 Chapter - 2 Socialism in Europe and the

Russian Revolution
 Introduction (the age of social change)
 As studied in first chapter French revolution has created possibilities to bring
dramatically change including equality, fraternity & liberty in Europe.
 However, not everyone was in favor of this change of society. Responses varied
from those who want complete change, or wishes for gradual shift or wanted to
restructure society. These variations give rise to liberals, radicals and
conservatives.
 Liberals:

 Radicals:
 They wanted a nation in which government is based on majority of country’s
population. They were in favor of existence of private property but don’t want
concentration of people in few hands.
 Conservatives:
 They wanted a nation which resists change, but later by 19 th century they opened
their mind to need for change. They also wanted to respect past and brought
change through slow process.
 Industrialization and social change
 New cities of industrialized regions developed, railways expanded; men, women
and children brought to factories.
 Liberal and radical searched solution for housing, sanitation and unemployment
issues.
 Socialization in Europe:
 Socialists in Europe were against private property [because (a) Propertied owns
property that gave employment but only concerned with personal gain and not for
 welfare of others. (b) Some socialization believed in the idea of cooperatives and
others demanded that government must encourage cooperatives.]
 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels added other ideas. Marx argued that industrial
society was ‘Capitalist’, who aimed capital invested in factories and profit was
produced by workers.
 Marx believed that a socialist society would free the workers from capitalism; it
would be a communist society.

 Russian Revolution:
 Fall of monarchy in February 1917 and events of October normally called the
Russian revolution. Tsar Nicholas ruled Russia in 1914.

 Economy and society of Russian empire:

 Almost 85% of Russian were agriculturists and were major exporter of gain.
 Industry was found in pockets mostly located in ST Petersburg in and
 It was set up in 1890s, when Russian railway extended and investment in industry
increased, coal production doubled and iron and steel output quadruped.
 Most industry was private property of industrialist. Government supervise large
factories to ensure minimum wages and number of working hours but factory
inspectors break the rule increasing working hours from 5 hours to 10-12 hours.
 Workers were divided in small groups on the basis of village they came from, and
on the basis of skill also. Women made up 31% of factory labor in 1914 but paid
less than men.

 Working population in Russian was different from other countries in Europe

before 1917:
 Russians had no respect for nobility; nobles got their power through their services
to Tsar, not by local authority.
 Russian peasants wanted land of noble to be given to them. They refused to pay
rent and even murdered landlord.
 They pooled their land periodically and their commune divides it according to their
individual families.
 Socialism in Russia:
 Before 1914, all political parties were illegal. Russian socialist democratic workers
party was founded in 1898 by socialists who respected Marx’s idea.
 Socialist, in 1900 formed socialist revolutionary party who struggled for peasant’s
right and demanded that land belonging to nobles be given to them.
 Social democrats disagreed with socialist revolutionaries about peasants.
 Vladimir Lenin (who led the Bolshevik group) felt that peasants were not one united
group and divided as rich, poor, laborers, capitalist etc.
 Lenin thought that the party should be disciplined and control member and quality
of its members. Others (Mensheviks) thought that party should be open to all.

 The 1905 revolution
 Russian was an autocracy. Tsar was not subject to parliament. Liberals wanted to
end this state of affairs.
 Both, social democrats and socialist revolutionaries demanded a constitution during
the revolution of 1905.
 Bloody Sunday
 In 1904, prices of essential goods rose so quickly that real wages declined by 20%
membership of workers were dismissed at Putilov iron works.
 Industrial action was called for when 4 members of assembly of Russian workers
were dismissed at Putilov iron works.

 Over 1, 10,000 workers in St. Petersburg went on strike demanded for reduction in
working condition.
 This procession of workers led by father Gabon was attacked by police and
Cossacks. Over 100 workers were killed and about 300 wounded. Strikes took
places all over the country.
 People established the union and demanded a constitution assembly.
 Tsar allowed the creation of elected consultative parliament or duma. Due to
political instability, he dismissed 1st duma within 75 days and re-elected second
one.
 The 1st world war and Russian empire
 The First World War broke out between 2 European alliances in 1914 which was
popular initially but later support grew thin. Anti-German sentiments ran high.
 Russian armies lost badly in Germany and Austria between 1914 and 1916. There
were 7 million casualties and 3 refuges in Russian.
 This war adversely affected industries; railway line began to break in 1916. Small
workshops producing essentials were shut down due to labor shortage and as a
result by winters 1916, bread and flour become scarce.
 The February revolution in Petrograd

 Petrograd was given in the winter of 1917. There was heavy food shortage in
workers quarters. Parliamentarians wishing to preserve elected government were
opposed to Tsar’s desire to dissolve duma.
 On 22 February, a lockout took place at a factory followed by a strike next day.
Demonstrating workers crossed from the factory quarters to capital. No political
party organized this movement.
 Government imposed curfew and later suspended the duma. Police headquarter
were ransacked. People raise slogans about bread, better hours and democracy.
Cavalry called out by government to control them.
 Petrograd soviet was formed by soldiers and striking workers on advice of military
commanders, Tsar abdicated soviet and duma leaders formed a provisional
government to run the country.
 Russian’s future was to be decided by a constitution assembly elected through
universal adult suffrage. Petrograd had led the February Revolution that brought
down monarchy in 1917.
 After February (Effects)
 Provisional government influenced army officials, landowners and industrialists,
liberals and socialists worked towards an elected government. Restriction on public
meetings was removed soviets were setup everywhere but system of election was
not followed in common.
 Vladimir tension (Bolshevik leader) returned to Russian and opposed war
according to Lenin’s April theses, he declared war be brought to a close land be
transferred to peasants and banks be nationalized.
 Workers’ movement spread and factory committee were formed which began in
questioning the way industrialists ran their factories. Trade unions increased.
Soldiers’ committees were formed in the army.
 Provisional government saw its power declining and Bolshevik influence grew. It
decided to take measure against this discontent. It resisted attempts by workers to
run factories and arrested leaders.
 Peasants and the Socialist Revolutionary leaders pressed for redistribution of land.
Land committees formed and peasants seized land between July and September
1917.

October Revolution (1917):

 Lenin feared the provisional government would set up a dictatorship. He persuaded

Petrograd soviet and Bolshevik party to agree on socialist seizure of power.
 The uprising began on 24 October. PM Kerenskii had left the city to summon
troops. Military men loyal to government seized the building of two Bolshevik
newspapers.
 Military revolutionary committee ordered to seize government offices and arrest the
ministers in response. The “Aurora” ship shelled the winter palace. Other vessels
took over military points.
 The city was under committee’s control and ministers had surrendered. The
majority of All Russian Congress of soviets approved the Bolshevik action. There
was heavy fighting in Moscow and finally Bolsheviks controlled the Moscow-
Petrograd area.
 After October (Changes/Effects)
 Bolsheviks were opposed to private property. Most industries and banks were
nationalized by 1917. Land was declared social property. Peasants were allowed to
seize the land of the nobility.
 Bolshevik enforced the partition of large houses according to families, banned use
of old titles. New uniform were designed for army and officials. They conducted the
elections to the constituent assembly but failed to gain majority support.
 In 1918, Assembly rejected Bolshevik measures and Lenin dismissed the
assembly. Bolshevik become only party to participate in the election to the all
Russian congress of soviet.
 Russian becomes one party state. Trade unions were kept under party control. The
secret police punished those who criticized Bolsheviks.
 Many young writers and artists rallied to party because it stood for socialism and
change. This led to experiments in arts and architecture but disillusioned because
of censorship encourage by party.
 The Civil War
 Russian army broke when Bolshevik ordered land redistribution. Non-Bolshevik
socialists, liberals and supporters of autocracy condemned the Bolshevik uprising.
During 1918-19, the ‘greens’ (socialist Revolutionaries) and ‘whites’ (pro-Tsarists)
controlled most of Russian empire backed by French, American, British and
Japanese troops.
 Civil war took place between these troops and Bolsheviks. Supporters of private
property among ‘whites’ took steps with peasants who seized land.
 Such actions lead to the loss of support for non –Bolshevik and by 1920,
Bolsheviks controlled most of the Russian empire. They succeeded due to
cooperation with non–Russian nationalism and Muslim jadidists.
 Bolshevik colonists massacred local nationalists in the name of defending socialism
in central Asia. Many were confused about Bolshevik government.
 Most non-Russian nationalities were given political autonomy in Soviet Union
(USSR) combined with unpopular polices that Bolshevik forced the local
government to follow.
 Making a Socialist Society
 Bolshevik permitted peasants to cultivate the land that is socialized. A process of
centralized planning was introduced. Officials assessed working of economy and
set targets for 5 years period and hence 5 year plans were made.
 Government fixed all prices to promote industrial growth leading to economic
growth. Industrial production increased, new factory cities set up, however rapid
construction led to poor working conditions.
 An extended schooling system developed and arrangements were made for factory
workers and peasants. Crèches were established in factories, cheap public health
care was provided, and model living quarters were set up for workers.

 Stalinism and Collectivisation

 Period of planned economy was linked with disasters of collectivisation of
agriculture. Grain supplies affected Stalin, who had the party after Lenin introduced
from emergency measures.

 Speculation has to be stopped and supplies confiscated. Due to shortage of grain,

the decision was taken to collectivise forms. After 1917, land was given to
peasants. As they could not be modernised, land was taken away and established
state controlled large forms.
 Bulk of land and implements were transferred to ownership of collective farms.
Encouraged peasants resisted the authorities and destroyed their livestock. Many
were deported and exiled.
 In spite of collectivisation, production did not increase and devastating famine
occurred when 4 million people died.
 Many criticised production of planned economy and consequences of
collectivisation due to which they were imprisoned being innocent.

 The Global Influence of Russian Revolution and the USSR

 In many countries, communist parties were formed. Many non-Russian from
outside the USSR participated in the conference of people of the east and
Bolshevik founded Comintern (An international union of pro-Bolshevik socialist
parties)
 The USSR had given socialism a global face by the time of 2nd world war. The style
of government in the USSR was not in keeping with ideals of Russian revolution.
 Though its industries and agriculture had developed and poor were being fed, the
essential freedom to its citizen was being denied. It was recognized that social
ideals still enjoyed respect among Russians.
 By 1926, most of Soviet industry
had been restored to 1913 levels of
production. Around 1928, The NEP
(New Economic Policy) gave way to
planned development of industry
and agriculture in Soviet Russia.

The main stands

of government
industrial policy
were:

Rapid Large scale manufacturing

industrialisation machinery dominated the
national economy

To become self sufficient To produce capital

and not to depend on the equipments, chemicals and
capitalist countries other advance products

To achieve and surpass the The needs of defence required

most advanced capitalist the construction of iron and
steel, engineering & armament
countries industries in the inaccessible
areas of the Soviet Union
 This led to the beginning of the
Five Years Plan from 1928

SECOND FIVE YEAR PLAN THIRD FIVE YEAR PLAN

FIRST FIVE YEAR PLAN
(1933-1937) (1938-1941)
(1928-1932)

It placed emphasis It emphasised on It emphasised the

on heavy those heavy production of
industries as well weapons that
industries such as
as communication required supplies
steel, coal, iron, oil system and new from the
and electricity. industries. industries.

Result of the Five Year Plan

:
Production of Soviet Russia Industrial
iron and coal, became growth rate
electric power Germany’s increased
was increased
competition in
and industrial
plants were steel
built. production.
 COLLECTIVISATION

Collectivisation was to mechanise

farming, thereby improving
production and freeing up workers for
the new industrial centres. It was a
process by which farms were
collectivised in order to combine their
tools and resources.

PROBLEMS RELATED TO GRAINS

 Shortage of grains in the  Markets controlled by the
Russian town government but peasants refused to
sell their grains

 Firm emergency measures by  Toured the grain producing areas,

Stalin. He held rich peasants & supervising and enforcing grain
traders responsible and ordered collection and raiding kulaks
for confiscation of grains

But shortages continued...

REASONS FOR SHORTAGES

 the small size of land holdings

 these firms could not be modernised
Therefore, it became necessary to eliminate kulaks.
 So collectivisation

a) forced all the peasants to cultivate in kolkhoz

b) -bulk of land and implements were transferred to the
ownership
. of collective firms
c) the kolkhoz profit was shared

RESULTS
 By 1930, 98%of farms were collective.
 Grain produce became more stable from 1934
 By 1933, no kulaks existed.
 Grain requisition for sale abroad became stable and
regular.
 ACTIVITY 1
Ajay was preparing a project on Stalinism. He took guidance from
somebody. But when he started with his project, he got confused. Help
him to jot down the information under the following categories:

PROBLEMS RELATED TO GRAINS REASONS FOR SHORTAGE

Shortage of grains in the Russian town the small size of land holdings

firms could not be modernised Stalin ordered for confiscation of grains

 ACTIVITY 1 (ANSWER KEY)

PROBLEMS RELATED TO GRAINS REASONS FOR SHORTAGES

Shortage of grains in the Russian town

the small size of land holdings

the small size of land holdings

Stalin ordered for confiscation of
grains
 INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACTIVITY 1
NOTE TO CIET

1. Each box to be in the button format and to move

whenever clicked.
2. Students to click box and place it in the appropriate
chart.
3. On placing the box in the wrong chart, it will bounce
back to its position and TRY AGAIN placard to be
shown.
4. The rightly placed box will be taken to its correct
position in the chart with the voice activation of
APPRECIATION.
5. The answer key to be in the button format and
answers are to be displayed only when this button is
clicked.
 ACTIVITY 2
Choose and fill in the blanks with the correct option:
a) Collectivisation forced all the peasants to cultivate in
____________.
b) The ________ gave way to planned development.
c) The Five Year Plan in Soviet Union begin in _______.
d) Soviet Russia became Germany’s competition in ______ production.
e) The period of Second Five Year Plan was __________.

NEP kolkhoz 1928

1933-1937 steel
 ACTIVITY 2 (ANSWER KEY)
a) Collectivisation forced all the peasants to cultivate in kolkhoz.
b) The NEP gave way to planned development.
c) The Five Year Plan in Soviet Union begin in 1928.
d) Soviet Russia became Germany’s competition in steel production.
e) The period of Second Five Year Plan was 1933-1937.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACTIVITY 2

NOTE TO CIET

1. Students when drag the answer in the right blank, a

smiley to appear with voice activation of appreciation.
2. Students when drag the answer in wrong blank, TRY
AGAIN voice to be activated, and the chosen option will
bounce back to the box.
KEY WORDS

KOLKHOZ Collective farms

KULAKS The name for well to do peasants

COMMUNISM A system of social organisation in which all property is owned

by the community.

USSR Union of Soviet Socialist Republic. Erstwhile Russia.

Collectivisation To consolidate individual landholdings and labour into

collective farms/ industry.

Socialism The means of production, distribution and exchange should be

owned and regulated by the government.

Soviet Council of workers, peasants and soldiers