Chapter 30: Revolution in Russia - Section 1

Overview

• The chapter consists of four sections:
  1. Revolutions in Russia
  2. Totalitarianism (Stalinist Russia)
  3. Imperial China Collapses
  4. Nationalism in India and Southwest Asia
• Focus on the main idea of revolution and its historical significance.

Main Idea

• Revolution: Long-term social unrest in Russia culminated in revolution, leading to the first communist government.
• Importance: The Communist Party's control lasted until 1991, shaping the nations that emerged from the USSR.

The Russian Revolution as a Firecracker

• The revolution is likened to a firecracker with a long fuse; years of unrest led to an eventual explosion.

Key Topics

1. The Tsars in Russia

   • Romanov Dynasty: Nicholas I, Alexander II, Alexander III, Nicholas II.
   • Autocracy: Absolute power held by the Tsars.
     • Nicholas I, Alexander III, Nicholas II (autocratic)
     • Alexander II (reform-minded, assassinated in 1881).

2. Mechanisms of Autocracy

   • Strict censorship of written documents and letters.
   • Secret police monitoring schools and universities.
   • Political prisoners exiled to Siberia (coldest part of Russia).
   • Uniform Russian culture: One language (Russian), one religion (Orthodox Christianity), oppression of national groups (e.g., Poles and Jews).
   • Pogroms: Organized violence against Jews.

3. Industrialization of Russia

   • Late industrialization compared to Western Europe; rapid growth in late 1800s to early 1900s.
   • Fourth largest producer of steel; establishment of the Trans-Siberian Railway.
   • Economic strain due to borrowing from foreign investors; raised taxes leading to discontent among the populace.
   • Influence of Karl Marx's ideas among workers, leading to the division into Mensheviks (moderates) and Bolsheviks (radicals).

4. Crises at Home and Abroad

   • Russo-Japanese War: Russia's defeat exposed its backwardness.
   • Bloody Sunday: Workers' petition for better conditions led to a massacre, provoking further unrest.
   • World War I: Tsar Nicholas II's involvement worsened public dissatisfaction.

The March Revolution (March 1917)

• Women textile workers led a citywide strike; riots and soldiers sided with strikers.
• Tsar Nicholas II abdicated; replaced by a provisional government led by Alexander Kerensky, which failed due to continued war.

The Bolshevik Revolution

• Lenin returned from exile, capitalizing on the chaos.
• Bolsheviks gained control of key Soviets; Red Guards, led by Leon Trotsky, stormed the Winter Palace.
• Key actions taken by Lenin:
  • Redistribution of farmland and control of factories to workers.
  • Signed a truce with Germany, leading to public discontent and civil war between the Bolsheviks (Red Army) and White Army.

Comparison of Revolutions

• Discussion on similarities between the Russian Revolution and the American/French Revolutions.
• Comparison of March and Bolshevik Revolutions.

Lenin's Restoration of Russia

• Implemented the New Economic Policy (NEP): balance of communism and capitalism.
• Allowed peasants to sell surplus produce and small private ownership of businesses.
• Established the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) to manage various nationalities.

Transition of Power

• Lenin suffered a stroke; two contenders for leadership:
  1. Leon Trotsky: Commander of the Red Guards.
  2. Joseph Stalin: Secretary General, described as cold-hearted.
• Stalin emerged victorious, ultimately becoming a dictator, while Trotsky was exiled.

Conclusion

• The section concludes with a set-up for the next topic: Totalitarianism under Stalin.