8.3 - The Russian Revolution and Its Effects

The Russian Revolution

Overview:

• The Russian Revolution was a major turning point in European history, setting the stage for significant global consequences.

Causes of the Russian Revolution:

Political Stagnation:

• Pre-War Background:

  • The Revolution of 1905 in Russia led to some liberal reforms, but these were largely reversed, leading to widespread dissatisfaction.

  • By the time World War I began, Tsar Nicholas II was relying heavily on the military and bureaucracy to maintain control.

  • Nicholas II’s Leadership:

    • Nicholas made the ill-advised decision to personally lead his armies in the field, revealing his incompetence and further eroding support for his regime.

Social Inequality:

• Legacy of Serfdom:

  • Despite the abolition of serfdom in 1861, landed elites retained significant power, and the gap between the wealthy and the poor widened, fueling discontent.

Incomplete Industrialization:

• Industrial Deficiencies:

  • Although Russia had made strides in industrialization, World War I exposed severe shortcomings, including shortages of guns, ammunition, clothing, and footwear for soldiers.

Food and Land Distribution:

• Persistent Problems:

  • Most peasants remained landless, and food shortages were common, exacerbating public dissatisfaction.

The March Revolution (1917)

Initial Uprising:

• Food Shortages:

  • The first sparks of revolution began in March 1917, when factory workers, many of them women, protested the soaring cost of staple foods.

• Military Sympathy:

  • Nicholas II, unaware of the domestic turmoil, ordered his troops to suppress the uprising. However, many soldiers sympathized with the protesters and joined the revolt.

Nicholas II’s Abdication:

• Loss of Control:

  • As Nicholas lost control, the Russian legislature, known as the Duma, took power, and Nicholas abdicated the throne.

The Provisional Government and Rise of the Bolsheviks

Challenges to the Provisional Government:

• Middle-Class Influence:

  • The Provisional Government, influenced by middle-class interests, struggled to manage the growing demands of the working class.

• Soviets:

  • Soviets, councils representing working-class interests, became increasingly powerful, dominated by members of the Marxist Social Democratic Party.

Split within the Marxist Party:

• Mensheviks vs. Bolsheviks:

  • The party split into two factions: the Mensheviks, who were willing to establish a parliamentary democracy, and the more radical Bolsheviks, who sought a violent overthrow of the tsarist regime and Western capitalist values.

Vladimir Lenin’s Leadership:

• April Theses:

  • Lenin, leader of the Bolsheviks, saw an opportunity to overthrow the Provisional Government. In 1917, he published the April Theses, outlining his revolutionary program, which included slogans like “Peace, Land, and Bread.”

• Bolshevik Revolution (November 1917):

  • Lenin led the Bolsheviks in a largely bloodless overthrow of the Provisional Government, marking the beginning of Communist control in Russia, which later became the Soviet Union.

The Civil War and New Economic Policy (NEP)

Russian Civil War:

• Opposition to Bolshevik Rule:

  • The Bolsheviks faced significant opposition from anti-communist forces, including the aristocracy and several Western powers. Despite these challenges, the Bolshevik Army, led by Leon Trotsky, remained disciplined and effective.

• Victory and Formation of the Soviet Union:

  • The Civil War ended in 1922 with a Bolshevik victory, solidifying the transformation of Russia into the Soviet Union.

New Economic Policy (NEP):

• Limited Capitalism:

  • To address economic difficulties, Lenin introduced the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1921, allowing some limited capitalism, such as permitting peasants to sell their produce on the open market and allowing private ownership of small businesses.

• Lenin’s Strategy:

  • Lenin saw the NEP as a temporary measure to stabilize the economy, intending to eventually move towards full communism. However, the NEP’s failure highlighted the challenges of implementing communism in practice.