March Revolution 1917
1917 protests spread through St. Petersbug and the Royal palace is taken over
Czar abdicates Provisional government (Duma) takes control lead by Alexander Kerensky
Provisional government unpopular after decision to stay in WWI
Marx wrote that a communist revolution can only occur in advanced capitalist system. Russia in 1917 had a feudal economy
How could revolution occur there? Through a radical party of intellectuals to lead the workers
Lenin’s revision of Marxism called Marxism-Leninism
1917
Lead by VI Lenin promised “Peace, Land and Bread”
Won support of people (especially peasants)
1918
1918 March the Bolsheviks accepted peace of Brest-Litovsk, ending WWI with Germany.
Reading
collapse of provisional government
Bolshevik forces had no need to storm the gates
Red guards simply stormed in through the back doors didn’t take much pressure speed and easy of Bolshevik’s power surprised everyone
14 people - all left now ruled, the right wing people walked out and protested
5 reasons for the Bolsheviks success failure of previous government to resist, existence of the MRC (the new political band they created), weaknesses of the non Bolsheviks,
The provisional government was considered unworthy to save it had limited strength, many weaknesses (only temporal government)
Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Calendar
Tsarian calendar based on Julian calendar
Gregorian calendar introduced by Pope Gregory in 1582
Russia kept old
1918 - difference of 13 days between 2 calendars
Bolshevik government adopted Gregorian on Jan. 31st 1918
Next day declared Feb. 14th
The Russian Calendar
The Changing Title of the Capital
1st. St. Petersburg (Nicholas II)
2nd. Petrograd (sounded less German 1914)
3rd. Leningrad (In honor of Lenin, 1924)
4th. St. Petersburg (1991)
Tsar: indecisive, weak leader. Didn’t want to let the Duma have more power.
Political System: repressive, often corrupt and