⚒️Soviet Union – 1817 to 1991 Unit 1 – Russian Revolution and Soviet Rise

Key Events and Timeline

• February Revolution (1917) forced Tsar Nicholas II to abdicate the throne ended Romanov dynasty's 300-year rule
• Provisional Government established (March 1917) but faced challenges from Petrograd Soviet and economic crisis
• October Revolution (November 1917) led by Bolsheviks overthrew Provisional Government established Soviet state
• Russian Civil War (1917-1922) between Bolshevik Red Army and anti-Bolshevik White Army resulted in Bolshevik victory
  • Included foreign intervention by Allied powers (Britain, France, USA, Japan)
• War Communism (1918-1921) implemented to nationalize industry, centralize economic control, and requisition agricultural surplus
• New Economic Policy (NEP) (1921-1928) introduced limited market economy to stimulate economic recovery
• Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) officially established (December 1922) as a federation of socialist republics
• Joseph Stalin rose to power (mid-1920s) and implemented policies of rapid industrialization and collectivization

Major Figures

• Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924) led Bolshevik Party during October Revolution and served as first Soviet leader
  • Developed Marxist theory of imperialism and advocated for socialist revolution
• Leon Trotsky (1879-1940) organized Red Army during Russian Civil War and rivaled Stalin for power
• Joseph Stalin (1878-1953) succeeded Lenin as Soviet leader consolidated power through purges and terror
  • Implemented policies of rapid industrialization, collectivization, and central planning
• Tsar Nicholas II (1868-1918) last emperor of Russia whose rule was overthrown in February Revolution
• Alexander Kerensky (1881-1970) headed Provisional Government between February and October Revolutions
• Grigory Zinoviev (1883-1936) and Lev Kamenev (1883-1936) were prominent Bolshevik leaders who allied with Stalin against Trotsky but were later purged
• Nikolai Bukharin (1888-1938) supported NEP and opposed Stalin's policies of rapid industrialization and collectivization

Causes and Catalysts

• Long-term discontent with Tsarist autocracy and desire for political reform among educated classes
• Economic hardships and food shortages caused by World War I exacerbated social tensions
• Military defeats and high casualties in World War I undermined support for Tsarist regime
• Rasputin's influence over Tsarina Alexandra and Tsar's absence at the front fueled rumors of corruption and incompetence
• Provisional Government's decision to continue Russian involvement in World War I despite popular opposition
• Bolsheviks' promise of "peace, land, and bread" appealed to war-weary soldiers, peasants, and workers
• Weakness and indecisiveness of Provisional Government created power vacuum exploited by Bolsheviks
• Kornilov Affair (August 1917) undermined Provisional Government's authority and boosted Bolsheviks' popularity

Ideological Foundations

• Marxism provided theoretical basis for Bolsheviks' revolutionary agenda
  • Emphasized class struggle, proletarian revolution, and establishment of socialist society
• Leninism adapted Marxism to Russian context advocated for vanguard party to lead revolution
  • Justified use of violence and dictatorship to achieve revolutionary goals
• Trotsky's theory of permanent revolution argued that socialist revolution in Russia could spark global revolution
• Stalin's theory of "Socialism in One Country" prioritized building socialism within Soviet Union over exporting revolution abroad
• Bolsheviks' slogan "All Power to the Soviets" reflected their commitment to direct democracy through workers' councils (soviets)
• War Communism and NEP represented different approaches to building socialist economy
  • War Communism emphasized centralized control and coercion while NEP allowed limited market activity
• Marxist-Leninist ideology became official state ideology of Soviet Union used to justify one-party rule and repression of dissent

Social and Economic Changes

• Abolition of private property and nationalization of industry transformed economic system
• Collectivization of agriculture (1928-1940) consolidated individual farms into collective farms (kolkhozes) and state farms (sovkhozes)
  • Aimed to modernize agriculture, increase production, and finance industrialization
  • Led to resistance from peasants, food shortages, and famine (especially in Ukraine)
• Rapid industrialization (1928-1940) focused on heavy industry, infrastructure, and defense
  • Implemented through series of Five-Year Plans set ambitious production targets
  • Achieved significant growth but at high human cost (long work hours, harsh conditions, forced labor)
• Social hierarchy based on class (proletariat, peasantry, intelligentsia) replaced Tsarist hierarchy based on birth and rank
• Women's roles expanded as they entered workforce and gained legal equality but faced double burden of work and domestic responsibilities
• Education and literacy campaigns aimed to create "New Soviet Man" loyal to socialist values
• Atheism promoted as official ideology while religion was suppressed and persecuted

Political Transformation

• Tsarist monarchy replaced by one-party dictatorship of Bolshevik (later Communist) Party
• Soviets (workers' councils) initially served as organs of direct democracy but became subordinate to Party control
• Centralization of power in hands of Party leadership (Politburo) and state bureaucracy
• Purges and terror used to eliminate political opponents, consolidate Stalin's power, and enforce conformity
  • Great Purge (1936-1938) targeted Party members, military officers, intellectuals, and national minorities
• Secret police (Cheka, OGPU, NKVD) played key role in surveillance, arrests, and executions
• Cult of personality developed around Lenin (after his death) and Stalin portrayed them as infallible leaders
• Constitution of 1936 proclaimed victory of socialism and guaranteed civil rights but had little effect in practice
• Nationalities policy aimed to promote unity and Soviet identity while suppressing nationalism and ethnic identities

International Impact

• Bolshevik Revolution inspired revolutionary movements and communist parties around the world
  • Comintern (Communist International) established (1919) to coordinate global communist movement
• Western powers (Britain, France, USA) initially intervened in Russian Civil War to support White Army against Bolsheviks
• Soviet Union faced diplomatic isolation and hostility from Western powers who feared spread of communism
• Rapallo Treaty (1922) established diplomatic and economic ties between Soviet Union and Germany
• Soviet Union joined League of Nations (1934) and pursued collective security against fascist aggression
• Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact (1939) allowed Soviet Union to annex territories in Eastern Europe but ended with German invasion (1941)
• Soviet victory in World War II (1941-1945) expanded Soviet influence in Eastern Europe and established communist regimes
• Cold War (1947-1991) emerged as ideological and geopolitical struggle between Soviet Union and United States

Legacy and Consequences

• Soviet Union became global superpower rivaling United States in military, economic, and political influence
• Communism spread to Eastern Europe, China, Cuba, and other parts of the developing world
• Centrally planned economy and one-party rule became models for other socialist states
• Suppression of dissent, political repression, and human rights abuses tarnished image of socialism and communism
• Environmental degradation and public health problems resulted from rapid industrialization and collectivization
• Ethnic tensions and nationalist movements contributed to eventual breakup of Soviet Union (1991)
• Legacy of Soviet Union remains controversial with ongoing debates about its achievements, failures, and crimes
• Post-Soviet states faced challenges of economic transition, political instability, and social upheaval after collapse of Soviet Union