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The Russian Revolution

The Russian Revolution. The impact of war 1904-1905: Russo-Japanese war 1914-1917: The Great War The state fails in its most important function Impulse for reform Impulse for a revolution. What’s wrong with the system Inefficiency Backwardness: Russia has not modernized

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The Russian Revolution

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  1. The Russian Revolution

  2. The impact of war • 1904-1905: Russo-Japanese war • 1914-1917: The Great War • The state fails in its most important function • Impulse for reform • Impulse for a revolution

  3. What’s wrong with the system • Inefficiency • Backwardness: Russia has not modernized • The economy is underdeveloped • The political system is archaic, rigid and corrupt • Society is torn by tensions and conflicts • Fire in the minds of men

  4. Since 1905 – a contest between reform and revolution • The inadequacy of reforms • The Tsar is reactionary • The nobility is stuck in the old order • The capitalist class is too dependent on the state, too afraid to show initiative • Reforms don’t prevent revolution • Revolution drives reforms • Reforms: • Political (liberalization) • Economic (development of capitalism)

  5. The gap between the rulers and the ruled • Liberal reforms only stimulate radical protest: • THE ATTRACTIONS OF SOCIALISM • No consensus emerges • When the state resorts to repression, that only makes the gap even wider • Russia’s options: • A liberal-capitalist path: what it would require • An authoritarian-capitalist path: what it would require • A non-capitalist path

  6. Russian Communists • Russian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Bolsheviks) • Lenin: Russia as the weakest link in the world capitalist system • Russian capitalism is unviable • Therefore, Russia may have to move directly to socialism • Overthrow of the old ruling classes • Establishing a state run by workers and peasants • This will be followed by other revolutions

  7. Few took this analysis seriously until the fall of 1917 • 8 months between the fall of the Tsar and the October Coup • Dual Power: • The Provisional Government • The Soviets • The Provisional Government loses its grip • What about the Soviets? • The Bolsheviks make their move: • Stage a coup • Proclaim a Soviet Republic

  8. How is this Republic organized? • As a revolutionary dictatorship • What it does: • Decree on Peace • Decree on Land • Worker control of industry • How it maintains itself • The inevitability of a civil war • The challenges • Old ruling classes fight back • Opponents of dictatorship (including many leftists) resist • Foreign powers

  9. The Civil War (1918-1920): Reds vs. Whites • Why the Bolsheviks won: • Their policy goals received wide support in society • Their dictatorship was strong enough • The Red Army • The Cheka • The Party • Lenin • The mass base

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