Russia before Stalin

Russia's geography
1. Most of Russia's population was Russian
  1. Minorities included; Ukrainians, Georgians, Finns and Poles
2. Most Russians were members of the Russian Orthodox Church
3. A large Muslim pop. lived in the East
4. Several million Jews lived in the West
Collapse of Tsarism
1. Before the February 1917 Revolution, Russia was ruled by a Tsar
  1. The Royal family were the Romanovs
  2. The Tsarist system was an autocracy, the Tsar ruled by decree
2. The strains of war were too much for Russia's backward economy
  1. They were unable to produce weapons and supplies necessary to fight effectively.
3. In 1917, due to the imminent economic collapse, the people of Moscow Revoulted
  1. Tsar Nicholas II, ordered his army to crush the uprising
    1. However his army joined the crowds, calling for an overthrow of the Tsar
      1. The Tsar was forced to abdicate
Rise of Bolshevism
1. In April 1917, Lenin, the leader of the Bolsheviks, returned to Russia
  1. Lenin argued a new kind of gov. was necessary
2. The Soviets were highly democratic and represented the workers.
  1. Lenin demanded the Soviets seize power
    1. Initially his vision gained little support
      1. However as economic conditions worsened, his vision became increasingly attractive
Marxist-Leninist theory
1. Stages in Marxist theory of history
  1. Primitive communism
  2. Feudalism
  3. Capitalism
  4. Socialism
  5. Commusim
2. Marxist-Leninism
  1. Marx's writings predominantly concerned Germany
    1. Consequently, it was necessary to adapt his message to Russia
      1. Lenin believed it was his mission
Bolsheviks in power 1917-1924
1. Early measures 1917-1918
  1. Unpopular measures
    1. Lenin established the Cheka
    2. Press censorship introduced
  2. Popular measures
    1. Lenin's gov. issued decrees ending Russia's involvement in the war
    2. Granted independence to Russia's national minorities
2. Civil War 1918-1921
  1. White Army
    1. Fought to re-establish the Russian Monarchy
  2. Green Army
    1. Peasants fighting for demo. socialism
  3. Red Army
    1. Communist Party, headed by Trotsky
3. War Communism
  1. Created by Communists during the Civil War
  2. It geared the economy towards military production whilst striving to create social equality
  3. Work or military service became compulsory and food was rationed
4. NEP
  1. Legalised private trade, replaced grain requisitioning with tax-in-kind
  2. It reintroduced money
Structure of party & government
1. Soviet State
  1. Each town or region was administered by a local soviet, elected by the people
  2. Each soviet elected representatives to the All-Russia Congress of Soviets
    1. However, it met infrequently and delegated its authority to an executive committee, the 'Council of the People's Commissars'
2. Communist Party
  1. It was organised into local cells
    1. Each cell elected its members to the Party Congress
      1. The Party Congress elected the Central Committee
  2. In 1919, the 'Politburo' was founded
3. Relationship between party & state
  1. As Communist power over the state increased, the Communist Party took over more of its functions
  2. From mid 1918, the party became more important than the state

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Russia before Stalin

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