The Russian Revolution of 1917: Birth of the Soviet Union

The Russian Revolution of 1917 and the Creation of the USSR

Causes of the Russian Revolution: Tsarist Empire Crisis

Tsar Nicholas II of Russia

At the dawn of the 20^th century, the Russian Empire faced significant turmoil, driven by widespread dissatisfaction across several levels:

Political Dissatisfaction

• Opposition of Political Parties:
  • Liberal bourgeois parties sought reform.
  • Marxist parties advocated for revolution.
  • Bolsheviks championed the dictatorship of the proletariat.
  • Mensheviks favored collaboration with bourgeois parties.

Economic and Social Disparities

• Marked class differences: extremely poor peasants, a very wealthy nobility, and a small bourgeois class.

Precursors: The 1905 Revolution

• Key events that fueled public discontent:
  • Russo-Japanese War (1904)
  • Bloody Sunday (1905)
  • Rebellion on the Battleship Potemkin (1905)

These events compelled Tsar Nicholas II to implement some minor reforms, aiming to establish certain liberties and rights for workers and peasants. However, these changes proved insufficient.

The Revolutions of 1917

The February Revolution: Causes and Outcomes

Key Causes of the February Revolution

• World War I: Russian soldiers endured significantly worse conditions at the front compared to other nationalities, ultimately leading to Russia's withdrawal.
• Widespread Hunger and Poverty: The Tsar largely neglected the plight of peasants and the general populace.
• Decline of Tsarist Authority: Tsar Nicholas II's prestige plummeted as Russia suffered from misgovernance. Grigori Rasputin, an influential mystic, exerted considerable influence over the royal family, further eroding public trust.

This agonizing situation culminated in widespread protests in February 1917, involving both civilians and members of the army.

Illegal associations of workers and soldiers, known as soviets (one per city), emerged to lead these protests and organize a parallel government. Their primary ideology was Marxism.

Consequently, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated, marking the end of the absolute Tsarist monarchy. It was replaced by a liberal and bourgeois provisional government led by Alexander Kerensky, which aimed to implement significant reforms through non-violent means.

The October Revolution: Bolshevik Seizure of Power

• The reforms initiated by Kerensky's liberal and bourgeois provisional government proved insufficient to resolve the dire social situation facing the Russian people.
• Consequently, the soviets, now under the leadership of radical Marxists, the Bolsheviks, overthrew the provisional government. They installed their leader, Vladimir Lenin, in power, with strong support from the majority of the Russian proletariat and soldiers.
• In 1918, the Bolsheviks formally organized as the Communist Party. They signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (1918), ending Russia's involvement in World War I. The Bolsheviks then implemented profound reforms:
  • The Communist Party drafted a Constitution that transferred large estates to peasants, granted workers control of factories, and nationalized the economy.
  • The soviets were established as the foundational units of the new state.

Key Bolshevik Leaders

• Vladimir Lenin
• Leon Trotsky
• Joseph Stalin

The concept of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat became a reality. The Third International (Comintern) was founded in 1919 to promote global communist revolution.

However, a significant portion of the Russian population, including monarchists, the bourgeoisie, parts of the army, and even some proletariat, disagreed with this revolutionary path and opposed the Communist Party.

This opposition formed the “White Army,” which clashed with the Communist “Red Army” in the devastating Russian Civil War (1918-1921).

Ultimately, the “Red Army” (Communists) decisively defeated the “Whites,” thereby consolidating the Communist revolution.

As a direct consequence, the Communist System was firmly established in Russia in 1922, leading to the birth of a new nation: the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), which existed from 1922 to 1991.

Consequences of the Russian Revolution

Economic Transformation

• State-Controlled Economy: The economy was centrally controlled by the state through a series of Five-Year Plans.
• Collective Property: Lands were collectively owned, managed by agricultural cooperatives and cultivated by salaried peasants.
• State-Directed Industrialization: Industrial development was entirely directed by the state.
  • Large industrial complexes were constructed.
  • Key industries included metallurgical, chemical, and arms production.

Within a few years, the USSR emerged as the world's second major economic and military power.