Lenin

1
Lenins Russia 1917 - 1924

• Romanovs, Marxism Bolshevik Revolution, Civil
  War Soviet Union

2
Contents

• April October 1917 A Power Struggle Begins
• The October Revolution (1917)
• The Russian Civil War 1918 1920
• Treaty of Brest - Litovsk
• The Comintern
• War Communism
• Lenins New Economic Policy (1921)
• Death of Lenin A Power Struggle Begins

• Russia in 1917
• The Tsar Romanov Dynasty
• Russia 1905 1917 The Medieval Feudal System
• The February Revolution (1917)
• The Provisional Government, February October
  1917
• Communism Marxist Ideology Class Consciousness
  
• Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov Lenin
• Origin of the Soviets

3
1905 1917Political Parties Groups

• A revolution in 1905 (Bloody Sunday) had resulted
  in the introduction of a parliament Duma -
  however, this had little power and the Tsar
  simply continued to rule undisputed if they
  disagreed with him
• It did however, produce the formation of
  embryonic political parties. These parties could
  now organise and propose social political
  changes, even if their powers were virtually
  non-existent.
• Cadets Middle class party who wanted a
  parliamentary style democracy like Britain
• Social Revolutionaries wanted a peasant
  revolution
• Communists made of Mensheviks Bolsheviks who
  wanted change by social and political uprising
• Octobrists
• Rights

4
Tsar Romonov Dynasty 1905 - 1917

• Nicholas II ruled over all the Russian peoples as
  had his family for the previous 300 years.
• Autocratic and distant from the people, he had
  little understanding of the hardships of ordinary
  Russians. The Nobles were loyal to the Tsar,
  controlling the peasantry in the countryside.
• Secret police (Okhrana) press censorship.
• In 1917, he was at the front directing the
  Russian Army in its war against the German
  Austrian Central Powers Alliance.
• Russia was allied with Britain France.

• 1905 Revolution had introduced a government
  without real power DUMA
• Tsar was supported by the Church, the Nobles
  the Army (Cossacks)

5
Russia 1905 - 1917

• TSAR NICHOLAS II

• Ruled by the Romanov dynasty of Tsar Nicholas II
• Most of the country was peasantry
• Tsar rule created a stagnated society, not much
  removed from the Feudal System of the Middle
  Ages.
• Population 125 million people
• Area 2000 miles squared
• A vast country spread across Europe Asia
  containing many nationalities, languages
  religions.
• Living working conditions were very cramped and
  basic in industrial centres such as St.
  Petersburg.

• Aristocracy
• Church Nobles
• Supported by Army

DUMA since 1905
PEASANTRY
A Feudal System?
6
The Medieval Feudal System
KING/ LORD
AUTOCRACY DIVINE RULE? (inevitable culture of
absolute power)
VASSALS Lords, Earls, Bishops Church
KNIGHTS
Freemen
Serfs
A society whereby the KING was absolute ruler,
but required the political support of the VASSALS
and the military strength of the KNIGHTS to
maintain his position authority. Freemen
Serfs had little or no influence, representation
or protection.
7
Revolution Stirs

• The situation is getting worse.   Something has
  to be done immediately.  Tomorrow is too
  late.   The last hour has struck.   The future of
  the country and the royal family is being
  decided.  
• - Rodzianko, the President of the Duma,
  telegraphs the Tsar.
• 12th March 1917

Tsar Nicholas II opening the Russian Duma in 1906
8
February Revolution 1917

• 8th March International Womens Day Civil
  unrest began when the Russian factory workers
  were placed on a bread rationing scheme.
  Protests moved onto the streets.
• Initially, the Russian Army was brought in to
  support the police in putting down this protest.
• However, when soldiers refused to shoot
  protestors, army mutiny spread quickly throughout
  the ranks.

• Tsar Nicholas II was busy directing the Russian
  Army at the front.
• He eventually returned to St. Petersburg to deal
  with the civil strife.
• On 13th March 1917,the Duma forced the Tsar to
  abdicate
• However, he was intercepted on the way and
  arrested as an enemy of the people.
• Russia was now under the control of the Duma
  Government.

9
The Provisional GovernmentFebruary October
1917

• The Duma now took control of Russia, setting up a
  Provisional Government, led by the middle-class
  Cadets of the old Duma.
• Created a 12-man Executive led by Alexander
  Kerensky of the Social Revolutionary Party. Its
  HQ was the Winter Palace
• Ruled Russia from February to October 1917.
  Conservative by nature, Kerenskys government was
  faced with many difficulties.

• Soviets were in control of the people,
  especially in Petrograd. Forbade their members
  from obeying Provisional Government unless they
  agreed.
• Food shortages were still commonplace.
• The Provisional Government tried to continue the
  war, attacking Austria, until the Germans drove
  them back.
• Return of Lenin the growing power of the
  Bolsheviks All Power to the Soviets.
• Pro-Tsar Kornilov revolt Kerensky had to ask
  the Soviets (controlled by Bolsheviks) to defend
  St. Petersburg. The Red Guards were used.

10
Communism A Marxist Ideology

• Karl Marx (1818 1883)
• Published the Communist Manifesto in 1848
• Advocated class consciousness of the
  Proletariat (factory agricultural workers) to
  rise up and seize the means of production from
  the Bourgeoisie (capitalist owners of factories
  landowners)
• Our epoch, the epoch of the bourgeoisie,
  possesses, however, this distinct feature it has
  simplified class antagonisms. Society as a whole
  is more and more splitting up into two great
  hostile camps, into two great classes directly
  facing each other Bourgeoisie and Proletariat.
• - Communist Manifesto

The workers have nothing to lose but their
chains.  Workers of the world, unite! Karl
Marx, The Communist Manifesto (1848).
11
Class Consciousness

• TSAR NICHOLAS II

BOURGEOISIE Powerful Minority possessing vast
economic power
Means of Production Source of all economic
power political power
PROLETARIAT Vast Majority poor, uneducated
industrial agricultural workers, possessing no
economic or political power
Seizing the Means of Production Seizing Power
12
Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov Lenin

• 1870 1924
• In 1896, Lenin was exiled to Siberia. Upon his
  release in 1900, he decided to leave Russia with
  his partner.
• Returned to Russia (St. Petersburg) on a sealed
  train in April 1917.
• On this journey, Lenin wrote what became known as
  the April Theses in which he advocated his main
  ideas
• Peace, Land, Bread
• All Power to the Soviets
• End to the Imperialistic War

13
Origin of the Soviets

• The Soviet was the axis of all events,
• every thread ran towards it,
• every call to action emanated from it.
• Leon Trotsky, 1905
• Originated in 1905 in the aftermath of the
  Bloody Sunday repression of striking workers
  (town of Ivanovo-Voznesensk first organised all
  its workers into Soviets simultaneously)
• Translates as council
• Made up of factory workers, agricultural workers
  soldiers
• Over 900 in existence by 1917
• In urban areas, made up of factory workers
  soldiers
• In rural areas, made up of agricultural workers
  soldiers
• Represented, pre-1917, the only way for people to
  protect and maintain their interests in a society
  without proper representation without workers
  rights.

14
April October 1917 A Power Struggle Begins

• Provisonal Government
• Kerensky

• Bolsheviks
• Lenin

• The Provisional Government was moderate
  conservative, made up of the Cadets
  middle-class people who wanted a parliamentary
  democracy like Britain
• Economic interests create a strong middle class
  to promote economic growth personal wealth.
• This would be dependant on creating a large
  working class, with little control over economic
  resources.
• Pursue an aggressive foreign policy, maintaining
  allegiances with other countries like Britain
  France i.e. World War I.

• Soviets represented poor factory agricultural
  workers
• Lenin the Bolsheviks were militant
  revolutionaries they had no interest in
  creating a western-style, unequal society with
  upper, middle and lower classes.
• Peace, Land, Bread Lenin the Bolsheviks had
  no interest in pursuing aggressive foreign
  policies, using the ordinary rural urban
  workers as cannon fodder to achieve conquests
  against other countries who used THEIR rural
  urban workers as cannon fodder.

Inevitably, the mass of factory, agricultural
workers soldiers knew that Lenin the
Bolsheviks protected their interests and promoted
social equality
15
Reasons for October Revolution 1917

• By October, Kerenskys Provisional Government was
  in complete disarray. Aims were complicated,
  communication with the people was confused.
• Lenin led a powerful Bolshevik organisation,
  responsible for defending St. Petersburg from
  Kornilovs attack
• Lenin was also backed by German money. (Germans
  hoped that funding revolutionary change in Russia
  would relieve them from continuing war on Eastern
  Front).

• The Red Guards (armed trained factory workers,
  first organised in 1905 Revolution
  re-constituted in 1917) led by Leon Trotsky were
  efficient and determined. Had already succeeded
  in defending St. Petersburg from Kornilovs
  attack.
• Pravda (The Truth). The Bolsheviks publicised
  their own ideas through their official newspaper,
  helping to spread confidence and information
  about their party and their aims.

16
Lenins Appeal to the People

• Lenin
• Central Committee
• of Bolsheviks
• Soviets
• Factory Workers
• (membership grew to 2 million in 3 months)

Lenin Bolsheviks supported by the Red
Guards (Leon Trotsky)
PRAVDA