Socialism & Russian Revolution

Cheatsheet Content

### The Rise of Socialism in Europe - **Industrial Revolution Impact:** Led to poor working conditions, long hours, low wages, and exploitation of women and children. - **Liberals:** Advocated for a nation that tolerated all religions, opposed uncontrolled dynastic rule, and favored elected parliamentary government (though not universal suffrage). - **Radicals:** Wanted a nation where government was based on the majority of a country's population, supported women's suffrage, and opposed privileges of landowners and factory owners. - **Conservatives:** Opposed radicals and liberals, generally resisted change, but after the French Revolution, accepted that some change was inevitable, provided it was slow and respected the past. - **Early Socialists:** - **Robert Owen:** Sought to build a cooperative community called 'New Harmony' in Indiana, USA. - **Louis Blanc:** Advocated for government-supported cooperatives in France to replace capitalist enterprises. - **Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels:** - Argued that industrial society was 'capitalist'. - Believed capitalists exploited workers, and to free themselves, workers must overthrow capitalism and build a communist society. - Marx's ideas formed the basis of communism. - **Second International:** An international body formed by socialist parties to coordinate their efforts. - **Socialist Parties:** Formed in various European countries (e.g., Social Democratic Party in Germany, Labour Party in Britain) to push for better living conditions and universal suffrage. ### The Russian Revolution: Background - **Russian Empire (1914):** Ruled by Tsar Nicholas II, included territories like Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, parts of Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Central Asian states, and Georgia. - **Economy:** Predominantly agricultural (about 85% of population), but industrial pockets existed (e.g., St. Petersburg, Moscow). - **Social Conditions:** - **Peasants:** Most were Orthodox Christians, deeply religious, and often pooled their land periodically (Mir) to divide it according to family needs. - **Workers:** Often divided by skill and training, lived in barracks, faced harsh conditions. - **Socialism in Russia:** - **Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (1898):** Founded by socialists who respected Marx's ideas. Divided into Bolsheviks and Mensheviks. - **Bolsheviks:** Led by Vladimir Lenin, believed in a disciplined party to control the number and quality of its members. - **Mensheviks:** Believed the party should be open to all (as in Germany). - **1905 Revolution:** - **'Bloody Sunday' (Jan 1905):** Workers led by Father Gapon marched to the Winter Palace; attacked by police and Cossacks, killing over 100. - Led to strikes, formation of worker councils (soviets), and demands for a constitution. - Tsar allowed creation of an elected consultative Parliament (Duma), but dismissed it repeatedly. ### First World War and the Russian Empire - **Initial Popularity:** War initially popular, but support waned as casualties mounted. - **Anti-German Sentiment:** St. Petersburg renamed Petrograd. - **Economic Impact:** - Russia cut off from Baltic Sea, leading to severe shortages. - Industrial equipment disintegrated, railway lines broke down. - Shortage of labour, large supplies of grain sent to feed the army. - Riots at bread shops became common. ### The February Revolution in Petrograd (1917) - **Background:** Harsh winter, food shortages, workers' districts and factories located on the right bank of the Neva River, fashionable areas and the Winter Palace on the left bank. - **February 22:** Lockout at a factory, followed by sympathy strikes by workers in 50 factories. Women led many strikes. - **February 25:** Government suspended the Duma. - **February 26-27:** Demonstrators (workers, fashionables, soldiers) gathered in the streets. - **February 27:** Soldiers mutinied, joining striking workers. - **Petrograd Soviet:** Workers and soldiers formed a 'Soviet' or 'Council' in the same building as the Duma met. - **March 2:** Tsar Nicholas II abdicated. - **Provisional Government:** Formed by Soviet and Duma leaders to run the country. - **Impact:** Restrictions on public meetings and associations removed. Soviets sprang up everywhere. ### After February - **Lenin's Return (April 1917):** Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin returned from exile. - **April Theses:** Lenin's demands: 1. War be brought to a close. 2. Land be transferred to the peasants. 3. Banks be nationalised. - Bolshevik Party renamed the Communist Party. - **Growing Support for Bolsheviks:** Peasants seized land, soldiers' committees formed, trade unions grew. - **Provisional Government's Response:** Suppressed Bolshevik demonstrations, arrested leaders. ### The October Revolution (1917) - **Growing Conflict:** Between Provisional Government and Bolsheviks. - **Lenin's Plan:** To seize power. - **Military Revolutionary Committee:** Formed by Leon Trotskii to organise the seizure. - **October 24:** Uprising began. Prime Minister Kerenskii left to summon troops. - **Bolshevik Seizure:** Government offices occupied, ministers arrested. The Winter Palace (Provisional Government headquarters) was shelled by the ship Aurora. - **Result:** Bolsheviks controlled Petrograd by evening. - **All-Russian Congress of Soviets:** Approved the Bolshevik action. - **Moscow:** Heavy fighting, but by December, Bolsheviks controlled the Moscow-Petrograd area. ### The Civil War (1918-1920) - **Bolshevik Actions After October:** - Nationalised banks and industries. - Land declared social property, peasants allowed to seize land. - Banned use of old titles of aristocracy. - New uniforms for army (Budeonovka hat). - Russia became a one-party state (Bolsheviks). - Secret police (Cheka, later OGPU and NKVD) punished critics. - **Opposition to Bolsheviks:** - **'Greens':** Socialist Revolutionaries (pro-peasant land redistribution). - **'Whites':** Pro-Tsarists, supported by French, American, British, Japanese troops who feared the spread of socialism. - **Bolshevik Victory:** By 1920, Bolsheviks controlled most of the former Russian Empire. - **Creation of USSR (1922):** Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, created from the Russian empire. ### The Global Influence of the Russian Revolution and the USSR - **Communist International (Comintern):** Formed by Bolsheviks to encourage communist parties worldwide. - **Impact on Colonial Peoples:** Inspired many colonial countries to fight for independence. - **Economic Depression (1929):** USSR's planned economy seemed to offer an alternative to capitalism. - **Mixed Perceptions:** While some admired Soviet achievements (industrial development, poverty reduction), others criticised its repressive policies (gulags, lack of democratic rights). - **Decline of USSR:** By 1950s, it was clear USSR was not an ideal society, leading to disillusionment. ### Stalinism and Collectivisation - **Period:** After Lenin's death (1924), Joseph Stalin took over. - **Planned Economy:** Five-Year Plans were introduced (1927-1932, 1933-1938) for industrial growth. - **Collectivisation (1929):** - Stalin believed rich peasants (kulaks) and grain shortages were linked. - Forced all peasants to cultivate in collective farms (kolkhoz). - Kulaks resisted, destroyed livestock. - Many were severely punished, deported, or exiled. - **Famine (1930-1933):** Led to millions of deaths. - **Purges:** Stalin's regime conducted mass arrests, deportations, and executions against those suspected of conspiracy, leading to millions of deaths and forced labour in 'gulags'.