1. The Bolsheviks and Russia
The start of Communism
Youtube: Dennis the Peasant/Downton Abbey

2. “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”

3. Society How would you reorganize society to satisfy all needs? Go!
Eliminate poverty, racism, class struggle, inequality of wealth.
Go!
How many tv’s do you own?
Wasteful!

5. History of…
…Russia = sad, depressing, fantastically awful; therefore, fascinating. Like watching the battle for middle earth, except “man” does a horrible job of winning.
Serfs – European/Russian indentured servants not likely to be freed.
4 Political Groups: Nationalists, Liberals, Peasant Socialists, Marxists

7. Marxists Kark Marx – The Communist Manifesto.
CM – History of class struggle, problems of capitalism, and the role of the masses in society.
Stages before communism:
Tribal Society: hunter/gather. Shared property for survival
Primitive communism: agreement of governing by tribes; private property concept develops
Feudalism: concentration of wealth/private property. Slavery begins. Class distinction begins.
Capitalism: lots more $; lots more property; lots
more exploitation; lots more strife and worker
unrest.
Socialist/communist state: one class, all profits
shared. No class distinction.

8. February Revolution (1917)
1903 – Russian Socialists Democratic Labor Party.
Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (or V. Lenin) is the leader.
Renames peeps “Bolsheviks” (majority). Forms worker owned councils (Soviets).
WWI goes badly for Russia ( )
4.6m wounded/killed, 2.4m prisoner.
Domestic Problems: No food, No fuel, No clothing
February, 1917 – Nicholas II gives up power. (Feb. Rev.)
November Revolution – Bolsheviks take over Russia, civil war ensues for control of Russia until 1922.
Reds (communists) vs. Whites (Czar)

9. They still love Lenin in Russia

10. Communism
Lower classes (proletariats) overthrow the upper classes (bourgeoisie)
Proletariat – Bob the builder. Workers in society. “Have-nots”.
Bourgeoisie – John Rockefeller. Upper classes or owners in society. “Haves”.
Class Struggle – friction between social/economic classes over resources.
Bolsheviks – Followers of Lenin communism
Communism
The government owns all land and property
One political party
Individuals have no civil rights
The government owns all businesses, banks, factories, farms, cars, roads, etc.

11. Reaction
War Hawks, in America, want to get into WWI. Refused to ally with the czar to fight Germany.
Red Scare – Fear of communism that reaches a fever pitch causing a roundup of all suspected communists
Attorney General Mitchell Palmer had a bomb explode on his front porch. Several bombings around the country occurred too
Newspapers call for the arrests of radicals and be given “free trips to the electric chair”