Class 9 History Chapter 2 Notes
Socialism in Europe and the Russian Revolution
The French Revolution had a great impact on the world and brought about a dramatic change in the way in which society was formed. Before the 18th century, society was broadly divided into estate and orders. Economic and social power were controlled by the church and the aristocracy. Suddenly, after the revolution, it seemed possible to change this. New ideas about the individual rights and who controlled the social power began to be discussed in Europe, Asia and many part of the world.
The Age of Social change
After French Revolution many social and political changes took place all over Europe. Although not everyone in Europe wanted a complete Transformation of society.
People were kind of three types
a. Liberal -
Liberal were the kind of people believed in change of society. They wanted a nation, which tolerate all religion.
They opposed unrestricted absolute power of the monarch. They argued for a representative, elected parliamentary government.
They also favoured a well- trained Independent judiciary.
But these liberals were not Democrats and they did not favour Universal adult Franchise. They wished voting rights to be restricted to men of property.
b. Radicals -
Radicals wanted a nation in which government was based on the majority of a country's population.
They supported women's right to vote. They were against the privileges of propertied class. Although they were not against private property but disliked the concentration of it in the hand of few.
c. Conservatives -
Conservatives were those who were in support of radicals and liberals.
Although they were not in favour of any changes but French revolution open theis mind to the need for changes.
By 19th century, conservatives accepted that some changes was inevitable that the past had to be respected.
Industrial Society and Social Change
This was the period of economical and social change.
Men women and children were driven into industrial facilities for low wages.
Revolutionaries who were processing plant proprietors felt that laborers' work should be encouraged.
Coming up Socialism in Europe
Socialist Opposed Private property and claimed that it is the root of all social evils.
They believed that the rich class of the society only concern with their personal gain and they are not cared for the welfare of the lower class people who made the property productive.
So they suggested that instead of individuals control, property should be controlled collectively.
Robert Owen sought to build a cooperative community called New Harmony in Indiana (USA).
French socialist Louis Blanc wanted the government to encourage cooperative and replace capitalist enterprises.
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels were two famous socialism who opposed capitalist society.
Karl Marx in his famous book 'Das Kapital' raised voice for the Industrial labourers who were not get their share of profit comparison to their contribution.
He wanted production units should be nationalised.
Friedrich Engels joined Karl Marx to establish dictatorship of Proletariat.
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels argued that industrial society was capitalist. Marx believed that to be free the workers themselves from capitalist exploitation, workers had to construct a radically society where all property would socially controlled.
Support for Socialism
By the mid 19th century, 1870's socialist ideas spread to every corner of Europe. Socialist formed an International body namely - 'The second International'.
Similar Association being formed in other part of the world.
In Germany ' Social Democratic Party ' ( SDP)Formed.
In England ' Labour Party' was formed in 1905.
' Socialist Party ' was formed In France.
However till 1914 Socialist never succeeded to forming Government in Europe.
Russian Empire in 1914
In 1914, Russia was controlled by Tsar Nicholas II and its territory. The Russian Empire included current-day Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, portions of Poland, Ukraine and Belarus, extending to the Pacific and contained the present Central Asian states, just as Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Larger part of the populace was Russian Orthodox Christianity.
Russian Revolution Causes
Economy and society - In Russia 85% of total population were depend on Agriculture at the beginning of 20th century.
The numbers of Industry was very less or found in pockets. Industries only found in St. Petersburg and Moscow.
In 1890s , a numbers of factories were established due to expansion of railway network which doubled coal production and iron and steel output quadrupled.
Most of the Industries were owned by private Individuals. In craft units and small workshop working hours were 15 hours. Government supervised large factories to ensure limited working hours of 12 hours and minimum wages.
Workers were divided by skills - Metal workers of St. Petersburg considered themselves aristocrats among workers.
Women made of 31% of total workforce in factories by 1914.
Russian Peasants stand different from other European countries. Peasants were deeply religious. They refused to pay rent and sometimes murdered landlords. In 1902 these incidents took place in a large scale. Later it spread to all over Russia by 1905.
Socialism In Russia
- All Political parties were illegal in Russia before 1914.
- In 1898 ' The Russian Social Democratic Workers Party ' was founded by Socialists who believed in Marxian Ideas. It had to operate as an illegal organisation Because of government policies.
- In 1900 ' The Socialist Revolutionary Party ' who struggled for peasant's right , demanded land from nobles .
The Social Democratic Party later divided as Bolsheviks and Menshviks .
Bolsheviks
Bolsheviks was the majority group of Russian Social Democratic workers party led by Vladimir Lenin.
Bolsheviks believed in Marx's and Friedrich Engels ideology of Revolutionary method.
Bolshevik Party changed its name to ' The Russian Communist Party' after the October revolution.
The Bolsheviks changed the Structure of Russian society brought out successful revolution in Russia in 1917.
Menshviks
Menshviks were the minority group of Russian Social Democratic workers Party formed in 1898. They supported a Parliamentary model of Government.
They wanted parties like that of Britain and France
Unstable Situation : The 1905 Revolution
In the beginning of 20th century that is before 1905 autocrat Tsars were ruling over Russia , they were not under any Parliamentary system.
In 1904 Russian workers were in a bad situation. The price of essential things rose and real wage declined.
Membership of workers dismissed at Putilov Iron work.
Over 110000 workers in St Petersburg went on strike. They demanded to reduce the working hours , increase in wages and improved working conditions.
Bloody Sunday
In 1905 Procession of workers led by Father Gapon, arrived at Winter Palace to present a petition. But it was attacked by Police force. In this incident 100 workers were killed and 300 wounded. This incident is known as Bloody Sunday. This tragic incident gave birth to numbers of events that came to know as The Russian Revolution of 1905.
The Bloody Sunday brought out the following effects In Russia
1. Strikes were organised.
2. Doctors, lawyers, engineers and other middle class workers established Union and demanded a Constituent Assembly.
3. Russian Tsar created a Parliament called Duma In 1905.
4. After 1905 all the political activities by factory unions declared Illegal and restrictions were Imposed.
With in the 75 days of creation Tsar dismissed the First Duma and re- elected The Second Duma within 3 months.
Tsar changed the voting laws and packed the third Duma with conservative politicians, keeping out liberals and revolutionaries.
FIRST WORLD WAR AND THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE
First world War - First world war fought between two European alliances. In one side there were Germany, Austria and Turkey formed the Central power and another side there were - France, Britain, and Russia ( Italy and Romania joined later)
First World war took place on ( 28 July 1914 to 11 Nov 1918) .
In the beginning of the war it was very popular and supported by Russian people.
Tsar Nicholas II was ruling over Russia during the time of War. Tsar decided to take the command of the Russian army into his hand. Anti- German sentiments increased.
With the courses of time people's support gradually declined.
Russian armies lost badly in Germany and Austria between 1914 to 1916.
1917 resulted 7 million casualties. Defeat demoralised Russian army and they refused to fight such war.
Impact of World war I on Russia
The war of 1914 had severely affected Industries in Russia which were less in numbers.
Due to war railway lines broke down and the country was cut off from other supplier of industrial goods.
Physically strong people recruited in wars.
Acute labour shortage found in small workshops.
Large number of food grains were send to feed the vast army.
Food scarcity led to riot in bread shops.
February Revolution in Petrograd
In 1917 winter the situation of Petrograd( Capital) was awful due to food shortage in workers Quarters.
Workers were living on the right bank of river Niva. While Fashionable Palaces and official buildings were located on the right bank of river Neva.
On 22nd February on the right river bank a factory lockout. The next day fifty factories called a strike. In many factories women led the way to strike on 23rd February 1917 . This day came to be known as International Women's Day.
The Tsar desired to dissolve the Duma and the parliamentarians opposed to Tsar's desire. The Duma was finally dissolved on Sunday, 25th February.
Workers demonstrated on the roads, giving slogans about bread,wages, and democracy.
The Government called out the cavalry to control the situation, however they refused to fire on the demonstrators.
Soldiers and striking laborers assembled to frame a 'soviet' or 'board' in a similar structure as the Duma met and it is named as the Petrograd Soviet.
Soviet leaders and Duma leaders framed a Provisional Government to run the country.
Russia's future would be taken by a constituent assembly, chosen based on Universal adult suffrage.
Petrograd soviet had driven the February Revolution that thrown out the monarchy in February 1917.
After February
In newly formed Provisional government the army officials, industrialist and landowners were powerful. But the liberals and socialist were under the elected government.
As Restrictions on Public meeting and associations withdrawn like Petrograd soviet several Soviets were set up everywhere.
Vladimir Lenin returned back to Russia from his exile in April 1917.He gave his ' April Thesis and demanded - i) The war to be brought to a close.
ii) Land to be transfer to the peasants.
iii) Banks to be Nationalist.
In order to introduce new radical aims of Bolshevik party Lenin renamed it to 'Communist Party'.
By June, the power of the Provisional Government reduced and the influence of Bolsheviks expanded.
In the country side peasants with the help of socialist Revolutionary leaders sought for redistribution of land. Land committee were formed and peasants seized land between July and September 1917.
The October Revolution Of 1917
The quarrel between the Provisional government and the Bolsheviks increased.
Bolsheviks supporters in the army, Soviets and factories United.
Lenin convinced the Petrograd Soviet and agreed to a socialist seizure of power on 16th October 1917.
Under the leadership of Leon Trotskii a military revolutionary committee was appointed.
The revolt began on 24th October. Prime minister Kerenskii had left the city.
While the Provisional government troops tried to protect winter Palace But the Military revolutionary committee ordered it's supporters to seize government offices and arrest ministers.
The Ship ' Aurora' bombed (attacked) the winter palace.
Bolsheviks action was accepted by The All Russian Congress of Soviets. By December 1917 the Bolsheviks controlled the Moscow-Petrograd area.
What changed After October?
1. Bolsheviks Party changed into Russian Communist Party.
2. Land was declared as social property.
3. New uniforms were designed for the army and officials and Famous Soviet Cap ( budeonovka) was designed.
In November 1917 constituent Assembly Bolsheviks failed to get support. In 1918 Lenin dismissed the assembly because assembly refused Bolsheviks measures.
Bolsheviks signed a treaty with Germany at Brest Litovsk.
CIVIL WAR
A Civil war is fought between The Bolsheviks ( the red) in one side and the Pro- Tsarist ( the white)and socialist revolutionaries (the green) in 1918 - 1919.
In the process of civil war the Bolsheviks helped by the non-Russian people and Muslim Jadidists and took the control of former Russian empire by 1920.
They were given political autonomy in the USSR created by the Bolsheviks in 1922.
Stalinism and Collectivisation
Joshep Stalin became the leader of Soviet Communist Party after the death of Lenin in January 1924.
Stalian Policy
By 1924- 1928 , the towns in Russia were facing acute problem of grain supplies.
In 1928 survey was conducted by party members.
After 1929 , the Communist party forced the peasants to cultivate in collective lands.
Those who opposed to this they got punished by the government. They were forced to remove from one's own country ( Deported) or to Exiled (forced to live away from own country)
Large numbers of peasants did not liked to work in collective land showing different reasons. So Stalin government allowed few to cultivate in independent land. But the production did not increased immediately.
Bad harvest of 1930-33 brought about 4 billion death.
Global Influence of Russian Revolution
i. The Bolsheviks ideas inspired many colonies.
ii. By the time of the outbreak of the second World War, the USSR had given socialism as a global face.
Conclusion
After 1950s the style of government in the USSR changed. It's industry and agriculture had developed . It had denied the essential freedoms to it's citizens and carried out it's developmental projects through repressive policies. By the end of 20th century, the international reputation of the USSR as a socialist country had declined, though it was recognised that socialist were still enjoyed respect among its people.
_______________________
