CLASS – IX History Chapter-2 The Russian Revolution

General Instructions:
1. The notes need to be copied in the notebook.

2. Write notes in neat and readable handwriting.

3. Divide your History- Political Science notebook (Red colour 200 pages register)
in two halves. Do History work in first half and Political Science work in second
half.

4. Please read the chapter before preparing the Notes.

 The Age Social Change

o Inspired by the French Revolution, new ideas about individual rights and
societal changes, began to be discussed in Europe and Asia.
o At the same time responses to complete societal changes varied in
Europe.
o Three different views/ groups sprouted up- Liberals, Radicals and
Conservatives.
 Liberals
o Tolerance to religions
o Opposed uncontrolled powers of dynastic rulers
o Safeguarded rights of individuals
o They were not democrats as:
i. Believed in voting rights to propertied men
ii. Opposed voting rights to women
 Radicals
o Government based on majority of country’s population
o Opposed privileges of wealthy factory owners and landlords.
o Disliked concentration of wealth in few hands.
o Supported women suffragette movements
 Conservatives
o Earlier opposed the idea of change
o Later accepted some changes
o Believed in preserving and respecting past
o Wanted change but at a slow pace.

 Industrial Society and Social change

o New cities rose with the Industrial Revolution
o Men, women and children worked in factories
o Long working hours with low wages

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 o Low demand led to unemployment
o Rapidly growing towns faced housing and sanitation problems
o Liberals and radicals rallied around these issues and wanted revolutions
 The coming of Socialism to Europe
o Socialism as an idea attracted attention in Europe by mid-19th century
o It opposed private property and supported collective social interests
o They had different visions of future:
i. Some believed in setting up of cooperatives through individual initiative.
ii. While others wanted government to encourage cooperatives to replace
capitalists. This gave birth to the idea of communist society.

 Support for Socialism

o Spread of socialist ideas through Europe led to the formation of Second
International.
o Associations of workers like Social Democratic Party and Labour Party
began to be formed in England and Germany to improve working and
living conditions.
a. Funds too began to be raised to help member workers in difficult times
b. demands for reducing working hours and right to vote.
o Ideas of socialists did shape legislation but they never succeeded in
forming government in Europe.
o Conservatives, liberals and radicals continued to form government.

 The Russian Revolution

It refers to decline of monarchy in February 1917 and led to revolutionary
events in October 1917.

 The Russian Empire in 1914

o Tsar Nicholas II ruled Russia along with present-day Finland, Latvia,
Lithuania, Estonia, parts of Poland, Ukraine and Belarus.
o It further stretched to present-day Central Asia, Georgia, Armenia and
Azerbaijan.
o Russian Orthodox Christianity along with Catholics, Protestants, Muslims
and Buddhists comprised the major religions.

 Socialism in Russia
o 85% of the Russian economy was sustained by agriculture
o Industries were very few
o In 1890s, with the expansion of Russian rail network foreign investment in
industries increased.

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 o Industries were privately owned. Large factories were under government
supervision.
o Still factory rules were broken in craft units and small workshops
o Workers too were divided by skill as a social group.
o For instance, metal workers were considered as aristocrats as they were
more trained and skilled.
o Despite divisions, workers were united about dismissals and work
conditions.
o Peasants were the next social group who cultivated land owned by
nobility, crown and Orthodox Church.
o Peasants were divided along religious lines but united against nobility.
o Peasant community was called commune (Mir)
o They pooled their land together and later divided it in the basis of needs of
individual family.

 Socialism in Russia
o Before 1914, all political parties were illegal in Russia.
o The Russian Social Democratic Workers Party formed in 1898 operated
secretly with its newspapers and mobilized workers.
o Russian peasants, in the eyes of Russian Socialist were to be the main
force of revolution.
o Socialists in the countryside formed the Socialist were to be the main force
of revolution.
o Socialists in the countryside formed the Socialist Revolutionary Party in
1900 pressing the peasant’s rights and demanded land from nobles to be
given to peasants.
o Social democrats differed from Socialist Revolutionaries.
o Lenin, a Social Democrat, wanted disciplined party with quality members.
He led the Bolshevik group.
o Mensheviks wanted party to be opened to all.

 The 1905 Revolution

o The Russians followed autocracy where Tsar was not responsible to the
Parliament.
o Liberals wanted to end this state of affairs. They joined hands with Social
Democrats and Socialist Revolutionaries and demanded a constitution.
o Year 1904 was the worst for Russian workers.
o Prices of essential goods increased with decline in wages
o Workers were dismissed that called for industrial action.

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 o Strikes demanding reduction of working hours, increase in wages and
improvement in working conditions.
o Workers led by Father Gapon were attacked by police killing hundreds.
This came to be known as bloody Sunday and started the 1905
Revolution.
o There were countrywide strikes, students’ walkouts.
o Under widespread revolution, Tsar allowed creation of an elected
consultative Parliament or Duma.
o Political activities were restricted by Tsar, suspended first Duma and
installed conservative backed second Duma.
o Liberals and revolutionaries were kept out.

 The First World War and the Russian Empire

o The First World War began in 1914 between Central Powers (Germany,
Austria and Turkey) and France, Britain and Russia (later joined by Italy
and Romania).
o Tsar Nicholas II without consulting Duma had become a part of the war.
o Russia suffered shocking defeats along with heavy casualties.
o Economy was badly hit with cut off supplies and breaking of industrial
equipment’s.
o Labour shortage, shut down small workshops.
o People faced scarcity of bread and flour.

 The February Revolution in Petrograd

o Winter of 1917 made the conditions in the capital worse with food shortage
in workers quarters.
o Workers staged a protest against factory lockout with strikes joined by
women. This event marked the International women’s Day.
o Cavalry and police were called to restrict demonstrators.
o Duma was suspended. Demonstrators ransacked police Headquarter and
raised slogans. Cavalry refused to fire on demonstrators. Many regiments
joined striking workers.
o Formation of ‘Soviet’.
o A Provincial government was formed, constituent assembly elected by
universal adult suffrage.
o Monarchy was finally brought down in 1917.

 After February
o Process for an elected government, restrictions on public meetings and
associations lifted.

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 o Lenin returned from exile in 1917.
o Release of Lenin’s April Theses.
o Bolshevik Party renamed Communist Party.
o Within Bolsheviks, leaders differed on the issue of Revolution.
o Worker’s movement began, trade unions grew.
o Seeing its power and influence reduced, provincial government took stern
steps to curb Bolsheviks.
o In rural areas, peasants, influenced by socialist revolutionaries seized
land.

 October Revolution 1917

o Intense conflict between the Provisional Government and Bolsheviks grew.
o Fearing the setting up of dictatorship by Provisional Government Lenin
thought of an uprising.
o Secret plan of action was devised for seizing power.
o The uprising began on 24 October 1917 with both the sides trying to
consolidate power.
o It ended with All Russian Congress of Soviets in Petrograd approving the
Bolshevik action.
o Amidst heavy fighting in other cities, Bolsheviks took hold of Moscow and
Petrograd by December.

 What changed after October

o Private property was opposed.
o Industries and banks were nationalized.
o Land was declared social property.
o Large houses partitioned as per family requirement.
o Old titles of aristocracy banned.
o Bolshevik Party renamed as the Russian Communist Party.
o Lenin dismissed the Assembly after failing to gain majority support in
elections to constituent assembly.
o Russia became one party state.
o Trade unions were kept under vigilance.
o Those who criticized Bolsheviks were punished by secret police Cheka.
o Many Bolshevik followers became disillusioned by the way the party
functioned.

 The Civil War

o Land redistribution policy of Bolsheviks created chaos.

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 o Soldiers wished to return home to get land. Non-Bolsheviks, liberals and
supporters of autocracy gave tough time to Bolsheviks.
o Growth of socialism in Russia began to be feared by the French, the
Americans, the British and the Japanese.
o Bolsheviks with the support of non-Russian nationalists and jadidists tried
to consolidate power.
o Confusion over Bolshevik policies began to spread.
o Amidst this civil war, Bolsheviks created Soviet Union (USSR) in
December 1922.

 Making a Socialist Society

o Centralized planning was introduced with the introduction of five years
plans.
o Economic growth began with increased industrial production.
o Life of people was full of hardships with poor working conditions.
o Schooling system was modified: Factory workers and peasants could also
enter universities. Creches for factory worker children were set up, public
healthcare was taken care of and model living quarters were set up for
workers.

 Stalinism and Collectivisation

o Planned economy brought with it some disasters. One such disaster was
collectivization of agriculture.
o Russia faced acute shortage of food grains. Government proposed to fix
prices which the peasants refused to abide with.
o Stalin targeted rich peasants and traders in rural areas who supposedly
hoard stocks for getting high prices.
o Collective farming (kolkhoz) was introduced and state-controlled large
farms were established.
o Profit was shared among peasants.
o Many who resisted collectivization were severely punished, deported and
exiled.
o Collectivization showed no increase in production. On the other hand, bad
harvest led to severe famine in Soviet History.
o Criticism within the party increased.
o Many were forced to make for false confessions. They faced torture and
executions.

 The Global Influence of the Russian and the USSR

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 o Thought Bolsheviks were criticized the way they worked. They were
popular across the world.
o Communist parties began to be formed around the world and many
flocked to USSR to receive education in Communist Universities.
o Socialism received a global presence and admiration.
o No doubt USSR became a great with developed industries and agriculture,
but basic freedom for its people was absent.
o Development was carried out with repression.
o Socialist ideas were rethought around the world.

EXTRA NOTES

1. Private property was the root cause of all the evils in society according to
Socialism.
2. Tsar Nicholas II was the ruler of Russia at the start of World War I.
3. During 19th century Liberals opposed to Universal Adult Franchise. They felt
men of property should have right to vote. They also didn’t want right to vote
for women.
4. Abdication of Tsar Nicholas II was the most significant result of February
Revolution.
5. Liberals and radicals during 19th century was different on the issues of
property and privileges. Many radicals supported women suffrages
movement.
6. Karl Marx and Fried Rich Engels were important socialist of the 19th century.
7. The Russian secret police under Bolsheviks rule was referred as ‘Cheka’.
8. The event of ‘Bloody Sunday’ was later on called as 1905 revolution.
9. Robert Owen has sought to build a cooperative community called ‘New
Harmony’.
10. Russian Socialist Democratic Workers party was founded in 1898.
11. Russian orthodox Christianity was followed by most people in Russia.
12. The period of Civil War in Russia was 1918-1920.
13. Vladimir Lenin led to Bolshevik in Russia after the division of Socialist
Revolutionary party.
14. In Russia the Commune of farmer was known as ‘Mir’.
15. Lenin launched the slogan ‘Peace, land and Bread’ in the context of Russia.
16. ‘Kolkhoz’ was the collective farm in Russia.
17. In Russia’s civil war Bolsheviks were represented by red and Democrats were
represented by green colour.
18. Italian nationalist Giuseppe Mazzini fought for Nationalism in Italy after 1815.

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19. ‘Second International’ was the body formed in Paris in 1889. To coordinate
the efforts of Socialist all over Europe.
20. Labour party was formed in Britain in 1905 by Socialist and trade unionists.
21. St. Petersburg and Moscow were the prominent industrial areas of Russia.
22. The Jadadists were Muslim reformer with Russia empire and wanted
modernized Islam.
23. During 1905 revolution lawyers, Doctors, Engineers and other middle-class
workers established a minor and demanded constituent assembly.
24. ‘Aurora’ was the ship that protected Winter Palace during October Revolution.
25. Bolsheviks party was renamed as ‘Russian Communist Party’.
26. After the First World War, Communist International was organized in 1919 on
the lines of first and second International in Moscow. Its main objective was to
establish unity among the workers of the world, to fix their working hours,
working conditions etc.
27. Effects of Russian Revolution on Russia are-
i) Put an end to Autocratic Tsarist rule.
ii) Led to establishment of world’s first Communist/Socialist party.
iii) Nationalization of all industries, private banks, mines railways, land.
iv) Planned economic development started at the time of Stalin.
v) Planned economy soon turned the USSR into a powerful industrial
region.
vi) After Second World War USSR had given Socialism a Global face.
28. In Khiva in Central Asia, Bolshevik colonists brutally massacred local
nationalists in the name of defending Socialism.
29. Important Indian political leader influenced by Socialism was Jawaharlal
Nehru.
30. Kerenski was the Prime Minister during the time of Provisional Government.
31. Cheka the secret police was later called as ‘OGPU’ and ‘NKVD’
TIMELINE
1. 1850-1880- Debates over socialism were going on in Russia.
2. 1898- Formation of Russian Social Democratic workers Party.
3. 1905- The Bloody Sunday or Revolution of 1905.
4. 22-27 feb,1917- February revolution.
5. 2nd March 1917- Tsar abdicated the throne of Russia.
6. April, 1917- Lenin returned to Russia from exile and declared ‘April Thesis’.
7. 24th Oct, 1917- Bolshevik uprising in Petrograd.
8. 3rd march 1918 Russia withdrew from the first World War after signing Treaty
of Burst-Litovsk.
9. 1918-1920- Civil War broke out in Russia, won by Bolsheviks.
10. 1919- Formation of Commintern.
11. 1929- Beginning of Collectivisation programme.

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