The Road to the Russian Revolution

1
The Road to the Russian Revolution

• By
• Ms. Valdner Mr. Patten
• Global History II
• Mepham High School

2
The Beginning of the End1861 to 1905
3
The Life of a Serf

• Serfs an agricultural worker in Russia were on
  the bottom rung of the social ladder.
• They worked the land and produced the food for
  the giant country.
• Very harsh life average age of 35.
• Out dated techniques, short growing season, cold
  climate, cruel landlords, resulted in poverty for
  serfs

4
What was life like for the serfs?
5
Tsar Alexander II

• It is better to abolish serfdom from above than
  to await the time when it will begin to abolish
  itself from below.
• -Tsar Alexander II
• to Moscow nobility, March 1856

6
The Tsar Liberator

• Russia was experiencing economic pressure, social
  unrest, and falling behind Western Nations.
• Russias Step for Modernization by
• Alexander II
• Eliminate the system of serfdom
• Jury trials and relaxed censorship laws
• Created zemstvos local elected assemblies to
  address local issues such as taxation and
  education
• Increased industrial production
• Expanded transportation such as the railroad

7
What steps did Alexander II take to modernize
Russia?

• In your opinion, do you think that Alexanders
  reforms were successful? Why or why not?

8
Tsar Alexander III

• Alexander III believed that western ideals were
  incompatible with the very nature of Russian
  character.

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The Tsar Takes a Step Back

• Alexander III (1881-1894) wanted nothing to do
  with reforms.
• Called for a policy known as Russification,
  which attempted to assimilate all non-Russian
  people.
• Rigid censorship was imposed on people.
• Secret police looked for those suspected of
  revolutionary ideas.

10
What steps did Alexander III take to roll back
his fathers reforms in Russia?

• As a result, what feelings do you think arise in
  the people of Russia?

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Karl Marx
The Haves vs. the Have Nots
Struggle Between Social Classes
Workers of the World Unite!
Classless Society
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The Ideas of Karl Marx

• We seized take hold of upon Marxism because we
  were attracted by its economic optimism getting
  better, that Marxism was developing a new
  economy, with new social forces (including the
  lower working class) which would certainly sweep
  away the autocratic regime the tsars rule. With
  the optimism positive feelings of youth we had
  been searching for a formula that offered hope,
  and we found it in Marxism.
• - Nikolai Valentinov

13
In 1891, why did the ideas of Karl Marx appeal to
so many in Russia?
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Difficult Times for Nicholas II

• The tragic aspect of the situation is that the
  Tsar is living in an utter fools paradise,
  thinking that He is as strong and all-powerful as
  before.
• -From the diary of an advisor to the tsar,
• October 1, 1905

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Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)

• Conflict over Manchuria Korea
• Nicholas II thought war with Japan would be easy
• Russia possessed outdated weapons was poorly
  supplied
• Japan modernized (Mejii Restoration)
• Clear defeat for Russia

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How did the war with Japan increase tension in
Russia?
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Bloody Sunday

• January 9, 1905
• I saw these looks of hatred and vengeance on
  literally every face old and young, men and
  women. The revolution had been truly born, and it
  had been born in the very core, in the very
  bowels of the people.
• -Bolshevik Martyn Liadov

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Nicholas II Attempts at Reforms

• The slogan of freedom must become the slogan
  of government activity. There is no other way of
  saving the stateThe advance of human progress is
  unstoppable. The idea of human freedom will
  triumph, if not by way of reform, than by way of
  revolution.
• Count Sergei Witte

• The October Manifesto
• Expanded civil liberties
• A limited monarchy
• Universal suffrage
• Trade union political parties legalized

19
How did Tsar Nicholas II attempt to deal with the
situation in Russia?
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The Rise of Political Groups

• Liberals Favored evolutionary change towards a
  more Western European system of government.
• Two main Liberal parties
• Kadets
• Octobrists

• Socialists They favored a revolutionary remaking
  of Russian society.
• Two main Socialist parties
• Social Democrats
• Social Revolutionaries

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Mensheviks vs. Bolsheviks

• The Mensheviks were Marxists.
• Believed in a patient approach to political
  change.
• Socialism in Russia only after it had been
  achieved in the West.
• The Mensheviks goal was to pave the way for
  revolution by organizing the workers toward class
  awareness

• The Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, were Marxists who
  favored a socialist party that was directed by a
  small elite.
• Only militant revolutionaries could prevail then
  the masses could come into the party.
• Workers needed the Bolshevik leaders to guide
  their work in the street and the factories.

22
Who were the major political groups in Russia
what were their beliefs for the future of Russia?
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We Can No Longer Live Like This

• Russian peasants experienced
• Food shortages
• Rigid social classes
• Corrupt government
• Few factories
• Poverty
• Lack of clothes food

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Men Women stand in line to collect their bread
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What were some of the major problems that a
Russian peasant experienced?

• How could this problems lead to unrest in Russia?

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Russia Enters the World War in August 1914

• Unarmed men had to be sent into the trenches to
  wait till their comrades were killed or wounded
  and their rifles become available
• -Report from a British officer in Russia

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The Effect of War on Russia

• Russia leaves the war in late 1916
• Heavy losses of men
• 3.6 million dead or wounded
• 2.1 prisoner of war
• Weapon shortages
• Increased hunger refugees
• Spending money, but losing the war

28
How did World War I affect Russia?
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The Monarchy Self-Destructs

• Nicholass wife seeks help from Rasputin.
• A peasant holy man semi-literate
• Bragged about control of governmental offices
  church
• Corrupt, received bribes, sexual favors
• He damaged the monarchy

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Who was Rasputin?
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The 1917 Revolution Begins

• Comrades, if we cannot get a loaf of bread for
  ourselves in a righteous way, then we must do
  everything we must go ahead and solve our
  problems by forceComrades, arm yourselves with
  everything possible-bolts, screws, rocks, and go
  out of the factory and start smashing the first
  shops you find.
• -A Striker

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The Revolution of 1917
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Russia Debates Its Future

• A miracle has happened, and we may expect more
  miraclesalmost anything might happen.
• -March 23, 1917 poet Alexander Blok

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What do you think the future holds for Russia?