The revolutions of 1917

• Autocratic rule by a Tsar
• 80% of Russians were peasants
• In February 1917, a revolution overthrew Tsar Nicholas II, ending 400 years of rule over Russia by the Romanov dynasty.
• The Bolsheviks were a dedicated group of communist revolutionaries led by Lenin
• Peasant communities had no modern farming equipment. Houses had a lack of running water and flushing toilets. Peasants had to share a home with their animals.
• The Okhrana were the secret police force under the Tsar.
• Town workers were living in overcrowded barracks and slums.
• Petrograd almost tripled in size between 1881 and 1917.
• Between 1914 and 1917, average wages went up by 200%, but the price of food and fuel went up by 400%.
• Socialist Revolutionaries (left wing) support revolution and assassination of political enemies
• Social Democrats (left wing) believe in revolution to overthrow capitalism and create a fairer communist society.
• Bolsheviks (left wing) aim to create a group of professional revolutionaries. The leader is Lenin.
• Left wing groups want to challenge the power of the tsar and the rich. Some support sharing out wealth and land amongst all.
• Moderate groups think that Russia should be ruled as a democracy like France or Britain.
• Octobrists (moderate) support moderate reforms, better government and more freedom.
• Kadets (moderate) are liberals, who believe in political rights for all and a constitutional monarchy that puts limits on the power of the tsar.
• Right wing groups were defenders of the traditional Russian political system and way of life.
• Nationalists (right wing) believe that Russians should be in charge, within a strong Russian empire.
• Conservatives (right wing) were opposed to social change. They wanted to defend the status of nobles and wealthier groups in society.
• By 1917, the SRs were really a collection of different left wing groups rather than a party. Their most revolutionary members were the left SRs.
• town workers living conditions were poor, living in overcrowded barracks and slums
• Between 1914 and 1917, over 17,000 million roubles spent on war. The cost of living went up and ordinary people were hit hard with more taxes.
• the government's overall spending increased by eight times between 1913 and 1916- Russia fell into huge amounts of debt and had to borrow large sums of money from other countries.
• There had been over 1.8 million soldiers dead by 1917 due to war
• By 1917, large areas of the russian empire in the west coast was lost- poland, lithuania and latvia
• By 1917, the tsar was not listening to the duma.
• The tsar made himself the commander in chief so he was blamed for everything
• The tsar left the tsarina in charge of running the country in his absence, but she was german so no one trusted her
• In january 1916, the daily bread ration was 1.2 kilograms; by early 1917 it had fallen to 0.8 kilograms
• over 15 million peasant men who would normally be producing food on a farm got drafted into the army.
• transporting food by the railway system during WW1 made it collapse
• The february revolution led to the fall of the tsar and a new government
• Long term causes of anger towards the tsar (1900-1914)

  The workers were angry that their working conditions were unpleasant, having to do physical labour instead of using machinery
• long term causes of anger towards the tsar (1900-1914)

  The peasants were angry as houses lacked running water and were living with their animals
• long term causes of anger towards the tsar (1900-1914)

  political parties were angry because they weren't getting listened to by the tsar
• short term causes of anger towards the tsar

  the russian army had many troops being killed, nearly 2 million
• short term causes of anger towards the tsar

  the tsar made himself the commander-in-chief
• short term causes of anger towards the tsar

  food shortages got worse
• trigger causes leading to the fall of the tsar

  February 23 1917- international women's day, 100,000 women protest in Petrograd about food shortages
• trigger causes leading to the fall of the tsar

  February 26 1917, crowds had grown to 240,000. soldiers were given the order by the tsar to shoot at protesters. 40 people were killed.