Title: From Tsarism to Bolshevism
1From Tsarism to Bolshevism
19th Century Russia
Russian territory stretched 4,000 miles west to
east (1 week by Trans-Siberian Railway), 2,000
miles north to south. Population 130
million. Less than half ethnically
Russian. Over 16 major nationalities by mother
tongue.
2From Tsarism to Bolshevism
19th Century Russia
1.5 nobility 4 government officials 1
clergy 5 army 0.5 merchants (bourgeoisie) 4
urban workers 84 peasantry
3From Tsarism to Bolshevism
Nicholas II a Tsar fit to rule?
Alexander II 1855-1881 Emancipator of the serfs
Alexander III 1881-1894 Pro-Russian reactionary
Nicholas II 1894 - 1918 not fit to run a village
post office
4From Tsarism to Bolshevism
Opposition to Tsarism
Social Revolutionaries
Social Democrats
Liberals
Vladimir Illich Ulyanov, Lenin, Bolshevik
Victor Chernov
Alexander Kerensky
Julius Martov, Menshevik
Alexander Guchkov, Octobrist
Paul Milyukov, Kadet
5From Tsarism to Bolshevism
Father George Gapon
Leon Trotsky
1905 Revolution
Causes Economic distress Russo-Japanese
War Bloody Sunday
Consequences First Soviets in St
Petersburg October Manifesto Duma
Events Assassination of Grand Duke
Sergei Battleship Potemkin mutiny Demands for
national independence Peasant riots Workers
general strike
6From Tsarism to Bolshevism
Reform Too little, too late?
Sergei Witte Concessions to Liberals Industrialisa
tion Modernisation
7From Tsarism to Bolshevism
Reform Too little, too late?
Peter Stolypin Agrarian reform Repreession
8From Tsarism to Bolshevism
Impact of the First World War
Military defeats at Tanneburg and the Masurian
Lakes Conscription Food and fuel shortages Rising
prices Unemployment Criticisms of Tsar
9From Tsarism to Bolshevism
1917 February
Led by Lenin and the Bolsheviks? Leaderless,
spontaneous, anonymous?
10From Tsarism to Bolshevism
1917 Provisional Government
Lavr Kornilov, anti-Bolshevik
Alexei Brusilov, June Offensive
Alexander Kerensky, behaved like Tsar
Prince George Lvov Cousin of Tsar
11From Tsarism to Bolshevism
1917 October
Who was responsible?
Lenin Vision
Trotsky Planning
Kerensky Mistakes
12From Tsarism to Bolshevism
Popular Uprising? Coup d'etat?
13From Tsarism to Bolshevism
Consolidating Power
Civil War and War Communism Tambov
Uprising Kronstadt Rising New Economic Policy