Revolution+and+Social+Changeal

=Revolution and Social Change=

Cause:
The Russian Revolution was one of the most important events in modern world history. Its impact was evident in both Europe and America. Although the Revolution did not directly spread Communism, it did give various other struggling third world countries an enticing example to follow. Decades later, the philosophy/governmental model would gain new notoriety as Russia, now a full communist state, squared off with the United States in the Cold War. nany case, the two Revolutions of 1917 were broken down into two main parts: the overthrow of the tsarist regime (February Revolution) and the creation of the world?s first Communist state (October Revolution). The causes of these two revolutions encompass Russia?s political, social, and economic situation. Politically, the people of Russia resented the dictatorship of Tsar Nicholas II. The losses that the Russians suffered during World War I further weakened Russia?s view of Nicholas. Socially, the despotic tsarist regime had oppressed the peasant class for centuries. This caused unrest within the lower peasant class causing riots to break out. Economically, widespread inflation and famine in Russia contributed to the revolution. The social causes of the Russian Revolution mainly stemmed from centuries ofoppression towards the lower classes by the Czarist regime and Nicholas's failures in World War I. Roughly 85% of the Russian people were peasants, under harsh oppression from the upper classes and the Czarist regime. **// Serfdom //** is most often associated with the Middle Ages, yet it accurately describes the social situation in Russia under Nicholas: A small class of nobleThe Political aspect of the Russian Revolution is essentially the combination or result of the Social and Economic problems created by the dictatorship of Czar Nicholas II. Since at least 1904, Russia's lower class workers had faced a dire economic situation.landowners controlled a vast number of indentured peasants. In 1861, Czar **// Alexander II of Russia //** **// emancipated these peasants //** not for moral reasons, but because it was preventing Russia from advancing socially. This newfound freedom was of limited use, however, since they now had no land to work. As a result, the government drafted new terms that gave the peasants set amounts of land to cultivate. However, the amount of land they were given was insufficient, thus mass riots broke out. World War I only added to the chaos. The vast demand for factory productionof war supplies and workers caused many more labor riots and strikes. In addition, because more factory workers were needed, peasants moved out of the country and into the cities, which soon became overpopulated, and living conditions rapidly grew worse. Furthermore, as more food was needed for the soldiers, the food supply behind the front grew scarce. By 1917, famine threatened many of the larger cities. Overall, all of the aforementioned contributed to the vast discontent of the Russian citizens, which further motivated the Revolution. Most of them were working 11 hour days. Health and safety provisions were dismal, and wages were falling. There were numerous strikes and protests as time went on. Almost all of these were either ignored by Nicholas or broken up, often in a violent and deadly fashion (see **// Bloody Sunday //** ). His failed attempt at conquest in and around Manchuria was also very unpopular with the people. Some in the educated classes (many educated in the West) of Russia also resented the autocracy of Nicholas. In 1915, things took a critical turn for the worse when Nicholas decided to take direct command of the army, personally overseeing Russia's main warfront and leaving his incapable wife Alexandra in charge of the government. By the end of October 1916, Russia had lost between 1.6 and 1.8 million soldiers, with an addition two million prisoners of war and one million who had gone missing, which likely did little for the army's morale. Mutinies began to occur, and in 1916 reports of fraternizing with the enemy started to circulate. Soldiers went hungry and lacked shoes, munitions, and even weapons. Rampant discontent lowered morale, only to be further undermined by a series of military defeats. Nicholas was blamed, and what little support he had left began to crumble. As this discontent and utter hate of Nicholas grew, the **// State Duma //** (lower class of Russian parliament comprised of landowners, townspeople, industrial workers, and peasants) issued a warning to Nicholas in November 1916 stating that disaster would overtake the country unless a constitutional form of government was put in place. In typical fashion, Nicholas ignored them. As a result, Russia's Czarist regime collapsed a few months later during the February Revolution of 1917. A year later, the Czar and his family were exec uted. Ultimately, Nicholas's inept handling of his country and the War destroyed the Czarist regime and cost him both his rule and his life.

Ideal

Outcome The **Russian Revolution** is the collective term for a series of revolutions in [|Russia] in 1917, which destroyed the [|Tsarist autocracy] and led to the creation of the [|Soviet Union]. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a [|provisional government] in the first revolution of February 1917 (March in the [|Gregorian calendar] ; the older [|Julian calendar] was in use in Russia at the time). In the second revolution, during October, the Provisional Government was removed and replaced with a [|Bolshevik] ( [|Communist] ) government. The [|February Revolution] (March 1917) was a revolution focused around [|Petrograd] (now St. Petersburg). In the chaos, members of the Imperial parliament or [|Duma] assumed control of the country, forming the [|Russian Provisional Government]. The army leadership felt they did not have the means to suppress the revolution and Tsar [|Nicholas II of Russia], the last [|Tsar] of Russia, abdicated. The [|Soviets] (workers' councils), which were led by more radical socialist factions, initially permitted the Provisional Government to rule, but insisted on a prerogative to influence the government and control various militias. The February Revolution took place in the context of heavy military setbacks during the [|First World War], which left much of the army in a state of mutiny. A period of [|dual power] ensued, during which the Provisional Government held state power while the national network of Soviets, led by socialists, had the allegiance of the lower-class citizens and the [|political left]. During this chaotic period there were frequent mutinies and many strikes. When the Provisional Government chose to continue fighting the war with Germany, the Bolsheviks and other socialist factions campaigned for the abandonment of the war effort. The Bolsheviks formed workers militias under their control into the [|Red Guards] (later the [|Red Army] ) over which they exerted substantial control. [|[1]]

Tsar Nicholas II and His Army