1. Using Documents C, D, and E (page 2 - all numbers referred to are the big hand written page numbers) explain how Lenin and Stalin worked to secure the supremacy of the party.
Lenin and Stalin worked to secure the supremacy of the party by saying no member of the party can go against the party at that point, and there must complete devotion to the party. According to Document C if anyone didn't support the Resolution of the Congress they would be expelled from the party and wouldn't have a second chance to rejoin or anything, which shows the members had to support everything that was made by them. This could be because Lenin wanted a communist Russia desperately and wouldn't let any other type of government take control or conform Russia. Also, in Document D Stalin tells the roles of the Communist Party to the members, they have to "absorb all the best elements of the working class, their experience, their revolutionary spirit, their selfless devotion to the cause of the proletariat." Stalin knows that in order to keep support from the majority, the peasants, he has to make the members understand the peasants or workers so that they do things in support of the workers. In Document E it shows a stalinist leader going to attack someone or group who tried "to stop the Revolution." Since the "Mensheviks" and "Social Revolutionaries" figures are trying to stop him it shows that he cannot be stopped, and wont stop until he gets his way. He will do whatever it takes to make everything right in his eyes so his idea or plan wont be ruined, since he can't be stopped it shows that Stalin had control over different parties. The Mensheviks and Social Revolutionaries tried to stop him but couldn't, and possibly the political party he's going to stop will succumb to the stalinist official showing that he has control.
2. In what ways do Documents A, B and C (pages 3 - 4) support the assertion made in Document C that "Lenin wanted power, Lenin's rivals did not want it"?
Document A supports the assertion made in Document C by saying in the first paragraph Lenin and the party must take down the Provisional Government by using any means, like propaganda. Also, Document A accuses the Provisional Government of "utter falsity of its promises" to the people. I believe he's talking about how the Provisional Government promised to support, help, and be loyal to Russia, however the Provisional Government is doing none of its promises. Since they don't do any of their promises, like fix food shortages and low wages, they didn't really care about Russia and didn't want to govern.
Document B supports the assertion "Lenin wanted power, Lenin's rivals did not want it" by saying "as long as the government steadfastly confirms and expands the gains of the revolution and so long as its foreign policy is based on the renunciation [giving up] of ambitions of territorial expansion." This shows that the Provisional Government didn't care about having power and didn't really care about Russia, therefore supporting the assertion.
Document C supports the assertion because it talks about Lenin wanting power and the Provisional Government not wanting it. It is clearly written, "the Menshevik, Irakli Tsereteli said, 'there is at present no party in Russia willing to assume responsibility for governing.' To which Lenin from his seat shouted, 'there is.'" This clearly supports the assertion because the orator says there is no party present or willing, refering to the provisional government, and lenin says there is refering to himself and his party.
3. What can be inferred from Document D (page 4) about the following?
a: Why soldiers wanted to go home
The soldiers wanted to go home, according to Document D, because they didn't want to fight anymore, "to share the land their fellow villagers had not taken from the squires [land owners], and live in freedom." They didn't care about fighting for Russia, they even said that it wasn't their job to protect or think about Russia so why should they be fighting for it.
b: Why the soldiers now supported the Bolsheviks.
The soldiers now supported the Bolsheviks because the two things they wanted the most the Bolsheviks were promising them with, land and freedom. Bolsheviks promised them peace by taking them out of World War I. They wanted land to support their family and make a living, and they wanted freedom so they could be away from the war front.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Lenin in Power
1. Read Source 20. What aspects of War Communism are the sailors most angry about? Would you expect peasants in Russia to feel the same?
The aspects of War Communism the sailors are most angry about are the continuation of the war, the tactics the Cheka use, the way the food is dispersed to the country, having no freedom, and the change of the flag emblem which represents war rather than hard work the sickle and hammer represent. I think that the peasants in Russia would also feel the same because the food they make, as the sailors catch, or given to the army when they need the food to survive. Under War Communism the army gets all the food, while the workers get none. Also, because of rationed food and not being able to eat the peasants would probably want more freedom, therefore the peasants in Russia, I would expect, them to feel the same as the sailors.
2. Does the evidence of Source 23 prove the NEP was a success? Explain your answer with reference to Sources 22, 24 and 25.
The evidence of Source 23 does partially prove that the NEP was a success because under the Tsar and War Communism it shows the levels of production getting lower and lower gradually. However, when the NEP plan was made and used the levels of production greatly increased, but we don't know exactly how long this success lasted because it could've been temporary. Therefore, we don't know if NEP was a success or not from the information given in Source 23. In Sources 22, 24, and 25 they all show the War Communism policy as a failure to supply food to the workers. Source 22 even goes on to say that without giving the workers enough food, they will become unhappy and possibly start a third revolution. Source 24 has great confidence in the NEP, which I don't blame him for because it did end up working in the end and this way more people were able to get food and eat it too.
3. From all you have found about Lenin, do you agree with Source 26? Why or why not?
I agree partially with Source 26, I believe he did a really good job in keeping Russia alive but I don't think he's a good man. I believe that since he was able to keep Russia alive he did a good job. He was able to keep everyone happy long enough to not start an uprising besides the Civil War, and he started putting Russia in the right and successful direction after NEP. However I don't agree with his ideas, I don't believe in communism and I think that it shouldn't exist. Therefore, since Lenin believed in communism or marxism-leninism I don't think he was a good man, because he could've done so much more. For example, he could've stopped the civil war more effectively, he could've gave more freedom to the people then they would definitely support him.
How did the Bolsheviks consolidate their rule?
4. Write an explanation of how the Bolsheviks made their rule more secure. Mention the following:
The power of the Red Army
Treatment of oppostion
War Communism
The New Economic Policy
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The victory in the Civil War
The Promise of a new society
Propaganda
Is any one of the above factors more important than any of the others? Explain.
The Bolsheviks made their rule more secure by the power of the Red Army, the treatment of opposition, The New Economic Policy and many others. The power of the Red Army consolidated the Bolshevik's rule by uniting the Bolsheviks together and disciplinig the army. Discipline was a major factor in keeping the army together and winning the Civil War. The Whites were not united and did not work collaboratively with the other White groups, but the Reds did making them very successful and vitorious in the Civil War. During the Civil War the Red Army's treatment to opposition in the villages wasn't as harsh as the Whites. The Reds gave the villagers a better chance of survival by making them give food or die, but that was the only treatment. The Whites killed them in the beginning, middle, and end; they even had to give up the best cattle, horses, and crops to the army while the Reds didn't demand the best of the farms. This also contributed to famine and fatigue, since the villagers had to give away their food or die there was a lot more food shortages, however with the New Economic Policy people weren't starving as bad and they were able to eat more food. Propoganda was a major factor in the Bolsheviks rule and security of their power. The Reds used propoganda to thier greatest extent, they talked about how horendous Russia would be if they were victorious. For example, the Tsar would come back and the Bolshevik Party did not want that at all. I believe that none of the above factors are more important than the other because they all contributed to the security of the Bolshevik's power, but in different aspects and not all in the same category.
The aspects of War Communism the sailors are most angry about are the continuation of the war, the tactics the Cheka use, the way the food is dispersed to the country, having no freedom, and the change of the flag emblem which represents war rather than hard work the sickle and hammer represent. I think that the peasants in Russia would also feel the same because the food they make, as the sailors catch, or given to the army when they need the food to survive. Under War Communism the army gets all the food, while the workers get none. Also, because of rationed food and not being able to eat the peasants would probably want more freedom, therefore the peasants in Russia, I would expect, them to feel the same as the sailors.
2. Does the evidence of Source 23 prove the NEP was a success? Explain your answer with reference to Sources 22, 24 and 25.
The evidence of Source 23 does partially prove that the NEP was a success because under the Tsar and War Communism it shows the levels of production getting lower and lower gradually. However, when the NEP plan was made and used the levels of production greatly increased, but we don't know exactly how long this success lasted because it could've been temporary. Therefore, we don't know if NEP was a success or not from the information given in Source 23. In Sources 22, 24, and 25 they all show the War Communism policy as a failure to supply food to the workers. Source 22 even goes on to say that without giving the workers enough food, they will become unhappy and possibly start a third revolution. Source 24 has great confidence in the NEP, which I don't blame him for because it did end up working in the end and this way more people were able to get food and eat it too.
3. From all you have found about Lenin, do you agree with Source 26? Why or why not?
I agree partially with Source 26, I believe he did a really good job in keeping Russia alive but I don't think he's a good man. I believe that since he was able to keep Russia alive he did a good job. He was able to keep everyone happy long enough to not start an uprising besides the Civil War, and he started putting Russia in the right and successful direction after NEP. However I don't agree with his ideas, I don't believe in communism and I think that it shouldn't exist. Therefore, since Lenin believed in communism or marxism-leninism I don't think he was a good man, because he could've done so much more. For example, he could've stopped the civil war more effectively, he could've gave more freedom to the people then they would definitely support him.
How did the Bolsheviks consolidate their rule?
4. Write an explanation of how the Bolsheviks made their rule more secure. Mention the following:
The power of the Red Army
Treatment of oppostion
War Communism
The New Economic Policy
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The victory in the Civil War
The Promise of a new society
Propaganda
Is any one of the above factors more important than any of the others? Explain.
The Bolsheviks made their rule more secure by the power of the Red Army, the treatment of opposition, The New Economic Policy and many others. The power of the Red Army consolidated the Bolshevik's rule by uniting the Bolsheviks together and disciplinig the army. Discipline was a major factor in keeping the army together and winning the Civil War. The Whites were not united and did not work collaboratively with the other White groups, but the Reds did making them very successful and vitorious in the Civil War. During the Civil War the Red Army's treatment to opposition in the villages wasn't as harsh as the Whites. The Reds gave the villagers a better chance of survival by making them give food or die, but that was the only treatment. The Whites killed them in the beginning, middle, and end; they even had to give up the best cattle, horses, and crops to the army while the Reds didn't demand the best of the farms. This also contributed to famine and fatigue, since the villagers had to give away their food or die there was a lot more food shortages, however with the New Economic Policy people weren't starving as bad and they were able to eat more food. Propoganda was a major factor in the Bolsheviks rule and security of their power. The Reds used propoganda to thier greatest extent, they talked about how horendous Russia would be if they were victorious. For example, the Tsar would come back and the Bolshevik Party did not want that at all. I believe that none of the above factors are more important than the other because they all contributed to the security of the Bolshevik's power, but in different aspects and not all in the same category.
Lenin in Power
1. What was the Sovnarkom?
The Sovnarkom was the Council of People's Commissars, which was the first thing Lenin did. The council made a lot of decrees, the first being a peace treaty with Germany, it tried to hold on to power for the Bolsheviks, it gave the Tsar's and Church's land to the peasants, and the workers had control of industries and factories.
2. Why was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk bad for Russia?
The Treat of Brest-Litovsk was bad for Russia because they lost a major part of Russia's land. The land was in the western part of Russia, basically the border part of Russia and Europe including Finland. However, it was a major downfall for Russia because the land was the best land for agriculture, industries, part of railways, a large chunk of its coal mines, and about one third of its population. Westesrn Russia was a huge part of Russia because it was a major part on its economy and how it sustained the country.
3. Who were the "Whites"?
The "Whites" were the group that was opposed to the "Reds." They wanted the Tsar to come back to reign, and they had supporters inside and outside of Russia, who were opposed the Bolsheviks. The Whites weren't as well disciplined as the Reds and they didn't have good leaders, such as Trotsky to lead them. Also, they were many "White" groups all over Russia, therefore it was difficult for them to communicate and use the same campaigns, in other words they were not united. The Whites were made up of Socialist Revolutionaries, Mensheviks, supporters of the Tsar, the landlords and capitalists who lost land or money in the revolution, and the Czech Legion who were prisoners of war.
4.. Read Source 3. What evidence does it provide of Lenin's
a) political skill
It provides evidence of Lenin's political skill by making the Whites soun ferocious and immoral. He says that the Whites have threatened "millions of people" with famine, which makes a big impact on people because millions of people is a huge number, and the supporters of the Bolsheviks may also not see that they are doing the same thing but not as harshly.
b) ruthlessness
Source 3 provides evidence of Lenins ruthlessness by saying harsh and forceful words about the Whites. For example, he writes that the Whites "are sabotaging and organising strikes in order to block the government's efforts to reconstruct the state on a socialists basis." This shows that he doesn't care how they overcome the Whites, he just wants everyone to do it.
5. Use Sources 5 and 7 to describe how the Civil War affected ordinary people.
The Civil War greatly affected ordinary people, no matter what group, Reds or Whites, there was a chance of death. However, if the Reds came to your village you had a likelier chance to survive because all you had to do was obey orders to give food to the soldiers. The Whites, on the other hand, were a lot more ruthless. They would kill basically everyone in the village, they didn't give you any chances to survive pretty much. Before you even had to obey orders you had a high chance of dying, especially if you were a man. According to Source 7 if the Whites came to your village and you were a man with a population under 45 you were killed automatically. They also forced you to give up your best cattle, horses, food without pay; basically like stealing but you were there to see the entire thing if you survived this far.
6. "Most Russians saw the Bolsheviks as the lesser of two evils." With reference to Sources 5, 7, 13 and 16 explain whether or not you agree with this statement or not.
I agree with this statement because as Source 16 says the Whites executed innocent people in the hundred thousands, the Reds used propoganda to make the Whites sound really bad, and the Reds or Bolsheviks treated the peasants a lot nicer than the Whites. Source 16 says that "in Finland alone, the number of workers executed by the Whites approaches 100,000," which is a huge difference compared to the "twelve to fifty thousand"(Source 16) of the Reds. Also, the Reds were a lot less ruthless than the Whites. The Reds would shoot anyone who tried to disobey orders, as Source 5 says "If a regiment retreats against orders, the machine guns are turned on them," which just goes to show that the Reds had better control of their army. However the Whites were ruthless against the villages, according to Source 7 they would bomb the village first, then killed the Bolshevik committee, the houses of the committee members were burnt, men under the age of 45 were wipped, and then the villages were forced to give up their best cattle, horses, and crops to the soldiers with out pay. I think that is much crueler than the Reds because there's more torcher and the Reds weren't as aggressive when they came to take food, at least that's what I felt from the Sources. There is no evidence, out of these sources, indicaating that the Whites uses propaganda. Source 13 is propoganda from the Reds, saying that the Whites are really bad and you shouldn't support them if you don't want another Tsarist regime. However there is no propaganda used by the Whites showing that they weren't just aggressive and combative, that they were smart and political too.
The Sovnarkom was the Council of People's Commissars, which was the first thing Lenin did. The council made a lot of decrees, the first being a peace treaty with Germany, it tried to hold on to power for the Bolsheviks, it gave the Tsar's and Church's land to the peasants, and the workers had control of industries and factories.
2. Why was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk bad for Russia?
The Treat of Brest-Litovsk was bad for Russia because they lost a major part of Russia's land. The land was in the western part of Russia, basically the border part of Russia and Europe including Finland. However, it was a major downfall for Russia because the land was the best land for agriculture, industries, part of railways, a large chunk of its coal mines, and about one third of its population. Westesrn Russia was a huge part of Russia because it was a major part on its economy and how it sustained the country.
3. Who were the "Whites"?
The "Whites" were the group that was opposed to the "Reds." They wanted the Tsar to come back to reign, and they had supporters inside and outside of Russia, who were opposed the Bolsheviks. The Whites weren't as well disciplined as the Reds and they didn't have good leaders, such as Trotsky to lead them. Also, they were many "White" groups all over Russia, therefore it was difficult for them to communicate and use the same campaigns, in other words they were not united. The Whites were made up of Socialist Revolutionaries, Mensheviks, supporters of the Tsar, the landlords and capitalists who lost land or money in the revolution, and the Czech Legion who were prisoners of war.
4.. Read Source 3. What evidence does it provide of Lenin's
a) political skill
It provides evidence of Lenin's political skill by making the Whites soun ferocious and immoral. He says that the Whites have threatened "millions of people" with famine, which makes a big impact on people because millions of people is a huge number, and the supporters of the Bolsheviks may also not see that they are doing the same thing but not as harshly.
b) ruthlessness
Source 3 provides evidence of Lenins ruthlessness by saying harsh and forceful words about the Whites. For example, he writes that the Whites "are sabotaging and organising strikes in order to block the government's efforts to reconstruct the state on a socialists basis." This shows that he doesn't care how they overcome the Whites, he just wants everyone to do it.
5. Use Sources 5 and 7 to describe how the Civil War affected ordinary people.
The Civil War greatly affected ordinary people, no matter what group, Reds or Whites, there was a chance of death. However, if the Reds came to your village you had a likelier chance to survive because all you had to do was obey orders to give food to the soldiers. The Whites, on the other hand, were a lot more ruthless. They would kill basically everyone in the village, they didn't give you any chances to survive pretty much. Before you even had to obey orders you had a high chance of dying, especially if you were a man. According to Source 7 if the Whites came to your village and you were a man with a population under 45 you were killed automatically. They also forced you to give up your best cattle, horses, food without pay; basically like stealing but you were there to see the entire thing if you survived this far.
6. "Most Russians saw the Bolsheviks as the lesser of two evils." With reference to Sources 5, 7, 13 and 16 explain whether or not you agree with this statement or not.
I agree with this statement because as Source 16 says the Whites executed innocent people in the hundred thousands, the Reds used propoganda to make the Whites sound really bad, and the Reds or Bolsheviks treated the peasants a lot nicer than the Whites. Source 16 says that "in Finland alone, the number of workers executed by the Whites approaches 100,000," which is a huge difference compared to the "twelve to fifty thousand"(Source 16) of the Reds. Also, the Reds were a lot less ruthless than the Whites. The Reds would shoot anyone who tried to disobey orders, as Source 5 says "If a regiment retreats against orders, the machine guns are turned on them," which just goes to show that the Reds had better control of their army. However the Whites were ruthless against the villages, according to Source 7 they would bomb the village first, then killed the Bolshevik committee, the houses of the committee members were burnt, men under the age of 45 were wipped, and then the villages were forced to give up their best cattle, horses, and crops to the soldiers with out pay. I think that is much crueler than the Reds because there's more torcher and the Reds weren't as aggressive when they came to take food, at least that's what I felt from the Sources. There is no evidence, out of these sources, indicaating that the Whites uses propaganda. Source 13 is propoganda from the Reds, saying that the Whites are really bad and you shouldn't support them if you don't want another Tsarist regime. However there is no propaganda used by the Whites showing that they weren't just aggressive and combative, that they were smart and political too.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
October 1917 Revolution
How effective was the Provisional Government?
1. Here is a list of some decisions that faced the Provisional Government when it took over in March 1917:
-- What to do about the war
-- What to do about land
-- What to do about food
For each one, say how the government dealt with it, and what the result of the action was.
The Provisional Government promised to its allies to try to keep the war going, while trying to settle the situation in Russia. The result was soldiers were deserting by the thousands, however when Kerensky became the Minister for War he tried to rally the army for an offensive in June. Unfortunately for Kerensky and the Provisional Government, it was a disaster against Germany and the deserters decided to go home rather than help. Then another problem occurred for Kerensky's government, Kornilov and his troops marchedd to Moscow to get rid of the Provisional Government and the Bolsheviks, but Kerensky knew he didn't have enough troops and called on the help from his opponent, the Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks helped a lot and got rid of Kornilov and his troops. However, Kerensky's government was in shambles by October and he saw that there was no future for the Provisional Government because it tried to carry on the war and failed which made them lose the army's support.
The government tried to make the peasants wait for elections before taking any land, however in only worked until the second half of the year 1917. The peasants ignored the government to wait and the soldiers, who were mostly peasants, didn't want to miss their turn to get land so they went and got land for themselves. Kerensky tried to stop the peasants from taking over the land, but as a result it made the Provisional Government lose support from the peasants.
Kerensky's government tried to figure the best way to get food to the starving workers in the cities. However Kerensky and his government lost support from the peasants, as a result food prices sky-rocketed and no food was being brought into the cities.
2. Look for evidence in the reading of how the actions of its opponents harmed the Provisional Government:
-- Members of the soviets
-- Bolsheviks
-- General Kornilov
Members of the Soviets harmed the Provisional Governmnent because they had all of the support from the workers in major industries like coal mining and had a lot of support from the army. However, members of the soviets and the Provisional Government supported each other during the Spring months in 1917, which made a lot more support go towards members of the Soviet. Also, the Bolsheviks harmed the Provisional Government with Lenin's slogan "Peace, Land and Bread" and "All power to the soviets," which increased Bolshevik's support because peace, land, and bread were the things people wanted the most and the Provisional Government wasn't giving it to them. Lastly, General Kornilov harmed the Provisional Government by them having to call on help from the Bolsheviks, which made the Bolsheviks more likeable to the people. Therefore as a result the Provisional Government lost support from the peasants and its people.
3. Based on your answers to questions 1 & 2, how effective do you think the Provisional Government was? Your answer should be at least two paragraphs. Make sure you provide key details and analysis.
I believe that the Provisional Government was completely uneffective because they weren't listening or giving peace, land, and bread to the people even though that's what they wanted, and they failed to keep order in the government. The Provisional Government planned on giving the peasants land, but they wanted them to wait. However, the peasants, soldiers, and other people couldn't wait, they wanted to get their chance to get land and so they did. The Provisional Government tried controling this, but failed and lost support from most people. Also, the Provisional Government tried to find a means to supply food and bring it to the cities, but they failed with this task as well. As a result, food prices sky-rocketed and nobody could afford it, so they no longer supported the Provisional Government because they were starving. Lastly, the Provisional Government wanted to keep the war going, however many soldiers were deserting the army and there were many casualties. Since the Bolsheviks promised peace they supported them. The Provisional Government lost support from their troops and were heading down to collapse. Since the Provisional Government couldn't supply food, make peace, or give land to the people they were very uneffective because that's all the people wanted. It would've been smart to give people what they wanted because then the Provisional Government would've had a lot of support and wouldn't have collapsed.
In addition, the Provisional Government failed to keep order in the government, which was a key factor in sustaining their control over the country. The soldiers, who were in the front, started to desert the fighting and war effort and just went home. The Provisional Government couldn't bring them back or train them properly, therefore they were ineffective in keeping the war going. Also, the people joined the Bolsheviks in an almost revolution, which showed that the Provisional Government didn't have a lot of support. However, a bit of luck occurred when Kerensky found out that Lenin had support from Germany. The Russian people greatly disliked the Germans, therefore support went back to the Provisional Government, but it was only short term because the Bolsheviks came back and proved themselves to everyone when they helped the Provisional Government fight off Kornilov. This showed the people that they weren't German spies and were loyal to the people, therefore the Bolsheviks gained more support from the people.
The Appeal of Lenin and Trotsky
1. Using Sources 42 - 44, and the Profile of Lenin, add extra details to the profile of Lenin:
-- Why Lenin appealed to people: He appealed to the people because he was "short and sturdy with a bald head, small beard and deep set eyes, Lenin looked like a small tradesmen."(42), making him appealing to the public because he looked like one of them. In addition to his looks he was a very good orator, he gave speeches that "inspired the workers and soldiers to a determined struggle."(44).
-- His personal qualities: His personal qualities, such as a good compromiser, the planner, ruthless, very ambitious and had a lot of strong will made him a good leader and appealed to the public. The public saw how organized he was and how he believed in his amitions even if they were far fetched, which made other people believe in them as well. Also, since he was a good compriser and a good planner the other members of the Bolsheviks saw him as a good leader because he could keep people in order if there were "internal divisions within the party," where he kept things in order and stopped the fighting within the party.
-- His strengths as a leader: Some of Lenin's strengths as a leader are tight control of the party, some discipline, and a good orator. Since he tried to discipline and keep tight control he was a good leader because he could do these things and the members of the party listened to him. Also, he was a good orator, which made him appealing to the public because his speeches were inspiring and they believed in him.
2. Using Sources 45 - 47, and the Profile of Trotsky, add extra details to the profile of Trotsky:
-- Why Trotsky appealed to people: Trotsky appealed to the people because he used real life examples in his inspiring speaches and pieces of writing. For example, he published two Bolshevik newspapers one called Pravda, which inspired many people in Russia. Since he grew up in a farming family, people saw him as one of them.
-- His personal qualities: He's very brilliant and an awe-inspiring orator, which gave him great appeal from the public and made him a key figure in the Bolshevik party because he had so many supporters.
-- His strengths as a leader: A very good orator was his key strength because it inspired so many people and made them support the Bolshevik party, He was a good orator because he was intelligent and new how to get the support from the people.
3. Finally, write a short report on the contribution of each individual to the Bolsheviks' success in 1917.
Lenin's ruthlessness and tight control made him a major contribution to the Bolshevik success because he was the one that began the takeover when everyone else said it wasn't the right time, but because he stuck to his plan he was able to lead the Bolsheviks into the takeover of the Provisional Government. However, he wouldn't have been able to have so many members and volunteers in the revolution without Trotsky's speeches. With Trotsky's speeches the Bolsheviks were able to get an immense amount of support from the people, without this support they probably wouldn't have been successful in the takeover. Also, since Lenin was able to think of the slogan as a strategy he was able to gain support as well, and without this there probably would've been more support for the Provisional Government.
1. Here is a list of some decisions that faced the Provisional Government when it took over in March 1917:
-- What to do about the war
-- What to do about land
-- What to do about food
For each one, say how the government dealt with it, and what the result of the action was.
The Provisional Government promised to its allies to try to keep the war going, while trying to settle the situation in Russia. The result was soldiers were deserting by the thousands, however when Kerensky became the Minister for War he tried to rally the army for an offensive in June. Unfortunately for Kerensky and the Provisional Government, it was a disaster against Germany and the deserters decided to go home rather than help. Then another problem occurred for Kerensky's government, Kornilov and his troops marchedd to Moscow to get rid of the Provisional Government and the Bolsheviks, but Kerensky knew he didn't have enough troops and called on the help from his opponent, the Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks helped a lot and got rid of Kornilov and his troops. However, Kerensky's government was in shambles by October and he saw that there was no future for the Provisional Government because it tried to carry on the war and failed which made them lose the army's support.
The government tried to make the peasants wait for elections before taking any land, however in only worked until the second half of the year 1917. The peasants ignored the government to wait and the soldiers, who were mostly peasants, didn't want to miss their turn to get land so they went and got land for themselves. Kerensky tried to stop the peasants from taking over the land, but as a result it made the Provisional Government lose support from the peasants.
Kerensky's government tried to figure the best way to get food to the starving workers in the cities. However Kerensky and his government lost support from the peasants, as a result food prices sky-rocketed and no food was being brought into the cities.
2. Look for evidence in the reading of how the actions of its opponents harmed the Provisional Government:
-- Members of the soviets
-- Bolsheviks
-- General Kornilov
Members of the Soviets harmed the Provisional Governmnent because they had all of the support from the workers in major industries like coal mining and had a lot of support from the army. However, members of the soviets and the Provisional Government supported each other during the Spring months in 1917, which made a lot more support go towards members of the Soviet. Also, the Bolsheviks harmed the Provisional Government with Lenin's slogan "Peace, Land and Bread" and "All power to the soviets," which increased Bolshevik's support because peace, land, and bread were the things people wanted the most and the Provisional Government wasn't giving it to them. Lastly, General Kornilov harmed the Provisional Government by them having to call on help from the Bolsheviks, which made the Bolsheviks more likeable to the people. Therefore as a result the Provisional Government lost support from the peasants and its people.
3. Based on your answers to questions 1 & 2, how effective do you think the Provisional Government was? Your answer should be at least two paragraphs. Make sure you provide key details and analysis.
I believe that the Provisional Government was completely uneffective because they weren't listening or giving peace, land, and bread to the people even though that's what they wanted, and they failed to keep order in the government. The Provisional Government planned on giving the peasants land, but they wanted them to wait. However, the peasants, soldiers, and other people couldn't wait, they wanted to get their chance to get land and so they did. The Provisional Government tried controling this, but failed and lost support from most people. Also, the Provisional Government tried to find a means to supply food and bring it to the cities, but they failed with this task as well. As a result, food prices sky-rocketed and nobody could afford it, so they no longer supported the Provisional Government because they were starving. Lastly, the Provisional Government wanted to keep the war going, however many soldiers were deserting the army and there were many casualties. Since the Bolsheviks promised peace they supported them. The Provisional Government lost support from their troops and were heading down to collapse. Since the Provisional Government couldn't supply food, make peace, or give land to the people they were very uneffective because that's all the people wanted. It would've been smart to give people what they wanted because then the Provisional Government would've had a lot of support and wouldn't have collapsed.
In addition, the Provisional Government failed to keep order in the government, which was a key factor in sustaining their control over the country. The soldiers, who were in the front, started to desert the fighting and war effort and just went home. The Provisional Government couldn't bring them back or train them properly, therefore they were ineffective in keeping the war going. Also, the people joined the Bolsheviks in an almost revolution, which showed that the Provisional Government didn't have a lot of support. However, a bit of luck occurred when Kerensky found out that Lenin had support from Germany. The Russian people greatly disliked the Germans, therefore support went back to the Provisional Government, but it was only short term because the Bolsheviks came back and proved themselves to everyone when they helped the Provisional Government fight off Kornilov. This showed the people that they weren't German spies and were loyal to the people, therefore the Bolsheviks gained more support from the people.
The Appeal of Lenin and Trotsky
1. Using Sources 42 - 44, and the Profile of Lenin, add extra details to the profile of Lenin:
-- Why Lenin appealed to people: He appealed to the people because he was "short and sturdy with a bald head, small beard and deep set eyes, Lenin looked like a small tradesmen."(42), making him appealing to the public because he looked like one of them. In addition to his looks he was a very good orator, he gave speeches that "inspired the workers and soldiers to a determined struggle."(44).
-- His personal qualities: His personal qualities, such as a good compromiser, the planner, ruthless, very ambitious and had a lot of strong will made him a good leader and appealed to the public. The public saw how organized he was and how he believed in his amitions even if they were far fetched, which made other people believe in them as well. Also, since he was a good compriser and a good planner the other members of the Bolsheviks saw him as a good leader because he could keep people in order if there were "internal divisions within the party," where he kept things in order and stopped the fighting within the party.
-- His strengths as a leader: Some of Lenin's strengths as a leader are tight control of the party, some discipline, and a good orator. Since he tried to discipline and keep tight control he was a good leader because he could do these things and the members of the party listened to him. Also, he was a good orator, which made him appealing to the public because his speeches were inspiring and they believed in him.
2. Using Sources 45 - 47, and the Profile of Trotsky, add extra details to the profile of Trotsky:
-- Why Trotsky appealed to people: Trotsky appealed to the people because he used real life examples in his inspiring speaches and pieces of writing. For example, he published two Bolshevik newspapers one called Pravda, which inspired many people in Russia. Since he grew up in a farming family, people saw him as one of them.
-- His personal qualities: He's very brilliant and an awe-inspiring orator, which gave him great appeal from the public and made him a key figure in the Bolshevik party because he had so many supporters.
-- His strengths as a leader: A very good orator was his key strength because it inspired so many people and made them support the Bolshevik party, He was a good orator because he was intelligent and new how to get the support from the people.
3. Finally, write a short report on the contribution of each individual to the Bolsheviks' success in 1917.
Lenin's ruthlessness and tight control made him a major contribution to the Bolshevik success because he was the one that began the takeover when everyone else said it wasn't the right time, but because he stuck to his plan he was able to lead the Bolsheviks into the takeover of the Provisional Government. However, he wouldn't have been able to have so many members and volunteers in the revolution without Trotsky's speeches. With Trotsky's speeches the Bolsheviks were able to get an immense amount of support from the people, without this support they probably wouldn't have been successful in the takeover. Also, since Lenin was able to think of the slogan as a strategy he was able to gain support as well, and without this there probably would've been more support for the Provisional Government.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Lenin and the Bolsheviks Take Power
1. Why was Lenin reluctant to compromise with the Mensheviks or Socialist Revolutionaries?
Lenin was reluctant to compromise with the Mensheviks or Social Revolutionaries because he thought that their willingness to compromise would ruin his plans for the country, and he believed that compromise with the government was not an option.
2. List two reasons why the Provisional Government under Kerensky could not govern.
The Provisional Government under Kerensky could not govern because the socialists and liberal democrats didn't respect or trust him, and he couldn't keep order between the political parties and the citizens rioting.
3. The Bolsheviks did not have a majority at the Congress of Soviets after the October Revolution. How did they manage to assume power?
The Bolsheviks managed to assume power because when Lenin returned from Finland he used his powerful personality to persuade the remaining twelve members to take over the key government buildings, the railroad stations, set up road-blocks around Pertrograd, and surround the Winter Palace with no violence. This plan was very easy for them to do and they succeeded in it, the citizens didn't even realize what had happened. By the time the politcal parties sat down to try to talk all the political parties except for the three hundred Bolsheviks walked out and therefore erased the possibility of the other political parties having a say in the future government.
4. What did the Bolsheviks have to give up in order to get out of World War I? What was the name of the Treaty?
The Bolsheviks had to give up about one third of its population, thirty-two percent of its agricultural land, about half of its industry and eighty-nine percent of its coal mines because they had to give Poland, Ukraine, Finland, and the Baltic States to Germany in order to get out of World War I. The name of this treaty was called the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.
5. What was the Checka?
The Checka was an attempt to try to terrify into submission, it was also known as the All-Russian Extraordinary Commission for Struggle against Counter-Revolution, Sabotage, and Speculation.
6. What supporters joined the Red Army? White Army?
The White Army had support from the old middle and upper classes and the officers from the tsarist army. The Red Army had support from political commissioners who were paired with some officers from the tsarist army. Both the Red and White armies forcefully had support from peasants, however the peasants saw the Bolsheviks as the better of the two who were mostly in the Red Army.
7. How many Russians died during the Civil War? How many emigrated to other countries?
About thirteen million Russians died during the Civil War, and about two million emigrated to other countries.
Lenin was reluctant to compromise with the Mensheviks or Social Revolutionaries because he thought that their willingness to compromise would ruin his plans for the country, and he believed that compromise with the government was not an option.
2. List two reasons why the Provisional Government under Kerensky could not govern.
The Provisional Government under Kerensky could not govern because the socialists and liberal democrats didn't respect or trust him, and he couldn't keep order between the political parties and the citizens rioting.
3. The Bolsheviks did not have a majority at the Congress of Soviets after the October Revolution. How did they manage to assume power?
The Bolsheviks managed to assume power because when Lenin returned from Finland he used his powerful personality to persuade the remaining twelve members to take over the key government buildings, the railroad stations, set up road-blocks around Pertrograd, and surround the Winter Palace with no violence. This plan was very easy for them to do and they succeeded in it, the citizens didn't even realize what had happened. By the time the politcal parties sat down to try to talk all the political parties except for the three hundred Bolsheviks walked out and therefore erased the possibility of the other political parties having a say in the future government.
4. What did the Bolsheviks have to give up in order to get out of World War I? What was the name of the Treaty?
The Bolsheviks had to give up about one third of its population, thirty-two percent of its agricultural land, about half of its industry and eighty-nine percent of its coal mines because they had to give Poland, Ukraine, Finland, and the Baltic States to Germany in order to get out of World War I. The name of this treaty was called the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.
5. What was the Checka?
The Checka was an attempt to try to terrify into submission, it was also known as the All-Russian Extraordinary Commission for Struggle against Counter-Revolution, Sabotage, and Speculation.
6. What supporters joined the Red Army? White Army?
The White Army had support from the old middle and upper classes and the officers from the tsarist army. The Red Army had support from political commissioners who were paired with some officers from the tsarist army. Both the Red and White armies forcefully had support from peasants, however the peasants saw the Bolsheviks as the better of the two who were mostly in the Red Army.
7. How many Russians died during the Civil War? How many emigrated to other countries?
About thirteen million Russians died during the Civil War, and about two million emigrated to other countries.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Revolutionary Period, 1905-1917
1. Peter Stolypin believed that the crown's survival depended on what two factors?
2. What was the "Stolypin's necktie"?
The "Stolypin necktie" was the nickname given to the noose after many peasants had been executed for supposidly supporting radical newspapers or labor unions.
3. Economic conditions between 1910 and 1914 in Russia were mixed.
a. What are examples of the postive economic conditions?
Some of the positive economic conditions were renewed growth of Russian and foreign-owned industries, an increase in iron and coal production, an increase in Russia's imports and exports, and Russia became the leader of grain exporting.
b. What are examples of negative economic conditions?
Some examples of negative economic conditions include workplace violence, strikes where people were killed, and ethnic tensions that were about to explode. The workplace violence came back to the workplace in 1912 because 350 goldminers who were striking were killed by government troops, therefore they wanted revenge for their deaths. Also, there was ethnic tensions because the ethnic groups living in Russia greatly disliked the tsarist government and the Russian rule.
4. List three ways that Russia financed its costs during World War I.
a. Increase in taxes
b. Securing foreign loans
c. Increasing supply of paper money six times over
5. Why was Rasputin an important figure? How was he regarded by many Russians?
Rasputin was an important figure because he's bad reputation made the corruption in high places extend to the war effort, and he supposidly healed Alexandra's son of hemophilia, which gave him a great first impression of Alexandra. Therefore, Rasputin was one of the high dignitaries of the tsarist government. Many Russians saw Rasputin as vile, and the rumors that they were hearing about him infuriated the people. Rasputin made the public so angry that he was assassinated.
6. List two reasons why workers called for a change of government in the winter of 1916-17.
a. there wer boot, wood, kerosine, and many other important necessities shortages
b. the railroads weren't able to send the plentiful food supply fast enough to the cities
7. Why was the soldiers' mutiny of February 27 so important?
The soldiers' mutiny of February 27th was so important because it was the turning point in events and eventually led to the resignition of Tsar Nicholas II. The soldiers' mutiny to not shoot anymore demonstrators made the people even more confident, and led them to free inmates who caused chaos among the streets. Pertrograd was in such complete chaos and Nicholas II realized that he lost all support, he finally decided to resign.
8. How did the Soviet gain the loyality of the soldiers?
The Soviet gained the loyalty of the soldiers by approving Order Number One, which gave the soldiers immunity (what they wanted) and the Soviet could overrule any military order. Since the Soviet could overrule any military order and gave the soldiers what they wanted most, immunity and protection, they immediately recieved the soldiers' allegiance.
9. List five of the political reforms of the Provisional Government.
a. outlawed capital punishment
b. reformed the judicial system
c. took steps to place the police under control of local government
d. granted political freedoms of assembly, press, speech, and universal suffrage
e. repealed legal restrictions that applied to religion, class, and race
2. What was the "Stolypin's necktie"?
The "Stolypin necktie" was the nickname given to the noose after many peasants had been executed for supposidly supporting radical newspapers or labor unions.
3. Economic conditions between 1910 and 1914 in Russia were mixed.
a. What are examples of the postive economic conditions?
Some of the positive economic conditions were renewed growth of Russian and foreign-owned industries, an increase in iron and coal production, an increase in Russia's imports and exports, and Russia became the leader of grain exporting.
b. What are examples of negative economic conditions?
Some examples of negative economic conditions include workplace violence, strikes where people were killed, and ethnic tensions that were about to explode. The workplace violence came back to the workplace in 1912 because 350 goldminers who were striking were killed by government troops, therefore they wanted revenge for their deaths. Also, there was ethnic tensions because the ethnic groups living in Russia greatly disliked the tsarist government and the Russian rule.
4. List three ways that Russia financed its costs during World War I.
a. Increase in taxes
b. Securing foreign loans
c. Increasing supply of paper money six times over
5. Why was Rasputin an important figure? How was he regarded by many Russians?
Rasputin was an important figure because he's bad reputation made the corruption in high places extend to the war effort, and he supposidly healed Alexandra's son of hemophilia, which gave him a great first impression of Alexandra. Therefore, Rasputin was one of the high dignitaries of the tsarist government. Many Russians saw Rasputin as vile, and the rumors that they were hearing about him infuriated the people. Rasputin made the public so angry that he was assassinated.
6. List two reasons why workers called for a change of government in the winter of 1916-17.
a. there wer boot, wood, kerosine, and many other important necessities shortages
b. the railroads weren't able to send the plentiful food supply fast enough to the cities
7. Why was the soldiers' mutiny of February 27 so important?
The soldiers' mutiny of February 27th was so important because it was the turning point in events and eventually led to the resignition of Tsar Nicholas II. The soldiers' mutiny to not shoot anymore demonstrators made the people even more confident, and led them to free inmates who caused chaos among the streets. Pertrograd was in such complete chaos and Nicholas II realized that he lost all support, he finally decided to resign.
8. How did the Soviet gain the loyality of the soldiers?
The Soviet gained the loyalty of the soldiers by approving Order Number One, which gave the soldiers immunity (what they wanted) and the Soviet could overrule any military order. Since the Soviet could overrule any military order and gave the soldiers what they wanted most, immunity and protection, they immediately recieved the soldiers' allegiance.
9. List five of the political reforms of the Provisional Government.
a. outlawed capital punishment
b. reformed the judicial system
c. took steps to place the police under control of local government
d. granted political freedoms of assembly, press, speech, and universal suffrage
e. repealed legal restrictions that applied to religion, class, and race
Russia, 1881-1905, Part II
1. Why was modernisation needed?
Modernization was needed in Russia because in order for Russia to be a great power they had to industrialize and they were poor. If Russia industrialized they would have a powerful military because the industries would make all the weapons, therefore if they had a strong military because of the industrial work they could be a strong world power. Also, Russia needed to modernize it's agriculture because the peasants were still using old, traditional ways to harvest their crops. Harvest season was very short and because they had no modern methods or technology they harvested little crops, which gave them little money and much of the population wasn't able to be fed. Since there would be hungry, low-payed peasants they might revolt, but if Russia modernized its agriculture they could prevent revolting and rebelling.
2. Why was modernization dangerous to the Tsar?
Modernization was dangerous to the Tsar because it would be more difficult for the tsarist regime to rule an industrialized country, it created social tensions between classes, the need for more educated people would make it more likely for them to challenge the government, and the growth of the middle class would call for a more fair government. The Tsar wanted to keep all his power, but if Russia industrialized he wouldn't be able to. The Tsar saw other industrialized countries as an example, which were all had some form of democracies where the citizens had more power than the monarchs, the Tsar didn't want that at all. Also, industrialization created more job opportunities in the cities, which would bring more people from the countryside to the cities. This would create tension because if the cities became overcrowded the working class could think that they could take action. Since industrialized jobs needed more educated people, people would have to get smarter. If people became smarter than they would realize how much they didn't like the Tsarist government and would probably revolt. Lastly, with more educated and working people there would be a larger middle class, therefore the middle class would want political change and the government would be put under pressure by the largest class (the middle class).
3. How did Witte try to build up industry?
Witte tried to build up industry by taking all the resources from the peasants to pay for industrialization. He would do this by taking out huge foreign loans, mostly from the French, and increasing the state taxes and taxes on everyday items. He planned to use the grain from harvests to sell abroad to help pay off the interest on foreign loans and to buy more capital equipment.
4. How successful was Witte's economic policy?
Witte's economic policy was not successful because Russian products couldn't be sold, the peasants were squeezed so much that they didn't have enough money to spend on manufactured goods, and the peasants were pushed to starvation. At this point the peasants were beyond breaking point, and riots erupted everywhere and violence came with it. For example, the homes of landowners were looted and burnt to the ground because of the riots of the peasants.
Modernization was needed in Russia because in order for Russia to be a great power they had to industrialize and they were poor. If Russia industrialized they would have a powerful military because the industries would make all the weapons, therefore if they had a strong military because of the industrial work they could be a strong world power. Also, Russia needed to modernize it's agriculture because the peasants were still using old, traditional ways to harvest their crops. Harvest season was very short and because they had no modern methods or technology they harvested little crops, which gave them little money and much of the population wasn't able to be fed. Since there would be hungry, low-payed peasants they might revolt, but if Russia modernized its agriculture they could prevent revolting and rebelling.
2. Why was modernization dangerous to the Tsar?
Modernization was dangerous to the Tsar because it would be more difficult for the tsarist regime to rule an industrialized country, it created social tensions between classes, the need for more educated people would make it more likely for them to challenge the government, and the growth of the middle class would call for a more fair government. The Tsar wanted to keep all his power, but if Russia industrialized he wouldn't be able to. The Tsar saw other industrialized countries as an example, which were all had some form of democracies where the citizens had more power than the monarchs, the Tsar didn't want that at all. Also, industrialization created more job opportunities in the cities, which would bring more people from the countryside to the cities. This would create tension because if the cities became overcrowded the working class could think that they could take action. Since industrialized jobs needed more educated people, people would have to get smarter. If people became smarter than they would realize how much they didn't like the Tsarist government and would probably revolt. Lastly, with more educated and working people there would be a larger middle class, therefore the middle class would want political change and the government would be put under pressure by the largest class (the middle class).
3. How did Witte try to build up industry?
Witte tried to build up industry by taking all the resources from the peasants to pay for industrialization. He would do this by taking out huge foreign loans, mostly from the French, and increasing the state taxes and taxes on everyday items. He planned to use the grain from harvests to sell abroad to help pay off the interest on foreign loans and to buy more capital equipment.
4. How successful was Witte's economic policy?
Witte's economic policy was not successful because Russian products couldn't be sold, the peasants were squeezed so much that they didn't have enough money to spend on manufactured goods, and the peasants were pushed to starvation. At this point the peasants were beyond breaking point, and riots erupted everywhere and violence came with it. For example, the homes of landowners were looted and burnt to the ground because of the riots of the peasants.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Russia, 1861-1905
1. List the general goals of the:
a. socialists
-wanted to create a classless society where there would be no more exploitation and suffering of the peasants and workers
-to dismantle the capitalists economic system, taking land from the owners and giving it to the state
b. liberal reformers
-based off of Enlightenment
-wanted to rid the problems of Russia and corredct the injustices of the past by using the western constitutional practices
2. List three characteristics of serfs' lives.
-were extremely poor because they lived in a harsh climate, had a short growing season, and had high demands from most landlords
-lasted on average only thirty-five years of age
-shared their housing with chickens and other farm animals
-lived in remote villages that lacked education or communication with the rest of the world
3. List four reforms of Tsar Alexander II.
-abolition of serfdom
-Jury trials and relaxed censorship laws
-loval elected assemblies known as zemstvos, they would adress road maintenance, irrigation, education, and taxation
-try to industrialize Russia with state run industries and expansion of the railroad system
4. Why did the populists go "to the people" in 1873-1874?
The populists went "to the people" in 1873-1874 because they believed that that they could easily persuade the uneducated peasants to join their revolutionary cause and they wanted to build a strong connection wiht the peasants. The peasants made up most of the Russian population and with their support the populists could probably win the revolution.
5. List two consequences of the famine of 1891.
-peasants were very bitter because they were starving and discontented
-because the government tried to hide the famine then finally asked for voluntary aid organizations there became a political and social awakening among educated Russians
6. Why was Karl Marx important to Russian intellectuals?
Karl Marx was important to Russian intellectuals because it explained the social world systematically, offered an explanation for the causes of the famine, and could help Russia become more like Europe. He explained the world systematically by telling in his books that the rest of the world was industrializing, which was making some countries stronger. Also, they were convinced that in the end of all the steps involved in Marxism there would be a classless society and peace. Marxism also just came at the right time, right after the famine, and it coincided with the causes of the famine. Lastly, because Europe was so industrialized and successful, and Marxism promoted industrialization the intellectuals thought that they could be more like Europe if they followed Marxism.
7. What were the Goals and Methods of the following political groups in early twentieth century Russia? (see page 8 of the reading)
a. Liberal Democrats-The goals of the Liberal Democrats were to to evolve into a more Western European system of government. Their moral beliefes were individual liberty and the role of the state protecting the rights of its citizens. They did this by just appealing to the middle class, there were no drastic measures, and support came mostly from the middle class.
b. Socialist Revolutionaries-Socialist Revolutionaries were the most radical because they were like the populist part and used terrorist tactics to gain support and control. Their goals were to socialize all land and transfer it to the communes and replace the monarchy with a democratic republic.
c. Social Democrats-The Social Democrats thought that if Russia was industrialized and became more capitalistic it'd be a perfect country. They focues more on the working class instead of the peasants. The Social Democratic party split into two parties, the bolsheviks and mensheviks. The Bolsheviks were led by Lenin, who wanted to lead the workers into revolution because he believed that that was the only way to have a successful revolution. The mensheviks believed that it had to take time for revolution to occurr and that the west had to have a revolution first because they were the most industrialized.
8. How did Bloody Sunday change people's attitudes toward the Tsar?
Bloody Sunday changed people's attitudes toward the Tsar because when citizens went to bring petitions to the Tsar the secret police and troops fired on the people killing many, and the Tsar did nothing to stop it. Therefore, there were more rallies and more people were shot at, and the Tsar still did nothing. Since the Tsar did nothing to stop the shooting and never accepted or looked at the petitions that were originally made the people lost all belief in him, and believed that the Tsar was not chosen by God and there needed to be a new way of government a revolution.
9. List four reforms in Tsar Nicholas's October Manifesto.
Four refomrs in the October Manifesto include an expansion of civil liberties, a limited monarchy, a legislature elected by universal suffrage, and legalization of trade unions and political parties; which Tsar Nicholas hurridly signed because of all the riots.
a. socialists
-wanted to create a classless society where there would be no more exploitation and suffering of the peasants and workers
-to dismantle the capitalists economic system, taking land from the owners and giving it to the state
b. liberal reformers
-based off of Enlightenment
-wanted to rid the problems of Russia and corredct the injustices of the past by using the western constitutional practices
2. List three characteristics of serfs' lives.
-were extremely poor because they lived in a harsh climate, had a short growing season, and had high demands from most landlords
-lasted on average only thirty-five years of age
-shared their housing with chickens and other farm animals
-lived in remote villages that lacked education or communication with the rest of the world
3. List four reforms of Tsar Alexander II.
-abolition of serfdom
-Jury trials and relaxed censorship laws
-loval elected assemblies known as zemstvos, they would adress road maintenance, irrigation, education, and taxation
-try to industrialize Russia with state run industries and expansion of the railroad system
4. Why did the populists go "to the people" in 1873-1874?
The populists went "to the people" in 1873-1874 because they believed that that they could easily persuade the uneducated peasants to join their revolutionary cause and they wanted to build a strong connection wiht the peasants. The peasants made up most of the Russian population and with their support the populists could probably win the revolution.
5. List two consequences of the famine of 1891.
-peasants were very bitter because they were starving and discontented
-because the government tried to hide the famine then finally asked for voluntary aid organizations there became a political and social awakening among educated Russians
6. Why was Karl Marx important to Russian intellectuals?
Karl Marx was important to Russian intellectuals because it explained the social world systematically, offered an explanation for the causes of the famine, and could help Russia become more like Europe. He explained the world systematically by telling in his books that the rest of the world was industrializing, which was making some countries stronger. Also, they were convinced that in the end of all the steps involved in Marxism there would be a classless society and peace. Marxism also just came at the right time, right after the famine, and it coincided with the causes of the famine. Lastly, because Europe was so industrialized and successful, and Marxism promoted industrialization the intellectuals thought that they could be more like Europe if they followed Marxism.
7. What were the Goals and Methods of the following political groups in early twentieth century Russia? (see page 8 of the reading)
a. Liberal Democrats-The goals of the Liberal Democrats were to to evolve into a more Western European system of government. Their moral beliefes were individual liberty and the role of the state protecting the rights of its citizens. They did this by just appealing to the middle class, there were no drastic measures, and support came mostly from the middle class.
b. Socialist Revolutionaries-Socialist Revolutionaries were the most radical because they were like the populist part and used terrorist tactics to gain support and control. Their goals were to socialize all land and transfer it to the communes and replace the monarchy with a democratic republic.
c. Social Democrats-The Social Democrats thought that if Russia was industrialized and became more capitalistic it'd be a perfect country. They focues more on the working class instead of the peasants. The Social Democratic party split into two parties, the bolsheviks and mensheviks. The Bolsheviks were led by Lenin, who wanted to lead the workers into revolution because he believed that that was the only way to have a successful revolution. The mensheviks believed that it had to take time for revolution to occurr and that the west had to have a revolution first because they were the most industrialized.
8. How did Bloody Sunday change people's attitudes toward the Tsar?
Bloody Sunday changed people's attitudes toward the Tsar because when citizens went to bring petitions to the Tsar the secret police and troops fired on the people killing many, and the Tsar did nothing to stop it. Therefore, there were more rallies and more people were shot at, and the Tsar still did nothing. Since the Tsar did nothing to stop the shooting and never accepted or looked at the petitions that were originally made the people lost all belief in him, and believed that the Tsar was not chosen by God and there needed to be a new way of government a revolution.
9. List four reforms in Tsar Nicholas's October Manifesto.
Four refomrs in the October Manifesto include an expansion of civil liberties, a limited monarchy, a legislature elected by universal suffrage, and legalization of trade unions and political parties; which Tsar Nicholas hurridly signed because of all the riots.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Russia, 1905 to 1914
1. How did Tsar Nicholas II survive the 1905 Revolution?
Tsar Nicholas II survived the 1905 Revolution because his opponents were not united, there was no central leadership, he had been willing to compromis at the critical moment by issuing the October Maifesto, and most of the army remained loyal to him. Since his opponents were not united and the revolution occurred spontaneaously it was not organized enough to keep the revolution moving and powerful enough to overthrow the Tsar. Also, the October Manifesto was a quick way to stop the revolution because it promised to make concessions and the revolutionaries believed that Nicholas II would do this, even though in the end it didn't work out.
2. What was the Tsar's general attitude about the Dumas?
The general attitude of the Tsar about the Dumas was one of negligent. He didn't want the Dumas and didn't care if they didn't work or not. It took four times for a Duma to finally work. Each previous time he stopped their action because he thought that the peasants and others were getting too many rights, such as voting. Also, the Tsar purposefully made the landowners and middle class the majority when there was voting. Finally with the Fourth Duma it was able to last longer because it was more conservative and the Tsar had power of the ministers and the secret police.
3. What specific improvements occcured following the 1905 Revolution?
Some specific improvements that occurred following the 1905 Revolution were the speedy recovery of the government, redemption payments were abolished, and peasants were encouraged to buy their own land. The goverment was able to recover quickly and was still intact, which made it easier to govern and make faster changes. The redemption payments were abolished and peasants were encouraged to buy their own land, which helped to feed the country and the peasants were then against revolutions. There was a sense of comfortability for the peasants, which made them happy and not want to have a revolution.
4. Summarize the 5 major weaknesses of the Tsar's regime.
The first major weakness of the Tsar's regime was the failure of land reforms. Stolypin's, who abolished the redemptions, plan went terribly wrong because the peasants didn't have adequate equipment to sustain the country's living and they were running out of land. Second, there was industrial unrest because there was goldminers riot where 270 of the strikers were killed. This event set off thousands of other strikes for many years. Third, there was government repression, where the secret police would seek out revolutionaries, and the revolutionaries that were caught such as Hebrews were part of the majority of the nation. Therefore, the majority turned against the Tsar and wanted a revolution. Fourth, the revival of the revolutionary parties was a major weakness of the Tsar's regime. This is true because the new revolutionary groups were much more organized and united, which made it easier to start a revolution. Lastly, the royal family was discredited. Tsar Nicholas II was suspected of belonging to the same party that killed Stolypin, and his wife's association and relationship with Rasputin. The public greatly disliked Rasputin because he was always drunk and was known to be with a lot of ladies of the court, basically a bad reputation.
Tsar Nicholas II survived the 1905 Revolution because his opponents were not united, there was no central leadership, he had been willing to compromis at the critical moment by issuing the October Maifesto, and most of the army remained loyal to him. Since his opponents were not united and the revolution occurred spontaneaously it was not organized enough to keep the revolution moving and powerful enough to overthrow the Tsar. Also, the October Manifesto was a quick way to stop the revolution because it promised to make concessions and the revolutionaries believed that Nicholas II would do this, even though in the end it didn't work out.
2. What was the Tsar's general attitude about the Dumas?
The general attitude of the Tsar about the Dumas was one of negligent. He didn't want the Dumas and didn't care if they didn't work or not. It took four times for a Duma to finally work. Each previous time he stopped their action because he thought that the peasants and others were getting too many rights, such as voting. Also, the Tsar purposefully made the landowners and middle class the majority when there was voting. Finally with the Fourth Duma it was able to last longer because it was more conservative and the Tsar had power of the ministers and the secret police.
3. What specific improvements occcured following the 1905 Revolution?
Some specific improvements that occurred following the 1905 Revolution were the speedy recovery of the government, redemption payments were abolished, and peasants were encouraged to buy their own land. The goverment was able to recover quickly and was still intact, which made it easier to govern and make faster changes. The redemption payments were abolished and peasants were encouraged to buy their own land, which helped to feed the country and the peasants were then against revolutions. There was a sense of comfortability for the peasants, which made them happy and not want to have a revolution.
4. Summarize the 5 major weaknesses of the Tsar's regime.
The first major weakness of the Tsar's regime was the failure of land reforms. Stolypin's, who abolished the redemptions, plan went terribly wrong because the peasants didn't have adequate equipment to sustain the country's living and they were running out of land. Second, there was industrial unrest because there was goldminers riot where 270 of the strikers were killed. This event set off thousands of other strikes for many years. Third, there was government repression, where the secret police would seek out revolutionaries, and the revolutionaries that were caught such as Hebrews were part of the majority of the nation. Therefore, the majority turned against the Tsar and wanted a revolution. Fourth, the revival of the revolutionary parties was a major weakness of the Tsar's regime. This is true because the new revolutionary groups were much more organized and united, which made it easier to start a revolution. Lastly, the royal family was discredited. Tsar Nicholas II was suspected of belonging to the same party that killed Stolypin, and his wife's association and relationship with Rasputin. The public greatly disliked Rasputin because he was always drunk and was known to be with a lot of ladies of the court, basically a bad reputation.
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