SEBA Class 9 Elective History Chapter 4 Russian Revolution

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SEBA Class 9 Elective History Chapter 4 Russian Revolution

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Russian Revolution

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS:

(a) Who was Czar, the Liberator? 

Ans. Czar Alexander II came to be known as ‘Czar, the Liberator.’

(b) In which date and year did the ‘Bloody Sunday’ occur?

Ans. The ‘Bloody Sunday’ event occurred on 22nd Jan. 1905.

(c) Who was the Czar of Russia during the World War I? 

Ans. Czar Nicholas II was the Czar of Russia during the First World War.

(d) Who was the Bishop that influenced the last Czar? 

Ans. A Bishop named Rajputin influenced the last Czar, Czar Nicholas II.

(e) Whose reign is called the Augustan Era?

Ans. The reign of Czar Nicholas I is called the Augustan Era. 

(f) In which year the Bolshevik party was formed?

Ans. The Bolshevik party was formed in the year 1903.

(g) Who wrote the ‘Das Capital’? 

Ans. ‘Das Capital’ was written by Karl Marx.

(h) In which year the Russo-Japanese war took place?

Ans. The Russo-Japanese war took place in 1904-1905.

(i) What is Duma?

Ans. The Russian parliament consisting of elected representatives is known as Duma.

(j) Who was in the leadership of the interim government of Russia?

Ans. The leader or the Prime minister of the interim government of Russia in 1917 was Prince George Lvov.

(k) What policy did Lenin adopt for the economic development of Russia?

Ans. Lenin adopted a policy called ‘New Economic policy’ for the economic development of Russia.

2. WRITE SHORT NOTES:

(a)  Edict of Emancipation: The reign of Czar Alexander II is considered to be one of the important periods of Russian history. He is remembered for the abolition of serfdom from Russia in 1861. There were thousands of slaves or serfs who were held along with the land. They were considered a part of the property and sold along with the property. They had no rights of the citizen. They were exploited and oppressed by the rich aristocrats and zamindars. Therefore by a historic edict named ‘Edict of Emancipation’ of 1861, Czar Alexander II freed the serfs from bondage and granted rights of the citizen to them. He arranged to rehabilitate the freed serfs in government lands bought from landed gentry and zamindars. However, the ownership of the land was not granted to them. The edict must be viewed as a turning point in the history of Russia. It freed thousands of serfs who became citizens overnight. It had tremendous social repercussions. Once they were freed from the bonded labour they began to participate actively in the social and political activities of the country. In fact, the freed serfs became one of the pillars of the revolution of 1905 and 1917 in Russia. Therefore the ‘edict of emancipation’ issued by Czar Alexander II in 1861 is a landmark event of great significance in the history of Russia.

(b) Bloody Sunday: Bloody Sunday event refers to an event which happened in Russia on a Sunday on January 22, 1905, when a mass of peaceful workers with their wives and children were fired at St. Petersburg while they were on their way to the Winter palace of the Czar to submit a petition. Thousands were killed and wounded as a result of this firing. Hence, the day came to be known a ‘Bloody Sunday’. The event is a turning point in the history of Russia. It lighted the flame of revolution in Russia. The incident caused widespread riots and reaction all over the country. The revolutionaries destroyed the properties of the landed gentry and the zamindars. Many police officers, government officials and secret agents were killed. The Bloody Sunday event is considered to be a dress rehearsal for the real revolution which occurred in October, 1917.

(c) Czar, the Liberator: The reign of Czar Alexander II is one of the most significant periods of Russian history. He initiated a lot of reforms in the country. Alexander II is remembered for the proclamation of an edict known as ‘Edict of Emancipation’ of 1861 by which he freed thousands of bonded serfs who had no rights of a citizen. They were treated like a piece of property which could be sold along with the property. Therefore, his edict is considered to be a landmark event in Russia. He not only freed them from bonded slavery but also provided government lands for them to settle and cultivate. They were allowed to hold the property given by the government for a period of 49 years during which they could purchase the property by paying the price of the land over the years. During this period, they could not sell it or move to another place. They were placed under the supervision of an agency named ‘Mir. Since Czar Alexander II freed thousands of serfs from bondage by his famous edict of emancipation of 1861, he came to be known as ‘Czar, the Liberator.

(d) Causes of dissidents between the Bolshevik and Menshevik party: One of the major factors that contributed much for the outbreak of Russian Revolution was the emergence of numerous political parties in Russia during the last quarter of the 19th century. In 1883, a Russian named George Plekhanov formed a political party named ‘Russian Social Democratic party’ on the socialistic principles of Karl Marx. However, in 1903 this party’ broke up into two groups named the ‘Menshevik party’ and the ‘Bolshevik party.’ The main reason for this division was the ideological differences between the members of the party. The liberals and the democrats who wanted certain constitutional changes formed the Menshevik party while those who wanted radical reforms including the removal of monarchy and the establishment of the government by the workers came to be known as the Bolsheviks. Though both believed in bringing about socialism in the country, the Bolshevik wanted the establishment of dictatorship of the proletariat while the Menshevik wanted establishment of democratic institutions through peaceful means. The leader of Menshevik party, Alexander Kerensky, was a man of democratic ideals while Lenin, the leader of Bolshevik group, was communist to the core and wanted the establishment of the government of the ‘Soviets’or the workers.

(e) The Communist Manifesto: Karl Marx is considered to be the father of modern communism. He is famous for the publication of two famous books titled ‘The Communist Manifesto’ and ‘Das Capital’. Karl Marx was a German but his revolutionary activities in Germany caused him to be expelled from the country. Therefore, he spent much of his time in Europe particularly in France and England. While in Brussels Karl Marx in association with Frederick Engles published a book named The Communist Manifesto’. The very first line of the book states ‘History of mankind is the history of class struggle’. The book highlights the theory of the class struggle for the possession of economic means. In Karl Marx’s view, economy is the foundation of society and therefore, the struggle between bourgeoisie class or the capitalists and the labour class is inevitable. Therefore, he proposed the establishment of a classless society where everyone gets his share of wealth according to the labour he/she puts in. The book is the gospel of communist principles. The later work ‘Das Capital’ is actually a continuation of his first work, ‘Communist Manifesto.’

S.L No.	CONTENTS
Chapter -1	American War Of Independence
Chapter -2	French Revolution
Chapter -3	Industrial Revolution
Chapter -4	Russian Revolution
Chapter -5	The Revolt Of 1857
Chapter -6	Socio-Political Uprising Of The North-East India

(f) Brest-Litovsk Treaty: The Bolshevik party which had come to power in Russia as a result of the October Revolution wanted immediate withdrawal of Russia from the First World War. More than 10 lakh Russian soldiers had died and over a lakh and half were taken prisoners. Over one crore of Russian soldiers had been despatched for the war. This resulted in acute food shortage in the country as there was not enough men to work in the fields. The Russian people were alarmed at the defeat of the Russian army and blamed it on the inefficient government of Czar Nicholas II. Therefore, the Bolshevik party which came to power in October 1917 immediately negotiated a peace treaty with Germany and signed a peace treaty named Brest- Litovsk on March 3, 1918 withdrawing from the war. However, Russia had to pay a heavy price to buy peace and had surrender to Germany a huge area of territory including Eastern Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia and Esthonia. The treaty was later annulled after the collapse of Germany.

(g) Causes of failure of Kerensky government: After the abdication of power by Czar Nicholas II in March, 1917, an interim government led by Prince George Lvov was constituted. In August, 1917 Prince George Lvov resigned and Alexander Kerensky who was the leader of the Menshevik party became the new prime minister. However, in October, 1917 the government led by Kerensky fell and the Bolsheviks came to power. This is known as the October Revolution. There were several reasons for the failure or for the downfall of Kerensky’s government. Firstly, there was a serious difference of opinion between the two major parties named Mensheviks and the Bolsheviks regarding the continuation of war and reforms required for the country. The Mensheviks who formed the moderate minority under Kerensky favoured liberal democracy and gradual changes in the country. The Bolsheviks led by Lenin wished to have radical reforms and wanted to withdraw from the war. The Mensheviks wanted the continuation of war Thus, a civil war broke out between the Mensheviks and the Bolsheviks. 

The Bolsheviks cried for ‘Peace, Bread and Land.” The second reason for the failure of Kerensky government was the support of the people to the Bolshevik party. The people who were alarmed and shocked at the defeat of the Russian army during the First World War supported the Bolsheviks. They were totally dissatisfied with the autocratic rule of Czar Nicholas II, who was controlled by a notorious priest called Rajputin. Thirdly, the army which wanted the withdrawal from the war also supported the Bolsheviks. They therefore, refused to obey the order of the Kerensky government leading to its downfall.

(h) New Economic policy: The credit of transforming Russia into a major economic power in the world goes to Lenin. After capturing power in 1917, the Bolshevik government led by Lenin withdrew from the First World War. Thereafter he concentrated his attention to the economic transformation of the country. He did not stick to the communist principles but adapted them to the conditions prevailing in Russia. For this Lenin initiated a new policy called ‘New Economic Policy’ (NEP) in 1921 which lasted up to 1928. It totally transformed the face of Russia and made her one of the leading industrialised countries of the world. 

Some of the important aspects of this policy were the following: 

(i) Revenue was to be collected from the peasants instead of crops.

(ii) Sale of surplus production was allowed.

(iii) Right to private trading was permitted.

(iv) Foreign loans were arranged to boost trade. The concept of five-year plan was introduced in Russia in 1928 and it brought a great deal of changes in the economic scenario of the country. As a result of these economic changes initiated by Lenin, Russia came to be recognised as one of the most developed countries of the world. Therefore, it is not wrong to say that Lenin should be considered as the ‘father of modern Russia.’

(i) October Revolution: The fall of monarchy headed Czar Nicholas II in March, 1917 came to be known as the February/ March revolution. After the fall of monarchy an interim government headed by Prince George Lvov was constituted. However he was forced to resign and the Mensheviks headed by Alexander Kerensky came to power in August, 1917. However, the Mensheviks were a minority and the Bolsheviks formed a majority. The Bolshevik party headed by Lenin wanted radical reforms and immediate withdrawal of Russia from First World War. They demanded ‘Peace, Bread and Land’. The vast majority of the people supported the Bolshevik as they promised a better government. The Bolshevik party with the help of the army captured power in October, 1917 from the Menshevik party headed by Alexander Kerensky. The capture of the power by the Bolsheviks in October/November 1917 came to be known as October Revolution as it occurred in the month of October according to the Russian calendar. This event took place on 6th November, 1917 according to the English calendar and so it is also known as November Revolution.

3. ESSAY TYPE QUESTIONS:

(a) Give a short description of the social and political condition of Russia before the Russian Revolution.

Ans. The Russian Revolution is looked upon as the greatest social upheaval since the French Revolution. It was a reaffirmation of principles and ideas given out by the French and the American Revolutions. It is one of those landmark events of world history which even today continue to hold a ‘prime place ‘among the events that have altered the face of the world. The event took place as a result of several causes.

Social cause: Russia remained a backward country in spite of the Europeanisation introduced by Peter the Great and Catherine II. The country did not keep pace with advanced countries like Britain and America. Autocracy, feudalism, illiteracy and ignorance of the masses were the features of Czarist Russia. Nearly seventy per cent of the people were illiterate. The social order in Russia was characterised by a wide gap between the upper and lower classes. The greater portion of the land in Russia was owned by the nobility who also filled up most of the government posts. The lower class, on the other hand, had to be content with extreme poverty, famines and starvation. A vast majority of the lower class was serfs. The serfs were the worse sufferers of the society. They had to render free service to the emperor, aristocrats and the church. They did not own land. They had to suffer all types of oppression in the Russian social system. They were sold along with the property. They could not move from one place to another without prior permission of the owner. 

Thus, majority of the people were in miserable condition. Even when serfdom was abolished in 1861 by Czar Alexander II, the condition of the serfs didn’t improve much. The freed serfs were given government lands and were allowed to settle and cultivate for a period of 49 years. They were placed under an agency named ‘Mir’ which continued to exploit them to maximum. The condition of the workers was no better. Long hours of work, poor wages, lack of facilities and great hazards in the work place made the life of the workers dull and miserable. The various minorities that had settled in Russia over the years were against the attempt to impose the Russian culture and language upon. Thus, there was a lot of social bitterness existing in the Russian society by the beginning of the 20th cent.

Political cause: Another significant cause for the outbreak of the Russian Revolution was the degenerated and the autocratic Czarist regime under Romanov dynastic rule. The Czars were autocrats who did not care much for the welfare of the citizens. They lived in all luxury and comforts while the masses suffered greatly. Even the famous edict of Czar Alexander II named ‘Edict of Emancipation of 1861’ by which the serfs of Russia were freed was not much appreciated by the people as the condition of serfs did not improve much. The freed serfs were placed under a government agency named ‘Mir’ which continued to exploit them as before. People were also alarmed and shocked at the defeat of Russia by Japan, a small country in comparison to that of Russia during the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-05. People felt that defeat was purely due to the inefficient and weak regime led Czar Nicholas II. As a result a wave of anti-czarist feeling spread through the country and many political parties demanded the abolition of monarchy. A rioting of the people broke out in 1905 in which thousands of people were killed and injured. This incident is known as the ‘Bloody Sunday. After this incident the king tried oppressive measure to suppress the anti-czarist movement in the country which only increased people’s anger against the monarchy. By 1914, the Czar Nicholas II came to be controlled by an evil and immoral monk named Rajputin. The decision to join the First World War further created national outburst which eventually led to the downfall of the monarchy during the February March Revolution in 1917.

(b) Assess the internal condition of Russia from the period of 1905 to the Bolshevik Revolution.

Ans. Russian Revolution of 1917 is regarded as one of the major events that have changed the history of the world. The internal condition of Russia from 1905 to 1917 consisted of a series of events which prepared the ground for the final revolution in October, 1917. The first stage consisted of the general outburst against the autocratic and oppressive rule of the czars in 1905 and the second stage consisted of more organised political movement against the czarist rule in 1917.

Revolution of 1905: The defeat of Russia by a small country like Japan during the Russo-Japanese war in 1904-05 was the immediate cause for the revolution of 1905. The Russian people were shocked at the defeat of the mighty Russian forces by a small country like Japan during the war and felt that the defeat was purely due to the inefficiency and corrupt government led Czar Nicholas II. As a result of the war, there was starvation, extreme poverty and terrible economic hardship in the country. Finally, people unable to bear the hardship marched to the palace of the king under the leadership of a priest named Father Gapon. The group wanted to present a petition to the king expressing their grievances. But they were fired upon by the soldiers killing hundreds of them. This event came to be known as ‘Bloody Sunday. The event caused widespread rioting and protests all over the country. All these led to the starting of an anti-czarist movement in the country and ultimately the Czar was forced to make some concessions. Nicholas II promised to create a new parliament known as Duma. He also agreed to grant civil liberties. However, within a short time he broke his promises and began to crush the agitation with brute force. Thousands of revolutionaries were killed or arrested. In this manner, the revolution was suppressed. However, the revolution of 1905 was a great lesson for the people. They learned to organise themselves and fight for their rights. It was only a dress rehearsal for the real revolution which would break out 12 years later.

Revolution of 1917: The anti-czarist feeling continued to rise up under the autocratic rule of Nicholas II. By 1914, Czar Nicholas II came to be controlled by an evil and immoral monk named Rajputin. People’s tolerance of the monarchy had reached a breaking point and this led to what is known as the first part of Russian Revolution named February Revolution. 

(i) February Revolution: The immediate cause for February Revolution of 1917 was the defeat of Russian forces during the First World War. During the first year of the war, it is estimated that nearly 10 lakh Russian soldiers died and over a lakh and half were taken prisoners. The Russian army was defeated in every front. The war caused. immense havoc to the country. As a result of the lack of men to work in the field, agriculture suffered and the Russian economy was in the ruins. Starvation, heavy taxation, rioting, etc. became the order of the day. Meanwhile, several political parties had come up demanding people’s rights and end of the monarchy. The ideas of Karl Marx had spread far and wide and everyone wanted to overthrow the corrupted monarchy. The army also supported the revolutionary movement. In March, the revolutionaries joined together and demanded the abdication of Czar Nicholas 11. Under pressure Czar Nicholas abdicated and an interim government under Prince George Lvov was constituted. However, the interim government headed by Prince Lvov was weak and there was no unanimity among the coalition partners. As a result in August, 1917, Prince George Lvov was forced to resign and Alexander Kerensky became the prime minister of the country. The formation of new government under Prince George Lvov in February, 1917 came to be known as February Revolution as it occurred in the month of February according to the Russian calendar. It is also known as March Revolution as it happened in March according to the English calendar.

(ii) October Revolution: By October, 1917 there were two strong political parties in Russia. These were the Menshevik party led by Alexander Kerensky and the Bolshevik party led by Lenin. The Mensheviks favoured liberal democracy and gradual capture of power while the Bolsheviks wanted radical reforms including the end of monarchy and withdrawal from the war. They cried out ‘Peace, Bread and Land’. In June, 1917 a supreme soviet congress was formed by uniting all the Soviets (workers union) of the country under the leadership of Lenin. Their goal was the establishment of proletarian dictatorship. Lenin the leader of the Bolsheviks soon called for quick internal reforms along with the withdrawal from the war. The declaration satisfied the army and they strongly supported the Bolshevik party’s movement for capturing power. Meanwhile, Kerensky government tried to suppress the anti-government movement and ordered the closure of the offices of the revolutionary press. The army refused to follow the order. They were with the Bolshevik party. On November 6, 1917 the Bolsheviks with the help of the army seized the winter palace of the interim government and captured power. Alexander Kerensky was forced to run away from Russia. Thus the event of capturing power from the Kerensky government in October, 1917 is known as October Revolution as it occurred in October according to the Russian calendar.

(c) Discuss the causes of the Russian Revolution (1917). 

Ans. The Russian Revolution is looked upon as one the greatest events of world history that have altered not only the face of Russia but also that of the whole world. With it emerged a new international movement named communism which brought about a lot of changes in international politics and economy. It is one of those landmark events of World history which even today continue to hold an important place in the history of the world.

(i) Political causes: One of the underlying causes for the outbreak of the Russian Revolution was the degenerated and the autocratic Czarist regime which had become extremely unpopular with the Russian defeat during the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-05. A rioting of the people broke out in 1905 and to pacify the people, Czar agreed to the establishment of an elected national assembly called Duma. But when it met, every reform it proposed was rejected by the Czar which only further heightened the anger against the monarchy. In 1914, the Russian government was under the grip of an irresponsible clique of nobles. Czar Nicholas II came to be controlled by an evil and immoral monk named Rajputin for several years. The degenerated political system resulted in an anti-Czarist movement which eventually led to its overthrow in 1917.

(ii) Economic causes: Although the Russian peasants had been freed from serfdom by Alexander II in 1861, yet their condition was anything but miserable. The freed serfs were placed under an agency named ‘Mir’ which continued to exploit the serfs. The freed serfs did not own land but were only allowed to settle on the land given out by the government for a period of 49 years. Economic hardship, extreme poverty, periodic famines, etc. marked the life of a Russian peasant. The condition of the industrial worker was no better. Long hours of work, poor wages, lack of facilities and great hazards in the work place made the life of the workers dull and miserable. Under the influence of the ideas of Karl Marx, they rose up in labour unions demanding a change of the government.

(iii) Social causes: The social order in Russia was characterised by a wide gap between the upper and lower classes. The greater portion of the land in Russia was owned by the nobility who also filled up most of the government posts. The lower class on the other hand had to be content with extreme poverty, famines and starvation. University and secondary education were monopolised by the higher classes. The attempted Russification of the minorities completely tilted the existing social balance and created social friction everywhere. Hence, the minorities were the first to join the revolutionaries seeking a change of government.

(iv) Intellectual causes: Intellectually, some radical schools of thought fanned the flames of the revolution. Towards the close of the nineteenth century Marxian communism began to gain a powerful hold on the intelligentsia and the working class in Russia. The climate for revolution had already been created particularly due to the writings of radical thinkers such as, Ruskin, Tolstoy, Maxim Gorky, Turgeniv, Dostoievski, etc. They stirred the imagination of young Russians. The communist leaders like Lenin and Leon Trotsky exploited this atmosphere and succeeded in organising the discontented people into an active political movement.

(v) Rise of political parties: One of the principal factors for the outbreak of Bolshevik Russian Revolution was the emergence of political parties which fanned the revolutionary trends of the time. ‘The Association of workers of the North’, ‘Unions of struggle for the Emancipation of the working class’, ‘Russian Social Democratic party’, ‘The Social Revolutionary party ‘etc. were the most prominent among them. However, the parties which played the most significant role in uniting the workers and bringing about an ambient conducive for the revolution were the Bolshevik and Menshevik parties. The emergence of these two parties was the final step towards the revolution.

(vi) Revolution of 1905: The defeat of Russia during the Russo- Japanese war of 1904-05 during the war brought the existing revolutionary trends into the open. This caused riots and disturbances all over the country. The revolutionaries demanded reforms. The workmen struck work. The peaceful demonstration of workers and their families led by Father Gapon to the palace of Czar in St. Petersburg was mercilessly gun- downed precipitating the existing crisis beyond control. This event is known as the ‘Bloody Sunday event’. The revolution of 1905 became a dress rehearsal for the actual revolution which would take place 12 years later.

(vii) Immediate cause: The immediate cause for the revolution was the defeat of Russia during the First World War. Russia was dragged into the war by the autocratic Czar when it was totally unprepared for it. Russians were thoroughly defeated and over 10 lakh Russians died and a lakh and fifty thousand Russians were taken prisoners. The war brought untold misery to the common man. It caused food crisis as there were less men to work in the fields. In many places people took up to the street demanding bread. Soldiers too joined the people in rioting. Under pressure Czar Nicholas abdicated in March, 1917 and an interim government under Prince George Lvov was constituted. However, the coalition government couldn’t bring peace and so in August a new government headed by Alexander Kerensky, the leader of Menshevik party came to power. The abdication of the Czar in February, 1917 came to be known as the February Revolution as the event occurred in the month of February according to the Russian calendar. However within a few months in October, 1917 the Bolshevik party overthrew the government headed by Alexander Kerensky and set up a government by Lenin. This event is known as the October Revolution as it happened in October according to Russian calendar.

(d) Give a short description of the functions of the interim government constituted at the beginning of the revolution.

Ans. The immediate cause for the revolution of 1917 was the defeat of Russian forces during the First World War. During the first year of the war, it is estimated that nearly 10 lakh Russian soldiers died and over a lakh and half were taken prisoners. The Russian army was defeated in every front. The war caused immense havoc to the country. As a result of the lack of men to work in the field, agriculture suffered and the Russian economy was in total ruins. Starvation, heavy taxation, rioting, etc. became the order of the day. Meanwhile several political parties had come up in the country. The ideas of Karl Marx had spread far and wide and everyone wanted to overthrow the corrupted monarchy. The army also supported the revolutionary movement. In March, the revolutionaries joined together and demanded the abdication of Czar Nicholas II. Under pressure, Czar Nicholas abdicated and an interim government was formed under Prince George Lvov. He was assisted by some eminent persons such as Myshukov as foreign minister, Gusgkav as war minister and Alexander Kerensky as Law minister. Prince Lvov was a follower of democracy and has opposed to all radical reforms in the country. However, the interim government headed by Prince Lvov was weak and there was no unanimity among the coalition partners. 

As a result, in August 1917, Prince Lvov was forced to resign and Alexander Kerensky became the prime minister of the country. The formation of new government under Prince George Lvov in February, 1917 came to be known as February Revolution as it occurred in the month of February according to the Russian calendar. It is also known as March Revolution as it happened in March according to the English calendar. The provisional government was recognised by the allied powers as it agreed to continue to take part in the war.

The interim government decided to form a Constituent Assembly on the basis of adult franchise which would plan the future course of action of the government. The new government also granted freedom of association, freedom of press and speech and freedom of religious practice. By another proclamation the interim government lifted the ban on release of convicts and formation of different political parties. The government granted autonomy to Finland and Poland. The new administration decided to support the war with more force and materials.

However, there was no unanimity among the coalition partners of the government regarding the reconstruction programme and the continuance of the war. The army wanted the withdrawal of the force immediately. Meanwhile, due to difference of opinion and policies in April 1917, Myshukov and Gusgkav foreign minister and war minister respectively resigned. Taking advantage of the inefficient government numerous soviet or association of workers were formed all over the country. Through these Soviets the Bolshevik party led by Lenin demanded radical reforms in the country. The cry of ‘peace, bread and land’ began to echo and re-echo all over the country under the influence of Bolsheviks. By July 1917, there were widespread riots, strikes and anti-government feeling in the country. When Prince George Lvov realised that the situation was going out of control he resigned as Prime Minister and Alexander Kerensky, the leader of the Menshevik became the prime minister in August, 1917. Two months later, in October the Bolshevik party under the leadership of Lenin captured power from the hands of the Menshevik party. This event is known as October revolution as it happened in the October according to the Russian calendar.

(e) Discuss the result of the Bolshevik Revolution. 

Ans. The Russian Revolution ought to be considered as one of the most significant events of world history. The event had profound impact upon the later events of the world. It was the world’s first successful socialist revolution.Its example and achievements soon became a beacon for many countries of the world. The Russian Revolution marks the beginning of the internationalisation of communism and Marxian ideology.

(i) Political and constitutional changes: The Russian Revolution completely altered the political face of Russia. It marked the end of Czarist autocracy, domination of aristocracy and the power of the church. Czar Nicholas II was compelled to abdicate and was assassinated by the revolutionaries in 1918. Russia became a republic. A new constitution was framed and proclaimed making Russia a union of Soviet Socialist Republic. The minorities and the different racial groups were absorbed into the national mainstream.

(ii) Social and economic changes: Soon after assuming power Lenin introduced a programme of national reconstruction. The existing social and economic order was abolished. The landlords, industrialists, capitalists, the nobles, the clergy and the bourgeoisie were deprived of their power and privileges. The right to private property was abolished. Religious freedom was taken away. All social distinctions and classifications were done away with. Society was reorganised and all means of production were brought under state control.

(iii) Withdrawal from the First World war: One of the major results of the Russian Revolution was the withdrawal of Russia from the First World war soon after the Bolshevik Revolution. The Bolshevik government headed by Lenin was totally opposed to the war as she gained nothing from the war. Hence he concluded the treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany by which she withdrew from the war.

(iv) Spread of Communism: The Russian Revolution marks the first great victory of Marxian communism and the internationalisation of communism. From Russia it spread to other countries of the world. The Russian Bolsheviks actively supported the formation of communist parties in China, Italy, Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Albania, and Cuba and eventually many of these countries became communist due to the Russian influence.

(v) Russia becomes a super-power: One of the most significant results of the Russian Revolution was that it set Russia on a road to rapid economic, industrial and commercial growth. Her New Economic policy (NEP) transformed her into a gigantic economic power with abundance of capital and resources at her disposal. The Red army was highly mechanised. She became the leader of several East European countries. Her foreign policy since the revolution became very active and came to be accepted as a major factor in the world politics.

(vi) Counter-revolution: After the Bolshevik Revolution in October, 1917, there was an attempt at counter-revolution by the Pro-monarchy elements in Russia. However, the new Bolshevik Govt. headed by Lenin completely wiped out these pro-monarchy elements from the Russian soil in a ruthless manner. As a result the new government under Lenin became totalitarian and authoritarian. All oppositions were mercilessly suppressed. The rise of communist dictatorship under Lenin and Joseph Stalin must be viewed as an off-shoot of this counter-revolution.

(f) Evaluate the role of Lenin in the Bolshevik Revolution. 

Ans. The credit for the success of the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 in Russia goes to Vladimir Illis William popularly known as Lenin. Lenin was born at Sibirisk in the province of Kazan in 1870. His father was an inspector of schools. He became a socialist at the age of 17 particularly after his elder brother was hanged for plotting against the life of Czar Alexander III. Owing to his revolutionary views he was expelled from Russia. He spent most of the period of the exile (1900-1917) in western Europe working for the cause of Social Democratic party of Russia which had been formed by George Plekhanov. During the revolution of 1905, Lenin had been present in Russia for some time. But again, he was expelled from the country due to revolutionary ideas and activities. He returned to Russia at the beginning of the First World War in 1917 and within a few months he became the undisputed leader of the Bolshevik party.

In March 1917, Czar Nicholas II was forced to abdicate and a coalition government headed by Prince George Lvov was constituted. But unfortunately, he couldn’t bring peace to the country and the Mensheviks who were part of the government soon formed a new government under the leadership of Alexander Kerensky in August, 1917. By this time Lenin had returned to Russia from Switzerland where he had been in exile. As soon he came he became the leader of the Petrograd soviet. In June 1917, he united all the soviets to form the supreme Soviet Congress. Thereafter, he declared the establishment of proletarian dictatorship as the goal of the party and called for immediate withdrawal from war. The declaration pleased the army and they supported the various activities of the Bolshevik party. The cry of the Bolshevik now became ‘peace, bread and land’ under the able leadership of Lenin. The general masses infused by the ideals of Karl Marx and communism supported and joined the Soviets. Therefore, when Kerensky demanded the army to close down all the offices of the revolutionary press, the army refused. There was utter chaos and disorder in the country. Under this circumstance, Lenin with the help of the army, seized the winter palace of the interim government and arrested all the ministers. However, Alexander Kerensky managed to escape to America. Soon after capturing power Lenin formed a new government with the help of Petrograd soviet. Within a short time, he captured all the power and led the country from its chaos and disorder. Thus, the credit of organising the October Revolution of 1917 definitely goes to Lenin.

(g) Discuss briefly the life and ideals of Karl Marx.

Ans. Karl Marx is considered to be one of the greatest personalities of the modern times. He is looked upon as one of the few people in the world who have changed the history of the world. Karl Marx was born in a middle class family in Germany. He studied law in Boon and Berlin university. After completing his education he became a socialist. He married a rich German lady named Jenivan-Westphelin. At the age of 24 he edited a radical newspaper. The government of Prussia considered him to be a revolutionary and so exiled him from the country. During his exile he came to France where he came into contact with important socialist leaders of the time. He came very close to Frederick Engles, a German philosopher and a socialist. However, his revolutionary ideas and writing soon came to the notice of the French government. They therefore exiled him from the country in 1845. Karl Marx thereafter came to Brussels and published his first main work named ‘Communist Manifesto’ wherein he highlighted the main principles of socialism. 

The very first line of the book reads ‘History of mankind is the history of class struggle’. The book was actually a combined work of Karl Marx and his associate Frederick Engles. The book was an instant hit and thousands of copies were sold within a short time. Later, Karl Marx returned to Germany and started the communist movement in Germany. A lot of people particularly the youngsters were attracted towards the ideals of Karl Marx. The German government considered him a radical and exiled him again. He came to England and lived there until his death in 1883 While he was in England he wrote another book titled ‘Das Capital which was actually continuation of the first work ‘Communist Manifesto’.

Today Karl Marx is considered to be the father of scientific socialism. He outlined the main principles of communism. He actually did not start any revolution. But soon his ideals and ideals caught the attention of the world. 

Some of the main concepts advocated by Karl Marx are the following:

(i) According to Karl Marx, capitalism is the root cause of all social evils and hence it should be totally abolished.

(ii) In his concept of socialism there is no place for private property. Possession of property brings about class distinctions and class conflict.

(iii) According to Marx, the whole society should have a common control over the means of production. In other words the units of production should be nationalised.

(iv) According to him, capitalism in itself has the seeds of its own destruction. A bigger capitalist will eliminate smaller capitalists by way of competition. 

(v) Economy is the foundation of society. As such class struggle or conflict is inevitable.

(vi) According to Marx, wealth is the fruit of labour. Hence, the main yardstick of wealth is labour. Therefore, the distribution of wealth should be according to the labour one puts in.

(vii) The power must rest with the labour class because they only produce wealth. Therefore, the government must be a government of the workers.

(viii) According to Karl Marx, industrial workers are a force which would destroy capitalism and establish socialism. 

(ix) Capitalism can be rooted out through revolution and by establishing dictatorship of the proletariat or the workers.

(h) Narrate the communist constitution.

Ans. After the abdication of power by Czar Nicholas II, an interim government was formed under the prime minister ship of Prince George Lvov. However, in August, 1917, he was forced to resign and a new government headed by Alexander Kerensky, the leader of the Menshevik party came to power. This new government couldn’t bring peace and order in the country. Finally, in October, 1917 the Bolsheviks led by Lenin captured power. This is known as the October Revolution as it happened in the month of October according to the Russian calendar. After taking over power, Lenin started a series of reforms and reconstruction of the country. One of his first tasks was to frame a suitable constitution for the country. Accordingly the National Congress of Soviets framed a constitution in July 1918 under which the country was called ‘Federal Republic of Soviets of Workers’ and ‘Peasants Delegates’.

The country was to be ruled according to the constitution of 1918. A people’s soviet (association of workers) was to be formed in each town and district. The regional soviet will send representatives to the provincial Soviet. The provincial soviet will elect representatives to the supreme soviet. The final authority of the state was vested, with the supreme Soviet or Congress. This is the party legislature. There will be two houses in the Supreme soviet i.e., The Union and the Nationalities. The Congress will form a central committee and this committee forms a council of people’s commissionars. This is known as the council of ministers and its president is the prime minister. Two-thirds of the total members are to be from the labour class as per the constitution. The Soviets of each state will enact laws in their own state. The Central union will reject those laws which are contrary to the Soviet Union.

The most important agency of the Central committee will be the politburo. They will take the major decisions. The president of the politburo became the Secretary-General. Secretary-general became the highest authority in the country. The control of the state newspaper and the Red army etc. was entrusted to the party. The secret agency dealing with the enemies of the state was CHEKA. About 50 thousand people were issued death sentences by the CHEKA during 1921-1922. The CHEKA was made more powerful in 1922 and was renamed OGPU.

In 1918, the Bolshevik party was renamed as the communist party and then onward the party controlled the affairs of the state. The rules and functions of the government were to be determined by the party. Allegiance to the Marxian principles was a must for membership to the party. The constitution outlined clearly the way the administration was to be organised. All the citizens above 18 years of age could vote. However, the aristocrats, nobles and clergy were not given the right to vote. In 1922, Russia was renamed USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republic).