Russia to 1917

The Revolution of 1905

The effects:

• the October Manifesto which granted Freedom of Speech
• a Duma (parliament) - the Duma has limited power, couldn't initiate constitution al change, could be suspended by the Czar
• people were frustrated
• Rasputin damage the reputation of the rotal family
• food shortages

WWI

• cost and inefficeincy of the Russian war effort
• by 1917 over 1, 300, 000 men had been killed in battle
• 1,200,000 wounded
• the getaest domesitc problembetween 1905 and 1917 (continued on after the revolution)
• land reform
• peasant thrist for land
• reality - mobility 130, 000 landowner held 95% of all land, peasentry 80% of the population
• what to do with the land becomes the big question - a question important to pre-industrial nation

The New Governemnt

• the Provisional Government lasted only ten months and fell in November
• fell because of existing parallel government and through a combination of its own weaknesses
• the strength of left-wing opponents, the Bolsheviks
• period between March and November referred to as "dual power", why did they allow their opposition to exist
• Soviets had power without authority, Provisional government has auhtority without power"- PM Love -
• power of Soviets steadily grew, policies such as shutting down the press
• system of elected Soviets base was set throught the factories, the armed forces, the villages, Soviets pressured by electorates
• Lenin disagreed with Soviets: we are not just going to change it a little, we are going to control it

Lenin's April Thesis

• collection of his ideas which were sent out upon his return to Petrograd; he wanted to put an end to the war )that was his message, he thought he had their support) so the message resonated to the people in the cities because they saw the wounded return; no support for the government; Soviet to be the only possible form of government is what Lenin said
• recognition that March revolutiomn was just a means to an end
• transformation to a Soviet Government
• May - setting up the Red Guard (the military army of the Soviet-Bolshevik Party

The New Government (2)

The Bolsheviks / Soviets

Transformation to a Soviet Government (how did they do it?) (1917 May)

• May - Setting up of "red Guard" (the military arm pof the Soviet -- Bolshevik Party)
• June - the Russian congress of Soviets met in Petrograd; most delegates there were Menskeciks - they believed chaneg would come through gradual baby steps; only 105 of 822 were Bolsheviks; vote of confidence passed, basically stating the current government was not legitimate, showing Soviets supported new government
• 1 July Kerensky ordered new Military offensive; people in Petrograd did not like military offensives so there were unpopular demonstrations
• July - Bolsheviks put themselves at the head of the demonstrations; the governent ordered the arrest if Bolsheviks leaders; Trotsky arrested; lenin escaped in a disguise
• Kornilov revolt; Kornilov ordered by Kerensky to Petrograd, he thought this was his man (if you are unstable government you need to watch the military); transfer to the capital to help in the suppression of the Bolsheviks; kerensky suspected that the man he broguht to the caita to suppress the Bolsheviks was actually planning to seize power; branded kornilov a traitor because he was able to put down the coup to easily . . . perhaps a set up; korniloc continued to move troops towards the capitol, resistance came from the red Guard
• September elections for the Soviets in Moscow and Petroguard (dual government); Bolsheviks gain 50 percent of the seats; Trotsky released from prison, elected Trotsky as chairman of the Petrograd Soviet (very popular among the Soviets, could go between the Mensheviks and Bolsheviks)
• Kerensky losing support this whole time and he had no army, the army was not going into Petrograd; he tried to appease liberals and socialists; decided to announce that the elections for the Duma woud take place at the end of November; on the 6 Novemeber groups of the Bolshevik red Guard, aided by Baltic fleet; moved through the city taking over key buildings such as the telephone exchange and police stations; March 7 Kerensky searched for loyal troops but found few; by mid-afternoon the Bolsheviks controlled all of the city except the winter palace; little bloodshed in takeover

Strengths of Bolsheviks

• determination and zeal; effective organization; has a tight structure and discipline of the Vanguard Party; the Red Guards of the Bolshevik Party resisted counter-revolutionaries; party became more popular
• Ruthless Idealogy: the belief in the necessity of violent revolution; dictatorship of the proletariat; dsire for an immediate proletarian revolution

Terms

Legitimacy-the belief that a regime is a proper one, that the government has a right to exercise authority, that its policies will be enforced and followed by its bureaucratic forces, that its policies will be followed by its citizen

Difference between an Authoritarian and Totalitarian regime?

• Authoritarian: non-democratic, decision-making is highly centralized and exclusionary, limited individual freedoms, excessive reliance of violence against political opposition, limited governmental accountability, coercion, one that allows for private dissent, allows individual to think (so long as you openly and publicly profess support of the government
• Totalitarian: non-democratic, a system in whuch citizens are completely subject to control of a governmental authority, it goes beyond the authoritarian system, surveillance, monitoring of civillian activity, indoctornation (to like a creed), makes revolution and attempts at change that much more difficult, makes innovation that much more difficult, perhaps making civil society difficult as well

Are authoritarian and totalitarian regimes legitimate?
Communism (polotical theory) (govt. ideaology)

• belief in the historic inevitability of revolutionary change in the relationships of production
• violent class strugle

Elitist

• dictatorship with a proletariat leadership necessary to achieve revolution and complete socialization
• fundamental supremacy of the party increasing authoritarianism leading to withering away of the state

Russia

• Russia was the most backward of the 19th century major powers
• agricultural not really industrial
• had little industry
• an autocratic government with no constitution
• mainly an illiterate peasant population, church did not educate when government did not either
• Czar Nicholas II (1894-1917)-could be argued that he never wanted the job, but got the job because he was the heirgoverned fatalistically (did not use his power to influence events), little experence in governing, not firm in dealing with increased polotical opposition
• The Liberal Movement: a middle-class party, but because not industrialized there was no middle-class, abolish the regime and emanded liberal constituional regime
• The Social Party Revolutionary:evolve from thhe Land and Liberty Party, prepared to use violence but rather utopian
• The Social Democratic Parety (Mensheviks)-beleived in a mass movement of workers gradually progressing towards a socialist state
• Bolswheviks-led by Lenin, beleived in revolution by a party of elite leading the workers, committed to a vanguard partry

The RFevolution of 1905

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Political Philosophy-Communism

(Always refer to Communism as political PHILOSOPHY)

Vladimir Lenin mixed Marxism with __________and cqlled it the Vanguard of the Proletariat, he considerd himslef the protector of the proletariat, like teachers are rulers in the classroom but do it to "protect" and "help" the students

Marxism vs. Communism

Marxism

• "Marxism" is a perspective, not anyting that has been applied in full, only some ideas or phrases have been applied.
• Marxism emphasizes the idea that social life is based upon "conflicts of interest", there is always a thesis and antithesis.
• The most fundamental conflict is that between the Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat.
• -Lenin had to create both as did Mao Zedong but Mao had it harder because he did not trust the peole in the cities
• Bourgeoisie (definition according to Marx)-those who own and control the means of production
• Proleteriat (definition according to Marx)- those who sell their labor power in the marketplace of Capitalism, the workers
• Class conflict reresents a process whereby chaneg comes about through the opposition of social classes as they pursue what they see to be their collective interests in society.
• Nature:

A. Cooperation: Production for use
B. Subsistence: work and play
C. Alienation: Ownership

Contradiction

• -exploitation: surplus value
• -This was going on in Europe and unless you were part of the bourgeousie you were exploited, labor. If you don't put workers first then you lose.
• -fragmentation: social classes

Conflict

• Dialectic materialism
• -dialectics, thesis, antithesis
• -we're all based on materialism, we like owning things, we enjoy crap
• -materialis: economic basis
• -Locke would suggest materialism is greatest thing because you are invested in society; Marx says no it should all be collective
• -synthesis: Historical Inevitability
• -dynamic chaneg: class struggle
• according to Marx conflict doe snot need to be conflict; until you can get rid of the diff. between haves and have-nots there will always be conflict

Socialism

• A. Public Ownership
• -means of production
• B. Labor Unions
• -formed to keep gov. in check
• C. Governemtn Intervention
• D. Violent Revoluton
• Commuism
• -from each according to his ability, to each accordign to his need
• -Diagram: inner circle is proletariat with arrows pointing to outer circle (Bourgeousie) (greedhead exploiters)

Hobbes

• philosophy based on divine right of king (ex: Pope)

Rousseau

Communism

***These blog entries are my notes I take in a class, I post them right after class, so if they do not always make sense I am very sorry (I write them so they make sense to me), but I post them because I do hope they can help anyone who stumbles upon this blog find what they are looking for. If you think I should and something please tell me and there is probably a good chance I will add it. :)

Check back OFTEN as I will post new info on here almost DAILY. (as I go to my class each day, except on test days)