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BACKGROUND TO THE SOVIET REVOLUTION, image, image, image, image, image,…
BACKGROUND TO THE SOVIET REVOLUTION
Tsarist Russia
Russian Empire had around 150 million inhabitants, great diversity of nationalities, peoples and cultures
Economy based on agriculture
General standard of living was low and poverty was widespread
Russia was an autocratic monarchy, tsar exercised his power as an absolute ruler
Sovereign was backed by feudal aristocracy, Orthodox Church and a corrupt bureaucracy
In the end of 19th century, Marxist-inspired Russian Social-Democratic Workers' Party was founded
2 groups
Bolshevicks defended seizure of poweer
Menshevicks were moderate and favoured with reformist liberalism (Julius Martov)
From the revolution of 1905 to the great war
Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)
Russia was defeated and the weakness of the tsarist regime was revealed
This defeat was added to a economic, political and social crisis
Forces opposing tsarism tried to take power through a revolution
Bloody Sunday
Unleashed a wave of popular outrage and marked the final rupture between the people and the tsar
First Soviet was formed in St. Petersburg, consisted of workers, peasants and soldiers
Reforms
Creation of Duma or National Legislative Assembly
Start of an agrarian reform with distribution of lands
Establishment of limited individual and citizens liberties
Trans-Siberian Railroad managed to connect the European part with the most remote regions of Russian Empire
