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04 BACKGROUND TO THE SOVIET REVOLUTION, image, image - Coggle Diagram
04 BACKGROUND TO THE SOVIET REVOLUTION
Tsarist Russia
Russia was an autocratic monarchy
the tsar exercised his power (established by divine right) as an absolute ruler
overeign was backed by a feudal aristocracy, the Orthodox Church and a corrupt bureaucracy
political opposition to tsarism grew in Russia
was tied to the cultural elite, which was based on the liberal European tradition
Marxist-inspired Russian Social-Democratic Workers’ Party (RSDWP) was also founded
felt that the working class should carry out a revolution to eliminate injustice and inequality
In 1903, split into two groups
Bolsheviks
leader was Vladimir Lenin
defended the seizure of power by a committed working-class minority
Mensheviks
were more moderate and favoured an alliance with reformist liberalism
leader was Julius Martov
From the revolution of 1905 to the Great War
In the Far East, Russian and Japanese imperialism competed for control of Korea and Manchuria
led to the Russo-Japanese War
Russia was defeated and the weakness of the tsarist regime was revealed
defeat was added to a serious economic, political and social crisis that led to many strikes
forces opposing tsarism tried to take power through a revolution
The trigger was the ruthless repression of a peaceful demonstration where the people begged the tsar for improved living conditions
tsarist army repressed thousands of demonstrators gathered in front of the Winter Palace in St Petersburg
more than a thousand victims
known as Bloody Sunday
unleashed a wave of popular outrage and marked the final rupture between the people and the tsar
Popular protests, workers’ strikes, peasant revolts and military uprisings culminated in a prerevolutionary situation
Political strikes became the main weapon
the first Soviet was formed in St. Petersburg
consisted of workers, peasants and soldiers that would later play a fundamental role in the revolution
In 1905, the revolutionaries did not succeed in taking power, but they pressurised the tsar into implementing some reforms
start of an agrarian reform with distribution of lands that would serve to create a social base of support for the liberal regime
project was cancelled because of the assassination of its promoter, Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin
establishment of limited individual and citizens’ liberties
creation of the Duma or National Legislative Assembly, which in theory was the equivalent of a parliament, but was controlled by the tsar
In the summer of 1914, World War I began
After the initial Russian defeats, Tsar Nicholas II took direct control of the army in 1915, but could not prevent the collapse of the front or the breakdown of civil power
worsened the serious economic and social situation due to increasingly poor living conditions
produced the demoralisation of the army and the people
generated conditions for a new revolutionary outburst
The Russian Empire in 1914, covered an immense territory that made up one sixth of the Earth’s surface
Trans-Siberian Railroa managed to connect the European part with the most remote regions of the Russian Empire
