1. Russian Revolution and Lenin
“The government is tottering. We must deal it the death blow at any cost. To delay action is the same as death”
Lenin
Do Now: What is Lenin saying about revolutions?

2. March Revolution
By March 1917 there was a food and fuel shortage in Russia
Workers were going on strike and protesters went to the streets demanding bread
When Russian soldiers were ordered to fire into the unarmed crowd of protesters they refused.
With a poor economy and no control over his soldiers Czar Nicholas II abdicated or gave up his power
Why would a food and fuel shortage upset the people?
Is it wrong that the Russian soldiers disobeyed their orders?

4. Socialism
Socialism is an economic system where people as a whole rather than an individual own and operate business
Under socialism the people would control the “means of production” or the farms, factories, railways and other large businesses that produced and distributed goods
The goal of socialism was to build a society that operated for the good of all people.

5. Socialism Society
“There will be no war, no crime, no administration of justice, as it is called, no government. Besides there will be neither disease, anguish, melancholy, nor resentment. Every man will seek….the good of all.”
What are some of the positive ideas that the quote says socialism will bring?
Based on this quote what are some of the problems that may arise from socialism?

6. V.I. Lenin
Vladimir IIyich Ulyanov (Lenin) read the works of Karl Marx as a young man
Marx predicted that the working class, proletariat would overthrow capitalism.
Lenin called for an elite group to lead the revolution, it was a small percentage of the Russian population
Lenin called this elite group the Bolsheviks or “the majority”
Lenin believed only revolution could bring about the needed changes
1. Why do you think Lenin came up with the name Bolsheviks to call his elite group?

8. November Revolution
Lenin teamed up with another Marxist idealist, Leon Trotsky and promised Russian people, “Peace, Land and Bread”.
In November Lenin’s forces, Red Guards, overthrew the government
The Bolsheviks gained support of the peasants because they promised to give them land of their own
Lenin set up a new form of government in Russia called communism
Communism is a classless society in which wealth and property would be owned by the people
1. Why did Lenin and Trotsky promise Russian people, ”peace, land and bread”?