The Russian Revolution of 1917
The 1917 Russian Revolution: A Turning Point in World History
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- The Russian Revolution of 1917 was the result of social and political conditions in Russia.
- The fall of monarchy in February 1917 and the events of October 1917 are commonly referred to as the Russian Revolution.
- Socialists took over the government through the October Revolution of 1917.
- The social-political situation before the revolution is key to understanding the causes of the revolution.
- The Russian Empire in 1914
- In 1914, Tsar Nicholas II ruled over Russia and its vast empire.
- The empire included territories such as Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, parts of Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Central Asia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.
- The majority religion was Russian Orthodox Christianity, with other religious communities like Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, and Buddhists also present.
- Tsar Nicholas II in the White Hall of the Winter Palace in St Petersburg, as depicted in 1900 by Ernest Lipgart.
Tsar Nicholas II - Tsar Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, whose reign ended with the Russian Revolution, leading to his abdication and eventual execution. - Economy and Society in Russia
- By the early 20th century, about 85% of Russia's population worked in agriculture, higher than in most European countries.
- Major industrial areas were St Petersburg and Moscow, with large factories alongside craft workshops.
- In the 1890s, Russia saw an expansion of industry due to the extended railway network and increased foreign investment.
- Workers were divided by skill and many were linked to their villages or settled in cities. Women made up 31% of factory labor but were paid less than men.
- Strikes were common in the textile and metal industries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, especially in 1896-1897 and 1902.
- In the countryside, peasants, mostly working the land, were frustrated with the landownership system, often demanding the land of nobles be redistributed.
Children in Soviet Russia - After the revolution, the Soviet government aimed to improve the welfare of children, though many still faced hardships during the early years. 
Peasants in Collective Farms - The collectivization of agriculture was a key policy during the revolution, drastically altering the lives of Russian peasants. - Socialism in Russia
- Before 1914, political parties in Russia were illegal. The Russian Social Democratic Workers Party was founded in 1898 but had to operate clandestinely.
- Socialists believed that the Russian peasant's communal landholding practices made them natural socialists, although there were divisions among peasants themselves.
- Lenin, leading the Bolshevik faction, believed peasants were divided and not a unified force for revolution.
- The Socialist Revolutionary Party, formed in 1900, advocated for land redistribution to peasants, but Social Democrats disagreed on the role of peasants in the revolution.
- The party faced divisions in its approach, with Lenin favoring a disciplined party structure in contrast to the more open approach of the Mensheviks.
Lenin Addressing Workers - Lenin's leadership and his speeches were instrumental in rallying workers and soldiers to the cause of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. - The 1905 Revolution
- Russia was an autocracy with no parliament, and the Tsar was not subject to a constitution, which led to widespread demands for change in the early 20th century.
- The 1905 Revolution was sparked by the poor conditions of workers, including the infamous Bloody Sunday incident, where over 100 workers were killed by the police.
- During the revolution, workers and liberals demanded a constitution, leading to the brief creation of a consultative Parliament (Duma), but the Tsar later dissolved it and limited political freedoms.
- The revolution was marked by strikes, university protests, and the formation of worker associations, although these were often declared illegal after 1905.
- The First World War and its Impact on Russia
- In 1914, World War I broke out, and Russia was part of the Allied Powers alongside France and Britain, against the Central Powers of Germany, Austria, and Turkey.
- Initially, the war was popular, and Tsar Nicholas II enjoyed some support, but as the war dragged on, support waned due to his refusal to consult with the Duma and rising anti-German sentiment.
- The war caused severe hardship for Russian civilians, as the economy struggled and casualties mounted, leading to further dissatisfaction with the Tsarist regime.
- The Tsar’s failure to address the crisis and the influence of unpopular figures like Rasputin contributed to the weakening of the autocracy.
- The Imperial Russian army, the largest in the world, eventually switched its loyalty to the revolutionaries, leading to the collapse of Tsarist power.
Map of Europe - The map shows the territorial divisions of Europe during World War I, setting the stage for the Russian Revolution and the collapse of the Tsarist Empire. 
Russian Soldiers - Russian soldiers during World War I were crucial in the events leading up to the revolution, suffering from poor conditions and low morale.
