Marxism, Leninism and Russia’s Revolutions

I. Development of leftwing ideologies in Europe

A. Democracy and market capitalism, 1700s (Age of Enlightenment)1. John Locke (British) on natural rights individual political rights and

freedoms2. Adam Smith (British) on individual economic rights

a. Individual ownership of propertyb. Free market balanced by “law of supply and demand,” competition

B. Socialism/communism (“utopian socialism”), early 1800s(First Industrial Revolution)1. Problem: great economic inequalities of early industrial capitalism2. Solution: equal distribution of wealth through communal/societal

ownership of property3. Robert Owen in Britain and New Harmony, Indiana

C. Marxism (“scientific socialism”), mid-1800s (Second Industrial Revolution)

1. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the German states and Britain2. Class struggle between the bourgeoisie (middle class) and proletariat

(working class)3. Workers’ revolution would overthrow capitalism and establish

socialism

II. Development of leftwing ideologies in Russia

A. Populism/peasant socialism, 1870s1. Peasants as Russia’s revolutionary class (80% of population in 1800s)2. Traditional peasant communal farming basis for socialism in Russia

B. Marxist-Leninism, 1890s (during Russia’s industrialization)1. N. Lenin (Vladimir Ulianov) and the Bolshevik (later Communist)

party 2. Workers’ revolution would be led by a small, elite Marxist party

III. Development of revolution in Russia

A. The Russian empire in 19001. Large multinational land empire (104 nationalities in 1897)

Contrast to West European nation-states with overseas empires2. Autocratic ruler/absolute monarch: the tsar

Western Europe and the U.S. had constitutional monarchs/presidents and universal manhood suffrage

3. Later, slower industrialization: began in the 1890s Second Industrial Revolution began in the 1850s in Western

Europe and the U.S., in the 1870s in Japan

B. Revolution of 19051. Problem: autocracy, defeat in a war with Japan

Workers (1.5%), peasants (80%) and educated society/middle class opposed autocratic rule by the tsar

2. Solution: parliament (Duma), restricted voting rights

C. Two revolutions in 1917