RUSSIA

• Role of the conservatives


  - wanted to defend the interests of the gentry

  - wanted to keep things the same
• Role of the social democrats


  - Karl Marx followers

  - communists

  - split into Bolsheviks and Mensheviks
• Bolsheviks vs. Mensheviks?


  - Bolsheviks wanted to lead the workers into revolution and help spread communism on their behalf

  - Mensheviks did not think Russia was ready for communism because it wasn't industrialised yet
• Role of liberals


  Wanted more political freedom to prevent revolution
• Role of radicals


  Wanted to overthrow the tsarist regime and the ruling class
• Role of socialist revolutionaries?

  Wanted a new society based on peasant commune
• Role of ultra nationalists?

  Wanted to protect the Russian empire.
• What was the Duma?

  Russian Parliament
• Why were peasants living in poverty in early russia?

  1) The tsar wasn't a caring leader and there was a significant class divide

  
  

  2) WW1- peasant horses and crops were taken for the war and German refugees made overcrowding worse.
• What did peasants want in 1905?

  They wanted landowners land so they can have more housing and more farming land, increasing surplus.
• Why were the workers unhappy in early Russia?

  1) WW1- economic struggles caused factories to shut down leading to unemployment and inflation caused prices to go up. This led to many strikes.

  
  

  2) living and working conditions were horrible- strict hours and rules with unsafe factories. Homes were overcrowded because of refugees.
• Social effects of WW1 on Russia

  1) overall less food: army requisitioned peasant horses and crops, manual farming techniques slowed down food production, railways were prioritised for war and 15 million men were conscripted so less people growing food and working.

  
  

  2) unemployment: 15 million men conscripted led to closures of factories

  
  

  3) overcrowding: 6 million German refugees were hard to house- more people to feed and house but limited food and houses.
• Military consequences of WW1 on Russia

  1) Russia's army was poorly led and equipped because of factors such as economic struggles.

  
  

  2) Germany's army was organised and well led and equipped, although smaller.

  
  

  3) Germany had an efficient railway system and took over Russia's railway systems.

  
  

  4) because Russia was vulnerable, Germany was able to take over many parts of the Russian empire by 1917.
• Economic effects of WW1 on russia

  1) inflation

  2) national debt- russia borrowed money from allies increasing debt

  3) taxed rose to help pay for the war

  4) economic activity dropped: Germany blocked Russia's trade routes and railways so factories were deprived of raw materials.
• When did the tsar want to become commander of the Russian army and why was that a risk?

  Aug 1915, risk because he had no experience and would be blamed for future defeats.
• Who did the Tsar leave in charge of Russia when he left for war?

  tsarina, his wife.
• Why was the Tsarina unpopular?

  -She was German so people thought she was a spy

  -She was a strong autocrat and refused to work with the Duma

  -She was obsessed with Rasputin
• Why did the Duma want to stop supporting the war?

  They saw all the negative effects and the failing ministers of the Tsar.
• What did the Duma request from the tsar during the war in 1915?


  They asked that he replaced his failing ministers with Duma approved ones.
• How did the Duma become central opposition to the Tsars government?

  The Duma asked for the tsar to replace his ministers with Duma ministers and the tsar did not want to share power, making the Duma opposition to the tsars gov.
• Feb revolution: what happened on the 14th feb 1917?

  Demonstrations in support of the Duma
• Feb revolution: 18th Feb 1917?


  Putilov steelwork strikes
• Feb revolution: 23rd Feb 1917?


  International women's day strikes mixed with anti-government demonstrations.

  Crowds grew even bigger when bread rationing was announced.
• Feb revolution: how did the weather effect the protests?

  The unusually nice weather encouraged more people to demonstrate
• Feb revolution: 23rd-25th?


  250000 people demonstrated in Petrograd and the crowds became too big for police control.
• Feb revolution: 26th Feb?


  Soldiers were ordered to fire into crowds and 40 were killed.

  
  

  Soldiers were unhappy with their orders but mutiny was suppressed.
• Feb revolution: 27th Feb?


  Some regiments refused to shoot.
• Feb revolution: 28th Feb?


  Military report sent out to the Tsar declaring Petrograd was out of control.
• What were the triggers of the February revolution?

  - bread rationing

  - weather

  - mutiny in army

  - tsar being away and not controlling the city

  - food shortages

  - hatred for the tsarina
• What did the army command want to do to control the revolution?

  They wanted to work with the Duma to find a political and non-violent solution. They suggested that the Tsar should abdicate to save Russia. When he eventually did, Russia became a republic.
• What was the decision that left Russia with no functioning government in march 1917?


  The tsar refused to share his power and ordered the Duma to dissolve. Most government ministers left Petrograd.
• Which of the Duma members continued to meet and why?

  The liberals continued to meet, forming the new Duma committee. (Following the official abdication, they made the prov gov)
• What was the role of the provisional gov?

  It was a temporary government to control the city after the abdication.
• What was the aim of the prov gov?

  They wanted to continue the war because they were worried about the demands that Germany might make if they surrendered/made peace. This was fair enough, considering they Russia was economically struggling so if Germany asked for money, it would be hard to get.
• Who was part of the prov gov?

  Mainly liberals and radical SR's. It was originally made of the 12 liberal Duma committee members
• What did the provisional governments first acts include?

  - ending death penalty

  - promising full democratic freedom

  - taking over land belonging to tsar

  - transferring power to zemstvos (local councils)

  - releasing political and religious prisoners.
• What was the Petrograd Soviet?

  An elected city council for workers and soldiers (the lower class). It was being created by revolutionary groups at the same time as the prov gov. The soviet approved the creation of the prov gov.
• What were some of the principles that the Petrograd soviet had to follow for prov gov support?

  - freedom of speech, assembly and right to strike

  - local governments had to be elected

  - no privileges of class, religion or nationality.
• What were the 9 weaknesses of the provisional government?

  1) they failed to control the military- 'order number one' stated that the Petrograd soviet had the final say on military matters.

  2) failure to hold general elections

  3) more freedom of speech led to more criticism against the PG

  4) failure to provide more land for peasants

  5) lack of decisive leadership

  6) failed to improve the economy

  7) lack of legitimacy- the PG wasn't elected by the general public.

  8) continued to fight in the war- social unrest and June offensive made this worse.

  9) dual leadership- the PG and the PS being in charge simultaneously meant that the PG didnt have control over everything the wanted e.g military.
• Who was Lenin?


  Leader of the Bolsheviks