HIS 106
Russian Revolution of 1917
HIS 106
Russian politics at outbreak of war
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Czar Nicholas II
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„ Poor leader (Rasputin)
Largely agrarian: Few “workers”
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„ Peasants (cossacks): poor, restive
Autocratic, repressive of opposition
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„ Duma: limited power for assembly
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„ Liberals: “Constitutional Democrats”
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„ Radicals: “Social Revolutionaries”
HIS 106
“February Revolution”, 1917
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Czar abdicates, flees Petersburg
provisional government formed
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„ prepares elections, constitution
peasants begin to seize land
workers strike in factories
soldiers leave the army
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„ form 900 local “soviets” (councils)
HIS 106
The
The October Revolution
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Army marches on provisional government
Lenin, Bolsheviks perceive their chance
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„ “sealed train” to Finland Station
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„ “Peace, Land, Bread now!”
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„ end the war (soldiers home)
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„ redistribute land (to peasants)
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„ feed poor in cities (workers)
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oppose constitution, elections:
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„ “All power to the Soviets!”
HIS 106
10 days that shook the world
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Trotsky marches on Winter Palace
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„ Overthrows provisional government
Lenin gains control of Congress of Soviets
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„ soldiers, workers and peasants
Expectation of “world revolution” to follow
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„ March, 1918: Brest-Litovsk
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„ peace for land, bread
Review
Question
Why was the seizure
of power by the
Bolsheviks in Russia
so unexpected?
HIS 106
Civil War, 1918 - 1921
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“Whites”
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„ Monarchists, backed by western powers
“Reds”
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„ Soviet government, led by Bolsheviks
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„ “socialism in one country”
HIS 106
Communist International
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Russia: “actually existing socialism”
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„ leader of international movement
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„ promotes world revolution
Socialist parties across Europe split
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„ “old house”: Social Democrats
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„ “vanguard of revolution”: Communists
HIS 106
Bolsheviks in power
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full voting rights, liberties
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„ men and women
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„ propertied or not
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„ all religious, ethnic groups
police, judiciary, diplomacy open to public
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„ publication of rulings, treaties
full separation of church and state
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„ primary, secondary education
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„ divorce, family law
HIS 106
Socialist economics
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nationalize industry:
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„ banks, railroads, factories, mines
1918 – 1921: “war communism”
1921: New Economic Policy
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„ foreign suppliers, entrepreneurs
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„ private retail shops
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„ land operated by peasants
HIS 106
“Safety zone”: Cordon sanitaire
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Latvia
Lithuania
Estonia
Poland
Romania
Review
Question
What were the major
achievements of the
Bolsheviks in Russia
from 1918 to 1922?
What challenges did
they face in creating
“socialism in one
country?”