Russia before 1917
What were some origins of the Russian Revolution post 1914?
World War l
Military Disasters
From National Unity to Mass Discontent
Total War: Mass Mobilization = Destabilization and Total Collapse
What was the creation of the soviets?
The term "Soviets" refers to workers’ councils, which were democratic organizations that emerged during the revolution as a form of direct representation for workers, soldiers, and peasants.
Who were the Reds?
"Reds" referred to the forces aligned with the Bolshevik (Communist) government, led by Vladimir Lenin and later Joseph Stalin.
What were some of the problems Russia faced after the revolution?
• Economic and Political Isolation
• Industrial and Cultural Backwardness
• Necessity of Management and Expertise
Who was Tsar Nicholas ll?
The last emperor of Russia
- part of the Romanov family dynasty
- abdicated in the 1917 Russian Revolution
1. Minimal to rapid industrialization
2. Inconsistent government reforms
3. Serfs to peasants leading to a period of Great Reforms that caused many of the population to be unhappy with the Russian Monarch
What was the “February” (March) Revolution (1917)?
This revolution led to the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and the end of the Romanov dynasty's rule (end of the Russian monarchy).
Who were the Whites?
The term "Whites" referred to the Monarchists, Russian Orthodox Church, Nationalists, Socialists,
and Liberals, w/International Support from the Allied Powers forces that opposed the Bolshevik (Red) government.
What was the NEP?
NEP (New Economic Policy)
(1923-1928)
The New Economic Policy (NEP) was an economic policy implemented by the Soviet government, led by Vladimir Lenin, in the early 1920s.
Attempted to address economic challenges.
Who was Vladimir Lenin?
Prominent figure of the Bolshevik's
Led the Bolshevik’s in overthrowing the government during the Russian Revolution
His ideas were the basis for the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
What was the revolution before 1917?
Series of protests, strikes, and uprisings that took place in the Russian Empire. Caused by discontent with the rule of Tsar Nicholas ll.
Unrest among the working class.
What was the provisional government during the Russian Revolution?
The Provisional Government was a temporary government that emerged in Russia following the February Revolution of 1917.
What role did Russian nationalism play in the civil war?
Russian nationalism often fueled a desire to restore the traditional Russian order and resist the revolutionary agenda of the Bolsheviks.
What happened at the end of the NEP?
The War Scarce and Food Shortages.
Who was Nikolai Bukharin?
“continue NEP”
Prominent Bolshevik revolutionary.
Bukharin was a close ally of Vladimir Lenin and a leading figure in the Bolshevik Party. He held various important positions in the Soviet government.
What was Bolshevism?
Russia-specific Marxism
Said that revolutions require violence
Peasants replace Proletariat (working class)
Revolutionary elites lead Proletariat through an “apprenticeship"
Placed great importance of party leadership and loyalty to your party
What was the “October” (November) Revolution (1917)?
The "October Revolution," also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, led to the overthrow of the Provisional Government and the establishment of Bolshevik (Communist) control under the leadership of Vladimir Lenin.
What was the Cheka?
The Secret Police
Soviet Union's state security organizations and operated as the main intelligence and security agency under Bolshevik rule.
What was Stalin’s “New World”/The Five Year Plan?
• The Collectivization of Agriculture
• Rapid Industrialization
• The Cultural Revolution
• A World of Work
• Heavy Industry, not Consumer Goods
• Education and Rising Literacy
• Anti-Individualism, Secularization, and the Communitarian Ethos
Who was Leon Trotsky?
“permanent revolution”
Russian Marxist revolutionary, political theorist, and key figure in the early years of the Soviet Union. He played a crucial role in the Russian Revolution of 1917 and was a close associate of Vladimir Lenin.
Leading member of the Bolshevik party during the Russian Revolution, which led to a socialist government.
Describe Russia c.1917
Ruled by an absolute monarch (the Tsar)
The last “ancient regime"
Second largest empire in the world
Culture dominated by Russian Orthodox Church
Defined by hereditary privileges and obligations
Agricultural economy and majority peasant population
Minimal industrialization
Small working class
What was the creation of “Red Guards” units?
The Red Guards were armed groups of workers, soldiers, and sailors who supported the Bolshevik Party and played a crucial role in the Bolshevik seizure of power during the October Revolution.
Who ultimately “won” the Russian civil war and why?
The Reds,
unification and propaganda.
What was Collectivization?
Policy implemented by Stalin and the Soviet government:
The primary goal of collectivization was to consolidate small, individually-owned farms into larger, state-controlled collective farms.
Who was Joseph Stalin?
“socialism in one nation”
Soviet leader who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party from 1922 until his death.
Stalin implemented policies such as rapid industrialization and collectivization, resulting in economic growth but also causing widespread suffering.