Aim:: To what extent can an ideology break open the floodgates of revolution?

Modern Russia 2006 NY Times Article: Russians prefer a strong leader to democracy "Two-thirds of Russians see a strong leader, and not democratic government, as best for their country, and an overwhelming majority see a strong economy as more important than a good democracy, according to the results of a survey that were released Thursday by the Pew Research Center...

The figures, based on the results of a survey conducted in May, show a sharp decline in enthusiasm for democracy among Russians compared with 1991, when the Soviet Union broke apart. At that time 51 percent of respondents felt Russia should rely on a democratic form of government to solve Russia's problems, while 39 percent preferred to rely on a leader with a strong hand."

RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

Vladimir Lenin Son of middle class government official Went to college, learned from the “Intelligentsia” Marxism/Communism Believed in need for professional revolutionaries, b/c of Russia’s peasantry Exiled but returned to Russia, with German support during WWI Bolshevik Party-Far Left Socialist party of Russia

Causes of the Revolution WWI going badly for Russia-lost huge amounts of territory and men, ineffective leadership Czar went to the front, took direct command of armies and failed miserably Continued anger with poor working conditions, food shortages Rasputin and the royal family

WHY IS IT A BAD IDEA TO LEAVE THE CAPITAL???

Czar Nicholas II and family

Rasputin

February Revolution Nicholas II Abdication-retired with family to summer home, not killed (yet) Provincial Government (basically the Duma)-led by Alexander Kerensky, Menshevik party (more moderate socialists), continued the war

April 1917 Lenin’s Theses

Communist Manifesto 1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes. 2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax. 3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance. 4. Centralization of credit in the banks of the state, by means of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly. 5. Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the state. 6. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state... 7. Equal obligation of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture. 8. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of all the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the populace over the country. 9. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children’s factory labor in its present form...

October/November Revolution of 1917-"All power to the Soviets!" Soviet-a type of workers group representatives that originally created to help the war effort Lenin overthrows Provincial Government, not afraid to use force (120,000 Russian soldiers in St. Petersburg) Seized telegraphs, RR’s, city under Bolshevik control Petrograd Soviet becomes the government under Lenin’s leadership

Three Promises Peace! Treaty of Brest-Litovsk 1918 w/Germany, gave up major territory ex: Poland, Ukraine Russia lost 26% of pop 28% of industrial capacity 75% of coal and iron mines Bread!-bring soldiers home to farm, not fight Land!-land reform for peasants, huge free-for-all

Ideal Marxist/Communist Revolution 1) Country industrializes from an agrarian society to an industrial one 2) Industrialization causes horrible working conditions for workers and increasingly unequal distribution of wealth 3) Proletariat (industrial workers) revolt and take over country from bourgeoisie (wealthy middle and upper class) 4) Set up dictatorship of the proletariat that redistributes wealth of society "From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs". 5) The dictatorship is slowly dismantled, and society is left completely equal.