A Presentation on By N.S Krupa

Contents Introduction Cause Lenin Joseph Stalin Nikita.s Khrushev Leonid Brezhnev Mikhail S. Gorbachev The break-up of soviet Union

Introduction Russian Revolution, series of events in imperial Russia that culminated in 1917 with the establishment of the Soviet state that became known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The two successful revolutions of 1917 are referred to collectively as the Russian Revolution. The first revolution, which began with the revolt of March 8 to 12, 1917 overthrew the autocratic imperial monarchy; The second, which opened with the armed insurrection of November 6 and 7 organized by the Bolshevik party against the provisional government, effected a change in all economic, political, and social relationships in Russian society; BACK

Cause In the 19 th century Russia was feudal charecterised by two distinct features the economic backwardness of the people and the unlimited powers of its rulers who were called Czars.The Czarist regime was repressive and cruel. People had rights.There were wide spread revolts in every part of Russia which were suppressed by Czar Nicholas II.Czar Nicholas II.

Lenin Under such circumstances emerged a band of young communist revolutionaries headed by Lenin.They were influenced by the ideology of Karl Marx.Lenin.Karl Marx. Yet Russian experiment had its own defects.People still continued to be under Dictatorship

Joseph Stalin Joseph Stalin took control of the communist party after the death of Lenin in He set up a post revolutionary dictatorship to build up the power of the country. Stalin exerted control through the communist party and the secret police. Through his five year plans of 1920’s and 1930’s stalin expanded Soviet industry.He placed the entire economy under strict central planning and control. He ended private farming and forced peasants to work in collective farms. Stalin died in 1953.

Nikita S. Khrushchev Nikita S. Khrushchev became the head of the communist party. He openly denounced Stalin’s tyranny. Importance was given to produce more clothing,food and other consumer goods. His preference was for the areas neglected under Stalin.A conspiracy of ranking communists removed Khrushchev from power in 1964

Leonid Brezhnev Leonid Brezhnev headed the communist party from 1964 to Brezhev reestablished many Stalin’s rigid cultural and economic policies. The party again suppressed all public criticism. Brezhnev pursed the policy of ‘DÉTENTE’. The purpose was to obtain technology and extra grain from the west.

Mikhail S. Gorbachev GorbachevGorbachev became the new leader in 1985.He tried to strengthen the party and get the country moving through discipline and incentives.This policy was called “PERESTROKIA”.He introduced a policy of Glasnot which means openness.This policy freed the press and the public to criticize the bureaucrats.He democratized the party and also the government through genuine elections.The economic condition of USSR began to deteriorate.There was fall in Industrial and agricultural production in 1990.To improve the economy Gorbachev introduced some capitalist features which was opposed by the conservative communist.An attempt to overthrow Gorbachev through a coup ended in a failure.Gorbachev resigned as communist party general secretary in August 1991

The Break-up of Soviet Union The Break-up of Soviet Union Gorbachev’s democratization policy eventually led to the breaking up of the soviet union.All the former Union Republics of the USSR including the Baltic states of Estonia,Latvia and Lithuania declared their independence.A new association –”the commonwealth of Independent states “(CIS) made up of 11 to 15 former Soviet Republics formed. The USSR officially ceased to exist from December 25,1991.

Now Russia has emerged as a powerful nation. It is the permanent member of UNO