REVOLUTION IN RUSSIA– CAUSES

Dr Darius von Guttner

In Western countries the constitution merely had to guarantee the rights… in Russia it also had to create these. It had to educate society - and the state itself -into the values and ideas of liberal constitutionalism.”― Orlando Figes

• Sankt PetersburgCapital

• Absolute monarchy by divine rightSystem of Government

• 21,799,825 km²Area

• 181,537,800Population

Russian Empire

AREA OF STUDY 1: CAUSES OF REVOLUTION

Timeframe

→1896: Coronation of Nicholas II→25 October 1917: the Bolshevik Coup

AREA OF STUDY 1: CAUSES OF REVOLUTION

Key knowledge

What were the significant causes of revolution?How did the actions of popular movements and particular individuals contribute to triggering a revolution?To what extent did social tensions and ideological conflicts contribute to the outbreak of revolution?

REVOLUTION?

existing political

order overturned

rapid change

violence

political • How and who governs

civic & legal • Citizens’ rights

international • International power structures

social & cultural

• Structure of the society:• roles of classes• roles of men and women

economic • Property ownershipImpa

ctof

revo

lutio

ns

Ideas

undermine the old regime = recognition of the

inequalities in the society

Reality

undermine the old regime = everyday hardships give

force to abstract ideas

Leadersdirect and lead

Ideasoffer solutions to crisis

Followerstake action

A point of no return

The change is no longer unthinkable

A Critical Episode

The spark which ignites the crisis

The tensions and conflicts in the old regime

Economic and Social Inequality

Rising and unmet class expectations

Fluctuations in economic activity

Failed attempts at economic, social

or political reform

Soviet Interpretation

Liberal Interpretation

Libertarian Interpretation

Revisionist Interpretation

Russian Revolution

Historiography

Soviet Interpretation

Liberal Interpretation

Libertarian Interpretation

Revisionist Interpretation

Russian Revolution

Historiography

Richard PipesRobert Conquest

Sheila FitzpatrickRobert ServiceOrlando Figues

the History of the CPSU (Bolsheviks) short-course Christopher HillJohn Reed

Maurice BrintonAlexander Berkman

historians

history from above

• The conditions in Russia around 1900 resembled those in pre-1789 France in that the country also lacked freedom of speech and representative institutions.

• While the collapse of tsarism was not inevitable, it was made likely by deep-seated cultural and political flaws that prevented the tsarist regime from adjusting to the economic and cultural growth of the country, flaws that proved fatal under the pressure generated by World War I.

• Lenin’s word was by no means accepted as holy writ.

• If Lenin had never existed, a socialist government would probably have rule Russia by the end of 1917.

Marxism - a flawed philosophy Leaders - key role in directing the evolution

February was the real revolution.October just a coup.

Richard Pipes

Robert Service

Soviet interpretation

Lenin was infallible

The success of the October Revolution was evidence of Lenin’s brilliance in leadership

Violence was necessary to defeat internal and external opposition to the revolution

The revolution was achieved by the masses as directed and represented by the Bolshevik PartyHistory of the CPSU (Bolsheviks)

short-course

Joseph Stalin

economic and political tensions • Russia was suffering a long-term institutional crisis

and revolution was an unavoidable outcome• Russia was headed toward turmoil and the impact

of WWI made little difference in the long run

revolution from below• Focused on revealing the lives of the ordinary

workers, peasants, soldiers and sailors• a degree of genuine mass support for the Bolsheviks

in October 1917

impact of grass-roots movements• The Red Guard, Soviets, trade unions, and factory

soldiers and peasant committees• Lenin was a key figure• Bolshevik Party was able to best articulate the

revolutionary demands of the masses.

REV

ISIO

NIS

T

INT

ERPR

ETAT

ION Sheila Fitzpatrick

Orlando Figues

Robert Conquest

It was the ordinary workers and peasants, men and women, who made the Revolution

PEOPLE NOT LEADERS

February and October Revolutions were genuine movements of the masses later betrayed by the Bolsheviks

BOLSHEVIKS BETRAYAL

Peasant revolts and the KronstadtUprising demonstrated the clash between the masses and their new rulers

MASSES NOT LEADERS

LibretarianInterpretation -

history from below

January•Strikes in St. Petersburg•Bloody Sunday•The breakdown of trust between

the Tsar and his peopleFebruary•Strikes spread to the Caucasus

March•Strikes and unrest reach Siberia

and the Urals

April•The National Congress of

Zemstovs again demands a constitutional assembly

May•Battle of Tsushima•Loss of credibility

June•Soldiers used against strikers in

Lodz•Odessa is halted by a large strike

July•Mutiny of the navy crew in the

Black Sea•Strikes

August•Moscow holds the first Conference

of the Peasants union

September•Russia's first General Strike•Mutiny in the army in the East.

October•Strike action has developed into a

General Strike•Nicholas II issues the October

Manifesto

1905

NICHOLAS II

isolation

• declining traditional support base

• political misconception• Outdated belief in

power of the monarchy

lack of new

support base

• no links to emerging new and politically vocal middle classes

autocracy

• Empire Strikes Back• October Manifesto• Fundamental State Laws• loss of elites’ good will

reform• No understanding of

Russia’s economy• any reforms = an attack

on autocratic rule

broken loyalty of his people

• Bloody Sunday• October Manifesto• Dismissal of Dumas• Alexandra and Rasputin• Orthodox Church

Three key periods of reform

Witte

industry

The Duma

constitution

Stolypin

agriculture

Stolypin’s Reforms

Land Reforms

• Up to 2 million peasant families had left the village commune to farm independently

• Up to 3 million accepted government offers of land and financial aid if they relocated to Siberia

• But… most peasants unaffected

Social Reforms

• The number of primary schools doubled between 1906 and 1912

• The local government (zemstva) expenditure on health, poor relief and agricultural advice increased twofold

Industrial Reforms

• Began to slowly meet the demands of the workers’ petition from the Bloody Sunday

World War I• Low troops morale• Military defeats blamed on Tsar • High death toll• Distrust of Rasputin’s influence

Economic Crisis• Increased tax burden• Inflation• Food shortages• Devaluation of rouble• Collapse of transport system

February Revolution• Strikes and mutinies in major cities• Extreme weather in winter• Tsar persuaded to abdicate• Provisional Government takes power

Lenin Returns to Russia• April Theses=Peace, Land, Bread!• Radicalisation of Bolsheviks• Petrograd Soviet supports Lenin• Provisional Government seen as

lacking popular support

Provisional Government• Reliant on loans from Allies• Forced to fight World War I• Failure of June Offensive• Loss of credibility

Bolsheviks Ascendancy• Kornilov Affair undermines Provisional

Government• Kerensky frees Bolsheviks from prison

and arms Red Guards• Majorities in Petrograd and Moscow

Soviets

October Coup / Revolution• Kerensky attacks first but Bolsheviks

storm Winter Palace• All-Russian Congress of Soviets

convened• Bolsheviks form Military Revolutionary

Committee

1917

Factors which enabled the Bolshevik

seizure of power in October 1917

1.WAR AND

NICHOLAS II2.

THE FEBRUARY REVOLUTION

3. REVOLUTIONARY

PARTIES

4.THE PETROGRAD SOVIET AND THE

PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT

5.LENIN WAS

PREPARED TO TAKE POWER

REVOLUTION IN RUSSIA– CAUSES

Dr Darius von Guttner