and economic collapse
benefitted
Strong leadership skills

Provisional Govt Weakness

Its nature flawed
Lose peoples trust after Kornilov
Failed to gain popular support
Underestimated Bolsheviks
Defence half-hearted
Had to share power with Soviets
Kerensky not as determined as
Soviets

Communists won because of their strength and PGs weaknesses.

Why Bolshevik Able to Stay in Power?

How Bolshevik establish dictatorship?

PG wasnt getting much support Bolsheviks quickly seized power

October Revolution at first, it was seen as a Bolshevik takeover

Sovnarkom
a one party government
bourgeoisie title of ministers abolished, replaced with peoples commissar
Lenin believed that only Bolsheviks could rebuild Russia
o Refused to invite other socialist parties
o Leaders protested to Lenins narrow view in politics
The Army

Promised to end war

An officer was ordered to sign an immediate armistice with GE but he
refused. He got murdered by his own troops. Younger officers ordered to sign.
He signed.
Officers returned to civilian life or moved to non-Bolshevik Russia

Cheka

Sovnarkoms secret police

Hunted down oppositions bourgeoisie, anarchists executed them without
trial
Strong support
Killed 50 000 people in 1918

The death of Constituent Assembly

ELECTIONS
o Finally held in November
o SRs got most amount of vote (mostly from peasants)
o 47/80 million RU voted most representative body of RU ever!
o Bolsheviks got 23.2% (2nd place!)
o Non-Bolshevik Assembly formed SR leader Chernov (president)
Third All-Russian Congress of Soviet held
o Bolshevik = majority
o And thus, formed Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR)

How Bolshevik govt try to change Russia?

1) Decree on Peace
a. a peace without annexations and indemnities
2) Decree on Land
a. Abolish landlords right of property
b. Land confiscated from large states and redistributed to peasant soviets
3) Decree on Nationalities
a. Allowed self-govt to any national groups
4) Housing in cities removed from private owners
5) Civil marriage and divorce introduced
6) Schools not under church anymore
7) Titles abolished everyone referred to as comrade
8) Institution for the Protection of Mothers and Children was formed

The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (March 1918)

Peace treaty between Russia and her allies

Lenin wanted to sign it because RU could not fight anymore
Trotsky wanted to adopt strategy of NO PEACE, NO WAR
o Hoped itll inspire GE army to mutiny and take revolution back to Berlin
o GE tired of strategy, ended armistice & went to Petrograd
o Dropped bomb!!!!
o RU govt move to Moscow
o Lenin persuaded party to accept GE terms
o Agreed to harsh terms
Lost 1/3 of EU land
Lost of industry
Lost Ukraine
o People blamed them for betraying Mother Russia

The Suppression of Opposition October 1917 to July 1918

Decrees of Sovarkom

Banned all bourgeoisie parties and their newspapers

Used Cheka and loyal troops to prevent anti-govt demonstrations
Opposition groups were disbanded by force or went underground

JULY 1918, BOLSHEVIKS TOOK OVER RUSSIA!

Reasons for Civil War in Russia
1. The collapse of Russian Empire
Many territories declared independence
33 sovereign(independent) govts in RU

Patriotic RU wanted to stop disintegration and keep RU, one and

indivisible.

2. Political Opposition
Union for the Defense of Motherland and Liberty
i. Organized revolts
Other opponents gathered at the edge of Bolshevik-controlled Russia
3. Allied Opposition
Caused direct military action against Bolsheviks
Trotsky published secret treaties signed by Tsar with former allies
i. Showed Allies planned to seize territory when GE defeated
ii. Not actually fighting for democracy
Bolsheviks seized foreign property and cancelled Tsars vast debts
Because of Brest-Litovsk Treaty, FR and BR left to fight Western Front
alone
4. Breakdown of law and order
Growing lawlessness in country
No govt strong and determined enough to restore law and order
5. Food Requisitioning
Peasants had no incentive to sell products inflation soards
Lenins solution:
i. Send soldiers, worker and Cheka to look for grains from kulaks
ii. Urged poor to seize food from neighbours
Successful BUT cause more enemies for Bolsheviks

The Civil War

Fighting broke out as Bolsheviks seized power: October 1917

Continued until 1922 more misery and hardship
Ukrainian capital, Kiev, change hand 16 times.

Phase 1 Early resistance

Kerensky failed to get army to fight

Bolsheviks defeated Cossack Army and Volunteer Army

Phase 2 war with Whites

Whites = imperialists (wanted Tsar). Right winged.

No central leadership
Traditional conservatives: landowners, businessmen, army officers
August 1918, Red Army forced to abandon Kiev
Winder, Red Army advanced on all fronts
Jan 1920, they got Kiev back
April, Polish army successfully attacked RU
October 1920, Treaty of Riga ended Russo-Polish War

Phase 3 war with Greens

Greens = anarchists. No political ideology. Bandits

Peasants who resented Bolshevik policies
Ended in 1921

Allies (BR, FR, USA and JP) also involved

FR had helped RU modernise BUT Bolsheviks nationalized FR companies

JP wanted more territory
USA and BR wanted someone to be there at Eastern Front
All anti-communists
But did not engage in much fighting

WHY COMMUNISTS WON CIVIL WAR?

Geography:
o Petrograd and Moscow densely populated with Bolsheviks
Thus, easy to recruit army
o Good transportation
o Had weapons
Unity and Organisation
o Led by only one general Trotsky
o Clear indication of what to do
o One military strategy, one aim
Support
o People were happy with decrees

o Good in countryside, had food

Propaganda
o Visual images for peasants who cant read
o Striking colours
Leadership
o Trotsky
Politically intelligent
Good military leader
Goes to the front himself
Propaganda spread
Good motivation for soldiers
Lived in train
Defended capital well
Strict in discipline
Red Terror
o Bolsheviks imposed strict control
o Cheka ensured discipline
o Shot anyone who deserted them or were unfaithful
Red Army
o Did not exist in 1918 but 5 million strong by 1920
o Introduced conscription
o Limitless human resources
o Had experienced officers tsars former officers but Bolsheviks
ensured loyalty
o Red Cavalry disrupted enemies communication lines
Lenin gives orders to kill Tsar Nicholas and family to stop whites from getting
back into power.

WHY WHITES LOST?

Allied help
o Portrayed as puppets of allies
o Made recruiting for Red Army easier RU patriotism
o Foreign forces rarely involved in fighting though
White divisions
o No common purpose
o Many fiercely territorial and would not advance from area
Lack of co-operation
o Differing goals
o Mutual suspicions
o Geographical distance meetings in Paris!
Lack of commitment
o Difficult to recruit and keep solders

Effects of Civil War

Violent Bolsheviks very militaristic

2nd civil war in history leading to famine, deaths and diseases. Utter
devastation
No world revolution only in Russia

The Economics of Survival

After Lenin seized power, he announced:
In 6 months, we will build communism in Russia

State Capitalism (1917-18)

Set up after October Revolution

Bolshevik used existing economic structures during transition period
Problem: not the communist way/went against their ideology
After Brest-Litovsk, RU didnt get grain from Ukraine. White armies controlled
rich farming areas
o EXTREME FOOD SHORTAGES
o RATIONING:

Based on social classes

Army and govt got most to eat
Professionals (doctors, skilled workers) 2nd
Aristocrats ate least

War Communism (1918-1921)

June 1918 a decree nationalized all industries

All production concentrated on war effort
Needed to keep Red Army fed and supplied
o Grain Requisitioning:
Soldiers got grain from countryside and brought into city
Either offer little money or not at all
Farmers not bothered to produce grain
Less grain, less food
Kulaks hoarding grain made them the scapegoats by Lenin
Ban private trade
o Result? A black market is formed
o People barter amongst themselves
Nationalisation of industry
o Workers committee eliminated
o Bosses called specialists
o Labour discipline reinstated more strict than before
o Spies
o Workbook = to stamp if work and thus, this gave food
o Paid workers by amount of work done and not time
o Internal passports

All this led to MAJOR INFLATION and:

a. Famine (1920)
Worse than Tsarist times
Cannibalism corpses were stored to be eaten by their families
Lenin told them to steal from churches took advantage of
situation
b. Kronstadt Mutiny (1921)
Sailors mutiny against Bolsheviks
They wanted Soviets
Rebellion!! even though they were loyal supporters before
10000 killed
Lenin blamed other political parties (Mensheviks)
c. Tambov Rising
Uprising in countryside by disgruntled peasants
Red army sent to put down revolts
Lenin realised War Communism not working.

NEP, New Economic Policy (1921)

Lenin realised that peasant = key to communists retaining power

A compromise between capitalistic and communist elements
Had to ensure survival of revolution:
o Grain requisitioning ends:
Farmers only give 10% of crops to govt
Extras could be sold
Thus, incentive for farmers to produce more
o Small businesses can reopen
Motivate farmers to grow and earn more $$
o Private trade resumes
o Rationing ends
o State controls heavy industry
Lenin said this policy would be temporary
o One step forward but two steps backwards
Capitalism
Communism + Capitalism
o Some Bolsheviks dont agree. Fight.
NEP statistics not as high as State Capitalism
o Not so efficient and productive

Lenins First Problems

i)

ii)

iii)

Coalition with other govts

He decided no. He didnt want to combine Bolsheviks with other leftwinged party
Russians unhappy that Bolsheviks run country because they thought
PS would take over
Constituent Assembly
Delayed again until January 1918
Bolshevik soldiers at gun-point closed down/eliminates assembly
No democracy
Lenin shot! By a woman 3 times but he survived
i. Woman supported Lenin but he eliminated democracy so she >:(
ii. Lenins health deteriorated in 1918 onwards
Set up government
Trotsky commissar of war and foreign affairs
Stalin commissar of nationalities (speak on behalf of minorities)
Central Committee made of 21 members and part of Politburo

Power (in decreasing order):

1.
2.
3.
4.

Lenin
Politburo
Central Committee
Communist Party

Decrees (law made by Lenin) not democratic

Peace decree signed Brest-Litovsk treaty

o Trotskys strategy of no peace, no war
Hoped GE will have their own revolution, overthrowing Kaiser,
causing RU to ok
o Lenin wanted treaty to be signed quickly
To restore order
Soldiers and ammunition could be used in civil war
o Lenin needed $$ from GE. GE promised $$ if RU out of war
o GE advancing. Afraid GE would overthrow Lenin if he doesnt deliver
his promise
o Lenin threatened to resign, thus they finally agreed.

Land
o
o
o

Workers Control decree

o Workers take more control over job
o They can run the factories and create unions
o 8-hour work day
o 48-hour work week

decree
Communal land land belonged to everyone
This was happening but he legalized it
Wealthy people had peasant families living their house

o
o

Allowed holidays
Paid overtime

Rights of the People of RU

o Promises self-determination for minorities

Press decree
o All non-Bolshevik press banned

Cheka
o Secret police of Bolsheviks
o Keep control, spy on people
o Take over judicial system

Abolishment of titles
o comrade = everyone equal

Lenins Role in History

HISTORY WILL NOT FORGIVE US IF WE DO NOT TAKE POWER NOW. Lenin,
September 1917.

Lenins importance in October 1917

Lenins arrival in Petrograd in April 1917
o Transformed Bolshevik attitude to PG
o Inspired October coup
o April Thesis was initially received badly but Lenin persuaded Bolshevik
revolution
Lenins adaptation of Marxism
HOWEVER
Research shows that there wouldve been a workers revolution without Lenin,
which would end with a coalition of all parties
o THUS, Lenin hijacked the opportunity to set up a one-party state
Lenins rise to power was accidental
o Result of blunders of others
o Growing chaos in RU
Came to power under false pretences
o Demanded Constituent Assembly BUT closed it down when it was
finally set up

Called for All Power to the Soviets BUT set up narrow Bolshevik
regime

Thus, Lenin = duplicitous and lucky

Was Lenin a dictator?

Trotsky acknowledged Lenins enormous personal authority
Lenin unable to persuade Sovnarkom to sign treaty immediately
o Only when capital threatened by GE and Lenin threatened to resign,
then they signed.

Why Lenins govt ruthless?

Many innocent people died under the Bolsheviks

Normal rules of law & justice disappeared
Lenin saw political terror as revolutionary justice
o freeing all from bondage
However, those who shared Lenins ideology saw no wrong in harsh-ness

Lenins Legacy

According to Krushchev, October Revolutions opened a new beginning for

oppressed ppl
Others blamed him for millions of death and imprisonment
o Demanded one-party govt
o Set up Cheka
o Put end to interparty debate
o Created powerful bureaucracy

From summer 1921 onwards, he was increasingly absent.

By JANUARY 24 1924, Lenin died.