February Revolution Mar. 8-12, 1917

The Unknown Quantities: The Rise of Communism in the Soviet Union

• Riot in Petrograd

– To demand w/draw from WWI – Soldiers mutiny & join rioters.

• Duma

– The Russian legislature

Chapter 4, Part 1 – Formed a provisional gov’t • New elections • New constitution

• Nicholas II

– Russian tsar (czar) – Forced to abdicate • Ended the 300-year Romanov Dynasty

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

• Founder of modern communism

• Exiled to Siberia for three years •

Karl Marx

in 1897 for revolutionary activity Lived in Switzerland at time of Feb. Revolution

• Transported back to Russia by Germans – In “sealed” train – To promote revolution • In hopes of getting Russia out of WWI

• Influenced by Marxist philosophy

Dictatorship

– “Father of Communism” – Along w/ Friedrich Engels – The idea that the state makes all economic decisions and wealth is distributed equally

• Wrote The Communist Manifesto (1848) and Das Kapital (1867)

– Expresses his views on the evils of capitalism and the benefits of socialism

of the Proletariat

Historical Dialectic

“Withering away”

• Reduced history to constant

Historical Dialectic of the state

Communism

battle btw. the “haves” and the “have nots”

– Bourgeoisie • Rich, capitalist “haves” in society – Proletariat • Poor “have nots” in society

• Believed the final step would Labor Theory of Value

Spread of Communism

be the elimination of the bourgeoisie by the proletariat – Thru revolution – Leading to communism

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Dictatorship of the Proletariat

Labor Theory of Value

• Workers will teach people how to use

• Bases the value solely on the

the new communist system.

– Explains the connection btw. communism and totalitarianism

“... [T]he producers will put the whole state machinery where it will then belong—into the museum of antiquities, next to the spinning wheel and the bronze ax.” —Friedrich Engels

labor and materials it took to produce an item

• After everyone is re-educated, “the

state withers away” b/c there would no longer be a need for it.

• Eliminates quest for profit

– Has not happened in any society – Rather an unrealistic goal

– Which communism sought to end

Spread of Communism • Marx predicted that once the capitalistic system began, it would spread world-wide.

Bolshevik Revolution

Appeal of the Bolsheviks

• A.k.a., October Revolution • Bolsheviks

End of Involvement in World War I:

Nov. 7, 1917

• Most Russians wanted their country to

– Russian communists – Led by Lenin – Organized overthrow of the provisional gov’t • It had not w/drawn the Russians from WWI.

be out of World War I. This was due to the deteriorating living conditions and devastating losses on the battlefields.

• The Bolsheviks promised to end the war.

• A bloodless revolution – Began w/ a shot fired from the Russian cruiser Aurora

• Lenin elected as the leader.

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Appeal of the Bolsheviks Redistribution of Land:

• The peasants wanted a fairer system of land redistribution.

• Communism advocated the equal

distribution of wealth among the people in the society.

Appeal of the Bolsheviks End to Food Shortages:

• The severe shortages of food supplies

in the cities and rising prices caused great hardship to the Russian people.

• The Bolsheviks promised them more food.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Russian Civil War

• Separate peace treaty btw.

• Whites

Mar. 1918

Central Powers and Russia – Made good on Bolsheviks’ promise to end the war – Ceded all territory occupied by the Central Powers

• Freed German troops for

the W. Front for a last allout offensive – Hoping to end the war before the U.S. arrived

Nov. 1917- Oct. 1920

– Anti-Bolsheviks – Suffered from lack of unity – Allied w/ the West • Initially wanted Russia back in WWI • Feared the spread of communism

• Reds – Bolsheviks – Won the support of the peasants

• Ended w/ a Bolshevik victory

– Bolsheviks distrusted the West. – The West distrusted the Bolsheviks.

Spread of Communism • Communist International (Comintern) – Est. by Lenin in 1919 – Encouraged communist parties in other countries to spread the revolution – Created a great deal of distrust

• Union of Soviet Socialist Republics – A.k.a., U.S.S.R. – United Russia w/ its neighbors • Ultimately consisted of 15 republics

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Lenin’s Decline and Death • Exhaustion and stress

started to take a toil on Lenin’s health by 1922. • Lenin suffered three strokes w/in a year.

May 1922

• Left him unable to speak and hampered motion on right side • Resumed limited duties in Aug.

Dec. 1922

• Partly paralyzed his right side • Formed him to w/draw from active politics

Mar. 1923

• Left him mute and bedridden • Ended his career

• Lenin’s death on Jan. 21, 1924 created a power struggle.

Leon Trotsky • Led the Red Army in the Civil War • Appeared to be front-runner to replace Lenin

• Lost out to Joseph Stalin – Exiled to Mexico City in 1929 – Assassinated on the orders of Stalin • In 1940 w/ an ice pick

“The Great Purge”

Joseph Stalin

1934-1940

• Originally Josef Vissarionovich Djugashivili

– Took the name Stalin in 1913 • Means “man of steel”

• Held position of secretary-

general of Communist Party – Used position to seize control of Russia

• Purge = removal • Attempt by Stalin to remove everyone not loyal to him

• Resulted in the death or exile of millions – Including many high-ranking officers in army • Since Trotsky had been the head of the Red Army • Explains why Germans did so well during invasion!

• Resulted in the promotion of new officials – Owing their complete loyalty to Stalin

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