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04 BACKGROUND TO THE SOVIET REVOLUTION - Coggle Diagram
04 BACKGROUND TO THE SOVIET REVOLUTION
1 TSARIST RUSSIA (RUSSIAN EMPIRE)
150 million inhabitants
population
unevenly distributed
consisted of a great diversity of nationalities, peoples and cultures
economy
based on agriculture
slowly beginning to develop industrially
standard of living
low
poverty was widespread
autocratic monarchy
the tsar=absolute ruler(established by divine right)
backed by
a feudal aristocracy
the Orthodox Church
corrupt bureaucracy
political opposition to tsarism grew
tied to the cultural elite (based on the liberal European tradition)
Russian Social-Democratic Workers’ Party (RSDWP)
founded at the end of the 19th century
Marxist inspired
working class
should carry out a revolution to eliminate
injustice
inequality
In 1903, it split into 2 groups
Bolsheviks
defended the seizure of power by the working class
Their leader was Vladimir Lenin
Mensheviks
more moderate
favoured an alliance with reformist liberalism
leader: Julius Martov
GRIGORI RASPUTIN (1869–1916)
symbol of declining Russian autocracy
a mystic called to the palace to cure the tsar’s eldest son, Alexei
Alexei recovered
Rasputin came to have a big religious influence on the tsarina
was accused of
manipulating the appointment of government positions
being a German spy
influencing the tsarina in favour of the Germans
she was of German ancestry
He was assassinated in 1916.
2 FROM THE REVOLUTION OF 1905 TO THE GREAT WAR
In the Far East
Russian and Japanese imperialism competed for control of Korea and Manchuria
Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905)
Russia was defeated
showed the weakness of the tsarist regime
serious
economic, political and social crisis
many strikes
forces opposing tsarism tried to take power
REVOLUTION
Main cause
ruthless repression of a peaceful demonstration
where the people begged the tsar for improved living conditions
in front of the Winter Palace in St Petersburg
more than a thousand victims
Bloody Sunday
unleashed a wave of popular outrage
rupture between the people and the tsar
SOVIETS
soldiers
workers
peasants
formed in St. Petersburg, capital of the Empire
Political strikes were the main weapon
in 1905
the revolutionaries did not succeed in taking power
they forced the tsar into implementing some reforms
the creation of the Duma or National Legislative Assembly
parliament controlled by the tsar
the start of an agrarian reform
the establishment of limited individual and citizens’ liberties
In the summer of 1914, World War I began
Tsar Nicholas II took direct control of the army in 1915
serious economic and social situation
collapse of the front
breakdown of civil power
demoralisation of the army and the people
generated conditions for a new revolutionary outburst
1904
The Trans-Siberian Railroad
