Introduction and 3.2 The Russian Revolution

• History
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 3

The Time of World Wars

Soviet-Union 1917 - 1953

INTERBELLUM

The Russian Revolution

SOVIET UNION

RUSSIA

Nicolas II

Lenin

Stalin

people in this lesson

Nicholas II

tsar (emperor)

Russia

Rasputin

mad wizard

Russia

Lenin

Communist leader

Soviet Union

Karl Marx

"father" of communism

Germany

The Russian piramid

De Tsaar

1. Orthodoxy 

2. Boyars (nobility)

3. Bourgeoisie,

The first and second class don't pay taxes 

Take notes! 

The Boyars 

The nobility help the czar with governing, taxation and waging war.

The czar and boyars were protected by the church 

They want to keep everything the same and don't see anything in modernization 

Farmers 

90% of the Russian population are farmers 

The live in a mir ( small farmer community )

Even in the late 19th century there is serfdom in Russia. The farmers have te serve the boyars and fulfill tasks for them.

In Europe there were liberal changings happening. Inspired by this and the autocratic rule of the czar. People wanted change. 

Socialism

Socialism strives for a better working environment for factory workers and farmers. 

They also strive for equality 

Karl Marx thought of this ideology. 

He believed that the people would rise up and take the power and dissolve the class system.

SOCIALISM & COMMUNISM

The difference between socialists and communists is not the goal, but the means to reach them.

moderate

extremist

Summary

Lesson 1 

Russian Piramid 

Autocratic leader 

Russia underdeveloped (rural) 

Socialism (Marx) 

Lenin

• He adapts the teachings of Marx 

• He called his group the Bolsheviks. 

• Was in exile 
  
  

Nicholas II 

• He used his secret police to subdue the communist groups.
• Lost a war against Japan in 1904

Results: People grew displeased and demanded reforms. 

Bloody Sunday 1905 

Soviets

The Czar made some changes 

A parliament called the Duma. 

The people started establishing Soviets

Two revolutions in one year 

• World War I started 
• Russia joined the fight with allied forces. 
• The soldiers had shortage of everything. 
• Millions lost their lives. 
• Grain prices rose to an all time high 

The February revolution 

• People took to the streets, strikes were everywhere. 
• Soldiers sided with demonstraters 
• People got killed 
• The Duma sided with the demonstraters 

• And in the end the Czar abdicated. 

Consequences

The Duma formed a temporary government consisting of liberals and social democracts.

Goals: Set up elections and a constitution.

Kept on fighting in WOI 

October revolution 

(coup)

Lenin was smuggled in Russia by Germany.

1. Promised to end the war 
2. Power to the soviets 
3. Land to the peasants 
4. Factories to the workers 

Peace, land and bread 

When the Russian army suffered new losses. 

The Bolsheviks took their chances and overthrew the temporary government. 

Lenin remains in power 

Civil war 1918-1922

The Reds vs the Whites 

The Reds won 

Russia was now called the Soviet-Union 

It became an one-party state 

The Communist party now had full say over the country. 

0

capitalist economy

communist economy

1 government controls the economy

1. minimal government interfere in economy

2. private ownership of businesses

2. state owned businesses

3. planned economy

3. free market economy

4. production targets set by the state

4. production determined by need or demand

5. you work for profit

5. you work for the good of the nation

6. companies compete with each other

6. no competition between companies

7. prices of products determined by the state

7. prices determined by supply and demand

8. commercials and adverts

8. no commercials and adverts needed

capitalist economy

communist economy

Divide the characteristics between the two blocks. 

government controls the economy

minimal government interfere in economy

private ownership of businesses

state-owned businesses

planned economy

 free market economy

production targets set by the state

production determined by need or demand

you work for profit

you work for the good of the nation

companies compete with each other

no competition between companies

prices of products determined by the state

prices determined by supply and demand

commercials and adverts

no commercials and adverts needed