1. Russian Revolution

2. Causes Landless peasantry Absolute monarchy
Military inadequately supplied – losing World War I
Defeat in a war with Japan

3. Russian Revolution – March Revolution
Czar abdicated
Duma (representative assembly)  Russian Republic (liberal constitution)
Provisional government continued war against Germany (bad decision)

4. Russian Revolution – November Revolution
Lenin and the Bolsheviks (communists)
Lenin organized the communist takeover of Russia
Communism – government owns and operates the means of production
Executed both the Czar and his family
Lenin signed Treaty of Brest-Litovsk – got Russia out of World War I

5. Lenin’s Promise
Bread
Land
Peace

6. Lenin Builds a Communist State
New Economic Policy (NEP) – state controlled banks, foreign trade, and large industries while small businesses are owned and operated by individuals (socialism) – worked  improved Russian economy
Seen as temporary retreat from communism

7. Five Year Plan
Goal – make Soviet Union a modern industrial power by building heavy industry, improving transportation, and increasing farm output
How – Command Economy  government controls all economic activity (communism)

8. Five Year Plan - Results
Oil, coal, and steel production grew
Mining expanded and new railroads were built
Standard of living remained poor
Wages were low

9. Revolution in Agriculture - Collectivism
Goal – end peasant ownership of small plots of land
How – peasants could keep only homes and personal belongings and had to give up land (two choices – live on state owned farms or collectives – farms owned and operated by peasants as a group)
Results – did not improve farm output (grain production grew slightly while meat, vegetables, and fruits remained in short supply)

10. Great Purge
Goal – seek out and destroy anyone who might weaken Stalin’s power (writers, intellectuals, heroes, etc…)
How – Secret Police (rounded up people), Show Trials (people confessed to all kinds of crimes against the government due to torture)
Results – people sent to labor camps in Siberia or executed  increased Stalin’s power

11. Propaganda Radios, movies, theaters, etc… Emphasized communist success
Capitalism is evil

12. Censorship
Government controlled what books were published, what music was heard, etc…

13. Communist Ideology Sacred texts – Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx
Shrine – tomb of Lenin
Portraits of Stalin replaced religious icons

14. War on Religion Atheism – belief in no god
Destroy religious organization in the Soviet Union

15. Secret Police Rounded up the accused
Sought out people who might threaten Stalin’s power