Objectives:6.2 I A & C; 6.2 IV B (3rd, 4th, and 5th bullets);6.2 V B AGENDA: Do Now, Russian Bolshevik Revolution PowerPoint and Guided Notes; Comparing Marxist Communism and Leninist Communism. DO NOW: Define communismHmwk: Middle East Partition Map; Read 745-748 & 749-757

The Russian Revolution 1917

Pre-Revolutionary Russia• Autocracy (means rule by

one person)• Secret Police used

against enemies of the Tsar

• Russo-Japanese War (1905) – defeat led to political instability

Tsar Nicholas II – last Romanov ruler of Russia

SOCIAL•Although there was no more serfdom, life for peasants was difficult

• Russia was not very industrialized, compared with the rest of Europe

Role of Rasputin

• A mystic who “healed” the czar’s son who had hemophilia

• Huge influence over royal family, bad reputation rubs off on royals

WWI: The Last Straw• Russia suffered heavy casualties on the Eastern

Front. • Peasants were angry about being conscripted into

the army. • The army was badly equipped (shared rifles). • What little food, goods and raw materials were

available were sent to the front so there were HUGE shortages in the cities (Total War)

• Chaos meant people locally to tried take control and restore some order. Cities formed “soviets” – small revolutionary councils that tried to bring change and improvements

WWI: The Last Straw• Urban workers were unemployed by the

thousands as factories shut down. • Socialists and Liberals started calling for an

end to the war but Tsar Nicholas refused. • The Tsar even took over control of the army

in 1915—he was then blamed for the heavy casualties.

• The war led many to turn against the Tsar.

The Two Revolutions of 1917• February

Revolution – Food riots lead Tsar to abdicate

• October Revolution – Communists (known as Bolsheviks) take control w/ military coup. Exit War. (Treaty of Brest-Litovsk)

Peace, LandAnd Bread!

Lenin’s April Thesis

Lenin• New Ruler of Russia• Lenin = Bolshevik (a

Russian Communist) Wanted a “vanguard” to lead the revolution

• Communism could be forced by the vanguard, even without urban factory workers

Results• Civil War in Russia

until early 1920s – Commies versus everyone

• New secret police: CHEKA (NKVD/KGB)

• Communist rule in Russia (U.S.S.R.) from 1917-1991

Lenin’s Rule• NEP – New Economic Policy

– some capitalistic components (example: farmers could sell their crops)

– Big, important industries were nationalized (owned by gov’t) (examples: trains, steel production)

– Goal: Industrialize Russia • Lenin’s death – power struggle. Stalin wins.

I’m not speaking to you, comrade traitor…

Think of it as, “two steps forward, one step back,” Karl.

Trotsky was tricked into not going to the funeral by the other man who would try to assume power in Russia…

Stalin

Russia officially became the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

Marxist Communism vs. Leninist Communism

Lenin and the Russian Revolution • How did the ideas of Marx and Engels influence Lenin?• Why do you think revolution took hold in Russia first instead of a

more industrialized nation as Marx expected?• Do you think Lenin faithfully enacted Marx’s philosophy or was it

something different?• What are the possible negative human consequences of a

command economy vs. a free market economy?• What was the importance of World War I in the timing of the

Russian revolution?• How did the history of events in Europe during the 19th century lead

up to Lenin’s actions?• Why do you think Lenin’s actions were inspirational for socialist

movements of the time?• Were the negative consequences of Lenin’s policies due to the

ideas of socialism or the way that Lenin enacted them?