The Russian Revolution

History of the Modern World, pages 697-707

We have already learned

that Marx published

his Communist Manifesto

in 1848.

Marx watched the events in Paris 1871 and the commune with

interest. The commune in Paris did not succeed.

But the idea that revolution was needed to overthrow governments

remained a key point of Marxist doctrine.

Marxism should have been just another ‘ism

of the 1800’s.

But Marxism found fertile ground in the Russian state.

A country plagued by deep rooted

societal, social and political difficulties.

Russia was ripe for revolution:

• A previous history of oppression• A rising sense of Pan-Slavism:

Russia has a unique destiny• Local conflicts across the vast

Russian empire.

A brief review:

• Alexander II freed the serfs.

• Alexander was assassinated by the “Peoples Will”

• His son, Alexander III is reactionary: drives revolutionaries and terrorists into exile.

Much of the intelligentsia that is kicked out of Russia will come back with revolutionary ideas.

Many “underground” groups will form.

Russia began to pass through the industrial revolution during this agitated time…but most of the

money came from Europe.

Most of the intelligentsia yearned for an over throw of the

government, so they could skip the problems of Capitalist

Industrial Europe.

They wanted industrializatio

n—but industries

owned by the state, and not by some rich smug factory owner who

exploited his workers.

One of the Intelligentsia was Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924)

Lenin’s brother had

been executed as an auxiliary member of the plot to assassinate

Alexander III.

Because of this, Lenin was

unable to attend law school. He

eventually engaged in

revolutionary activities and was sent to

Europe. He did not return until 1917—the year of the Russian

Revolution

So what did Lenin believe in?

•that the rich abused the poor •that anybody making a profit was abusing everybody else •that everybody was equal •wanted a government that truly represented the people •wanted the overthrow of the Russian government that kept the huge majority of Russian people in misery