Russian revolutions (4º ESO)

THE TSARIST EMPIRE 

In 19th century Russia was an absolute monarchy. The participation in the First World War worsened its economic and political problems.

Characteristics of the Russian empire:

·        The head of state was the Tsar Nicholas II.

·        There were no civil rights

·        Parties suffered repression

·        Economy was semi-feudal (a minority rich and a peasant majority      poor)

·        Capitalist economy could not develop because bourgeoisie and         working class were very small. 

                                





Problems at the beginning of the 20th century:

• The Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) was formed --> establish a Socialist state (Marxist ideology).

• RSDLP divided into: 
• the mensheviks (Martov): gradual reforms to achieve a Socialist state
• the bolsheviks (Lenin): revolution to remove tsar from power and establish a Socialist state.

• In 1905, there were protest against the tsar were suppressed --> workers and soldiers created a revolutionary council (soviet)  in St. Petersburg --> A period of strikes and protests started.

• From 1914 to 1917 Russia´s participation in WW1 caused more discontent and protests. 

THE REVOLUTIONS OF FEBRUARY AND OCTOBER 1917

• In february, protests forced tsar Nicholas II to abdicate.
• Mensheviks formed a provisional government and made political parties legal.
• Bolsheviks established an alternative government based on the soviets.
• In october, a second revolution took place. Bolsheviks seized control of government and Lenin became the new leader. He signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk to withdraw from an unpopular war. 

                              

• Bolsheviks began persecuting their opponents and killed the tsar and his family. A civil war broke out between the White Russians (counter-revolutionaries) and the Red Army (Bolsheviks forces), who won the war. 
• Lenin established the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the USSR, and approved a new constitution, that was based in the communists principles. 
• Karl Marx´s idea of the dictatorship of the proletariat was put into practice: all workers´ interests were represented in just one political party: the Communist Party of Soviet Union (CPSU)
• The CPSU controlled all the soviets and therefore, the state institutions (directed by the soviets). 
• And because state controlled the means of production (factories, trade, energy, finance, ...),  the CPSU controlled everything. 

let's see, what have you learned: