Russian Revolution Notes (from last year)

1905 Revolution

• autocracy- country is governed as the ruler sees fit
  
• Russo - Japanese War- Japan won
  
• Economic problems
• minimal industrialization
• periodic famine- caused people to become difficult to control
  
• permanent underclass (serfs/peasants)

Weaknesses of the regime

• Failure of land reforms
• Industrial unrest
• Government oppression
• Revolutionary parties
• Bolsheviks- "communist" party
  
• Mensheviks- wanted Russia to be fully industrialized
  
• Social Revolutionaries
• Royal family scandal- Rasputin in the royal court
  
• WWI
  

Which of these problems was the most significant? Least Significant?
The First World War was probably the most significant of these things, because of the damage it caused to Russia's population and resources. The royal family scandal may have been the least significant, having less of an impact on the country as a whole.

Poor living conditions, weak leadership, and conflicting political parties all seem to be conditions which may lead to the establishment of single-party states.

• In Russia, these conditions were added to government oppression, periodic famine, and the loss of the Russo - Japanese War.
• In Germany, these conditions were added to the Treaty of Versailles and French occupation.
  

Two Revolutions:

• February Revolution
• bread riots- started revolution
  
• factory workers- went on strike, joined the riots
  
• troops- refused to shoot at unarmed crowds, mutinied
  
• Tsar's response- sent more troops to Petrograd, ignoring suggestions to set up a constitutional monarchy
  
• Abdication- The Tsar renounced the throne to his brother, who refused, causing the monarchy to fall apart
  
• Provisional government- what was it and why did it fail?
• June (July) offensive- caused the collapse of the army's morale and discipline
• Power sharing- the government shared power with the committee known as the Petrograd soviet, which gained control over the army
  
• broken promises- delayed elections and no land reform caused the government to lose support
  
• Lenin's return
• economic crisis
• "July days"
• Kornilov affair
• Bolsheviks seize power
  

Tsar Nicholas could not govern 125 million people by himself, so he employed thousands of civil servants (people who permanently work for the state).

Secret police called the Okhrana, or "Protective Section", censored books/newspapers and spied on political parties, arresting people who criticized the government.

Peasants sometimes revolted during famines, so the Tsar sent in Cossacks, mounted soldiers, to break up the crowds.

4 of every 5 Russians were peasants.

Redemption payments- peasants had to pay for the land given to the commune in yearly installments for 49 years.

Low life expectancy made it unlikely that peasants would live long enough to pay off their redemption payments. Children rarely lived past the age of 5.

Peasants < Capitalists < Army < Clergy < Royal Family

High unemployment, very crowded housing

1% of the Russian population was made up of nobles, who owned about 25% of the land

The Tsar owned 8 palaces and employed about 15,000 servants to work in them.

World War I

• Russians were poorly equipped and had bad leadership
• In 6 weeks, over 250,000 Russians were killed, wounded or taken prisoner
• Not enough workers during the war, so factories had to be closed
• There were not enough trains to keep everyone supplied with food and materials
• Inflation caused Russian money to lose value, while food prices went up
• The Tsar left Russia during the war, leaving the Tsarina and Rasputin in charge of the country, they do an even worse job of leading
• Thousands of workers go on strike in Petrodgrad
• Bread riots begin
• Cossacks refused to attack strikers, joined the riots
• Parliament creates a Provisional Committee- temporary government set up until a real government could be decided on, claims to have legal authority
  
• Petrograd Soviet- council of workers and soldiers in Petrograd, claims to have practical authority
• Tsar quickly loses power and support, gives up his position
• Order No. 1 said that soldiers and sailors needed to set up committees to take control of all arms, ammunition, and equipment. It also said that off-duty soldiers should not salute their officers, and that they should address them as "Mister Colonel," or "Mister General." This was obeyed by the entire army and navy, showing that the Petrograd Soviet controlled the country's military.
• Lenin's April Thesis: the war with Germany must end, all land must be given to the peasants, banks must be nationalized, the Bolsheviks should be called "Communists," and no support should be given to the Provisional Government.
• Summer Offensive- In June 1917 the Russian armies made a major attack on Austria. The offensive failed, and many Russians were killed while others deserted and joined the Bolsheviks.
• Kornilov revolt- the Bolsheviks arrested Kornilov, saving the Provisional Government.
• Provisional Government began to quickly lose power; chaos
  
• Leningrad, who had been chased back out of the country, returns again to lead the revolution
• Sovnarkom- the new organization leading Russia
  
• Decree on land- gave land to peasants
• Decree on peace- Sovnarkom intended to make peace with Russia's enemies at once
• The Cheka was set up as a political police force

Constituent Assembly: Russia's new parliament in 1917
Democracy- everyone votes on everything
Representative democracy- Everyone votes for representatives who vote for everything
Republic- a state without a monarch
Federal- a system where there is a joint national government and a smaller regional government
Capitalism- Private citizens own/control the means of production
Socialism- Government owns and controls means of production
Communism- the people colectively own/control the means of production
Autocracy- Rule is through one leader
Monarchy- Rule is hereditary
Oligarchy- Rule by a small group
Theocracy- Rule by a religious leader

The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk- harsh treaty between Russia and Germany. Russia had to give up all its Western lands, losing people, farm land, railways, iron ore