Russian Revolution

Socialism: You have two cows. You give one to your neighbor. Socialism Communism: You have two cows. You give them to the Government and the Government then gives you some milk. Communism Capitalism: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull. Capitalism Naziism: You have two cows. The Government shoots you and takes the cows. Naziism FEUDALISM You have two cows. Your lord takes some of the milk. Industrialism: The bourgeoisie has two cows. It hires you to milk them, then sells you the milk

What is socialism? – What is communism? What is needed to make this work? “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.”

What was Russia like before WWI? What happened to Russia in WWI?

March 1917 February/March Revolution – Russia could not handle WWI Tsar goes to front (leaves wife in charge) Alexandra relied on Gregory Rasputin – Destroyed confidence in gov’t

February/March Revolution – Due to losses, strikes tsar abdicated Dumas set up provisional government – Led by Alexander Kerensky – Stayed in war Radicals plotted own government – Set up soviets (councils of workers and soldiers)

Vladimir Lenin Leader of Bolsheviks (means “majority”) Rewrite Marx – Thought elite should lead revolution – “Peace, Land, and Bread.”

November 1917 November Revolution – Bolsheviks (and armed factory workers) overthrew provisional government Petrograd first, then other cities Civil War

Bolsheviks – Ended WWI Treaty of Brest-Litovsk – Gave significant territory to Germany

Civil War Reds vs. Whites – Terror – Reds win (Bolsheviks) 1922 USSR formed – Union of Soviet Socialist Republics – (or CCCP: Сою́з Сове́тских Социалисти́ческих Респу́блик)

Lenin’s New Economic Policy War communism brought economy to standstill NEP – State controlled banks, foreign trade, large industry – Small businesses allowed – Peasants held on to small plots and could sell surplus – Production climbed

Is the NEP communism? – Lenin’s successor (Joseph Stalin) will return USSR to pure communism

Comintern – An international community by which third world leaders would learn from the USSR about communism – Socialist movements in Eastern Europe, China, and Latin America