REVOLUTION AND CLASS The Russian Revolution

What is a Revolution? With the person sitting next to you, discuss:  What is a revolution?  Think of one example of a revolution.

What is a Revolution? A revolution is when the citizens of a country overthrow that country’s government.  Can you think of any examples of revolutions now? But, why do people participate in revolutions?

When Would You Rise Up? For each of the below scenarios, think, Would I rise up against the government?  The government is involved in an unpopular war.  Millions of people have died fighting that war.  There is widespread unemployment.  Many people you know are going hungry because there is no food.  The government doesn’t listen to people like you.  The rich keep getting richer, and the poor get poorer.  Nobody has the right to vote.

What is Class? With the person sitting next to you, discuss:  What is economic class?  How do you know what economic class a person is in?

Class: a really long definition A person’s class is based on a lot of factors, including:  The amount of money they earn;  The level of education they have;  The type of work they do. Your class is part of your identity, just like race, sex, or religion.

Classes Today We usually say that the United States has an upper, middle, and lower class. Upper class = the rich. Middle class  College-educated  Professional jobs (doctor, lawyer, engineer, etc.) Working class  In the US, considered part of the middle class  Not college-educated  Skilled or semi-skilled labor (electrician, plumber, restaurant work, etc.) Lower class/poor (not a judgment on anyone’s character)  Even less education  Unskilled labor (fast food, farmworker, etc.)  Often unemployed or nonworking

A Preview of Tomorrow… This is Karl Marx ( ) He was born in Germany but lived in England for much of his life. He is a philosopher who thought a lot about class. His ideas influenced a lot of revolutions, including the Russian Revolution.

What does the Marx say? “Up until now, the philosophers have only interpreted the world. The point, however, is to change it.” In the Communist Manifesto, Marx talks about his view of history, and hopes for the future.

Marx & Class Marx thought there were two main classes:  The bourgeoisie was the class of the owners.  They own the factories.  They make money from the factories.  They make a lot of money.  The proletariat was the class of the workers.  They work in the factories.  Their working conditions are terrible.  They do not earn much money.  Should they work together to make their lives better?

Marx and the Russian Revolution Marx wrote that the proletariat would rise up and over throw the bourgeoisie. After the revolution, the proletariat would run the country together – this is called socialism. The Russian Revolution was based on his beliefs – it was a revolution of the workers and peasants.

One Paragraph on Marx Please answer one of the following questions in a complete paragraph: What causes revolutions, according to Marx? What is the main idea of the Communist Manifesto? Do you agree with Marx? Why or why not?

“We Have Fed You All” – extra credit Read “We Have Fed You All” (the poem on the back of your Communist Manifesto.) Answer:  in a complete paragraph,  giving examples from the text Does “We Have Fed You All” agree or disagree with the Communist Manifesto? Why?