THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

Submitted By –
Ishika Chetry
UID – SF0121025
Saranga Koushik Phukon
UID – SM0121054

Faculty In Charge-
Dr. M. Mustaque Alish Aijaja

National Law University and Judicial Academy

Guwahati, Assam

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

INTRODUCTION 2

RESEARCH QUESTIONS 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 4

RUSSIAN REVOLUTION 4

SERIES OF EVENTS 4
Revolution of 1905( Bloody Sunday) 4
World War I- 1914 6
Revolution of 1917 7
Phase 1 (February Revolution) 7
Phase 2 (October Revolution) 8
Impacts 9

CAUSES OF RUSSIAN REVOLUTION 9

CONSEQUENCES OF RUSSIAN REVOLUTION 10

CONCLUSION 11

REFERENCES 12

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INTRODUCTION
Russian revolution is the revolution that led to the demise of the Tsarist regime of Russia and
eventual establishment of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Many people consider it as
having three parts, with 1905 being one of them, however the event in 1917 principally consisted
of two phases. The first one occurred in February 1917, while the second, commonly referred to
as the October Revolution, occurred in October 1917. Like all other nations at the period in the
20th century, Russia was a monarchy ruled by the tsar/czar empire. was primarily an agricultural
society, with poor and heavily taxed peasants and a strong aristocratic and religious influence on
administration.1 Additionally, there was virtually little industrial activity, and city dwellers
frequently lived in filthy, overcrowded apartments. From western Europe, enlightenment
concepts like democracy, individual rights, and accountable governance had made their way to
Russia. When Tsar Nicholas II took the throne in 1884, he was inspired by the beliefs of
Rasputin, a mystic who also thought he could cure numerous maladies. The working class is
referred to as the proletariat, according to Karl Marx, a philosopher who developed the idea of
communism, and they should control [Link] Lenin agreed with the Marxian theory
and added his own ideas, primarily that the proletariat should emerge and a member of it should
be the dictator. The Russian Social Democratic Party (RSDP), which was founded in 1898,
adhered to the Marxist-Leninist philosophy. It protected the interests of the working class
(proletariat). Later, in 1903, it broke into two groups: the Bolsheviks, whose name literally
means "majority but in minority," and the Mensheviks, whose name literally means "minority but
in majority." The major reason the Russo-Japanese War broke out in 1904–05 was a struggle for
control of Korea and Manchuria, particularly the warm water port on the Pacific that was situated

1
Michael Karpovich, The Russian Revolution of 1917, The University of Chicago Press, Vol. 2, No. 2 (Jun., 1930),
pp. 258-280 (23 pages)

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in Manchuria. Russia was defeated in this conflict, and Russia's humiliation in the conflict was
one of the driving forces behind the 1905 Revolution.2 This revolution was also known as
Bloody Sunday because during a workers' strike for improved working conditions and rights, the
Tsar slaughtered and repressed the populace with the aid of the military. The October manifesto
is another name for the Tsar's eventual concessions, which were made. In addition to the
founding of Duma and the nomination of a PM in 1906, the Tsar killed the PM in 1911. In
response to a severe crisis that began with World War I in 1914, about 1 crore people perished in
Russia by 1917.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What are the series of events of the Russian Revolution?
2. What are the causes of the Revolution?
3. What were the consequences of the Revolution?

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This paper is based on secondary resources. No primary sources of information were used in the
making of this project and no basic surveys and/or questionnaires were prepared instead;
secondary resources, like government reports and journals, various books related to the topic,
research papers and articles were liberally used.

RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

One of the most important historical occurrences of the 20th century was the Russian Revolution
of 1917, which put an end to centuries of monarchy in Russia and created the first constitutional
communist state in history. In reality, there were two revolutions during the 1917 Russian
Revolution. The imperial authority was overthrown in February during the first revolution. The
Bolsheviks came to power during the second revolution in October. The First World War marked

2
William M. Salter,The Russian Revolution, International Journal of Ethics
Vol. 17, No. 3 (Apr., 1907), pp. 301-316 (16 pages)

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the beginning of an era of political and social transformation in the former Russian Empire. One
of the most important historical events of the 20th century brought an end to Russia's
centuries-long monarchy and gave birth to the world's first constitutional communist state.

SERIES OF EVENTS

Revolution of 1905( Bloody Sunday)

Compared to the rest of Europe, Russia experienced the Industrial Revolution considerably later.
When it did, a wide range of political and social reforms were brought about.

In Russia, the Industrial Revolution caused the population of cities like St. Petersburg and
Moscow to quadruple, placing a pressure on the cities' infrastructure and contributing to
congestion and pollution. The working class in cities reached a new degree of deprivation as a
result.

The majority-worker population of Russia protested their existing situation by marching to Tsar
Nicholas II's winter palace on January 22, 1905. He had issued the order not to fire on the
unarmed throng even though he wasn't present at the time.3

However, the cops usually disregarded his directives, either as a result of misunderstanding or
outright ineptitude on their part.

The military were terrified by the magnitude of the throng when they eventually arrived in force.
When ordered to do so, the protestors refused to disperse, and the Russian troops opened fire,
killing and injuring hundreds of them.

The Bloody Sunday Massacre, which took place, was a terrible incident that would have a lasting
impact on the Russian monarchy.

3
Richard Wortman, Nicholas II and the Revolution of 1905, (pp. 199-218)

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The tragedy served as the impetus for the Russian revolution of 1905, to which incensed workers
responded by going on a string of devastating strikes across the nation. The strikes increased the
risk that Russia's already shaky economy might collapse. Nicholas II was forced into changes,
which would become known as the October Manifesto. But in order to maintain his hold on
power, he continued delaying them. He disbanded the Russian parliament, which he had
promised would carry out reforms, to that end.4

The 1905 revolution had no lasting effects, but Bloody Sunday had soured the Tsar's relationship
with his subjects.
Russia saw numerous social and political transformations as a result of the industrial revolution.
Urban areas like Moscow and St. Petersburg saw population growth. As a result of the country's
restricted food supply, which was caused by the economic crisis, poor management, and
expensive wars, the population growth was becoming a concern for the nation.
On January 22, 1905, a crowd of people marched toward Nicholas II's Winter Palace due to the
lack of food supplies and the situation. He had instructed the troops not to fire on the throng, but
since he wasn't present, they disregarded his instructions and opened fire on them. The Bloody
Sunday Massacre is what is known as this incident. Even the Russian revolution of 1905 was
sparked by this.

Numerous strikes by the workforce furthered the decline of the Russian economy. Nicolas
pledged to implement the October Manifesto changes, but he later disbanded the Russian
Parliament. Nothing concrete or meaningful resulted from the 1905 revolution, but the slaughter
just fueled the unrest further.

World War I- 1914

Two European alliances—France, Britain, and Russia (the Allied Powers) and Germany, Austria,
and Turkey (the Central Powers)—went to war in 1914. (later Italy and Romania). The war was
fought inside and outside of Europe, and each nation possessed a vast empire. Tsar Nicholas II

4
H. Schurer, The Russian Revolution of 1905 and the Origins of German Communism, The Slavonic and East
European Review, Vol. 39, No. 93 (Jun., 1961), pp. 459-471 (13 pages)

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initially had the support of the Russian people during the war. The Tsar, however, declined to
hold talks with the main Duma parties as the war dragged on. Support had run [Link]
anti-German feelings may be seen in the renaming of St. Petersburg, which was formerly called
Petrograd. Due to Tsarina Alexandra's German background and her ineffective advisors, notably
a monk by the name of Rasputin, the autocracy was unpopular. The First World War's "eastern
front" was distinct from the "western front." From trenches that stretched across eastern France
in the west, armies engaged in [Link] forces engaged in fierce engagements while moving
swiftly across the east. The losses were unexpected and disheartening. Russia's soldiers were
soundly defeated in Germany and Austria between 1914 and 1916. There had been more than 7
million casualties by 1917. In order to stop the enemy from subsisting off the land, the Russian
army burned down dwellings and crops as they withdrew. The administration and the Tsar were
tarnished by the destruction of crops and buildings, which led to more than 3 million refugees in
Russia. Soldiers aspire to take part in such a conflict. The industry was also significantly
impacted by the conflict. Russia had few independent industries, and German dominance of the
Baltic Sea isolated it from other manufacturers of industrial [Link] machinery
degraded more quickly in Russia than it did in the rest of Europe. The military called up men
who could fight. Due to a lack of labour, tiny workshops that produced needs were compelled to
close. To supply the soldiers with food, a lot of grain was delivered. Urban residents found it
difficult to find bread and flour. By the winter of 1916, disturbances at bread shops were
frequent.

Revolution of 1917

Phase 1 (February Revolution)

This revolution started on March 8, 1917. The revolution took place on February 23, according
to the Julian calendar that was in use in Russia at the time. As a result, it is referred to as the
February Revolution.
Because of the acute food shortages, irate protesters gathered to the streets of St. Petersburg.
Industrial workers joined them, and they were fighting with the police on the [Link] army
was unable to put a stop to the revolt even after firing on March 11. After centuries of family
domination in Russia, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated the crown in favour of his brother Micheal.

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Knowing the situation at the time, he nonetheless declined to accept the crown. On March 12, the
Russian Parliament established a new social democratic temporary administration, and Duma
assumed power. Alexander Kerensky established the Statute of Rights, which includes the
freedom of expression and the rights of unions to organise and go on strike, when this new
administration was founded without elections. Nevertheless, he persisted in the war despite
resistance, which only made Russia's economic situation worse. This action made Russia's food
supply issues worse. Peasants plundered fields, and food riots broke out in the cities, fueling
further unrest. Despite being a large-scale movement, the February Revolution was limited to the
Petrograd metropolis and hence may not have accurately reflected the desires of the majority of
Russians. However, the vast majority of those in positions of authority following the February
Revolution, including those in the Provisional Government (the interim administration that
replaced the tsar) and the Petrograd Soviet (a potent local body that represented workers and
soldiers in Petrograd), supported a democratic system of government.5

Phase 2 (October Revolution)

On November 6 or 7, 1917, it happened. The October Revolution is named as such because it

took place on October 24 and 25, according to the Julian Calendar.
Leon Trotsky, the head of the Bolsheviks, called for quick changes and a cessation of hostilities
in World War I, but the government outlawed them and detained its leaders. In August, the army
attempts a coup, and Kerensky calls on the Bolsheviks and its Red guards to protect the
government. After the failed coup, the Red Guard remained in Petrograd (St. Petersburg). The
Vladimir Lenin-led Kerensky administration was overthrown by the communist revolutionaries.
Lenin makes a triumphant homecoming and addresses SOVIETS (workers councils) all
throughout the nation. People were under the grip of the Bolsheviks and contributed to the shift
in the administration. All of Petrograd's administrations were overthrown by the Bolsheviks
overnight on October 24 and 25. They also took control of all the main [Link] new
government was established by Lenin and consisted of a council made up of soldiers, workers,
and peasants. Lenin established Russia's first communist state when he assumed full power.

5
William Henry Chamberlin, The First Russian Revolution, The Russian Review
Vol. 26, No. 1 (Jan., 1967), pp. 4-12 (9 pages)

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Essentially, it was Russia's communist revolution. However, Russia's issues did not end here. It
would have to contend with the cold war and a civil war in the next years. After October, the
Bolsheviks realised that if they wanted to maintain power in an election-based system, they
would have to compromise their beliefs and hand over power to other parties. As a result, they
blatantly abandoned democracy in January 1918 and proclaimed themselves to be representatives
of a proletariat dictatorship. The war effort was also abandoned by the Bolshevik government.
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, which was signed in March 1918, gave Germany and her allies
control over a sizable chunk of Russia. In response, the Russian Civil War broke out in the
summer of that year and raged far into 1920.6

Russian Civil War (1917-22)

Reds were the Bolsheviks, while Whites were mostly those who backed the monarchy, including
landowners, aristocrats, the church and clergy, Mensheviks, and even nations like the UK,
France, and the USA who opposed communism. There were 20 to 30 lakh casualties in this
conflict. Tsar and his family were also killed, even after the opposing Red guard, who were now
known as the Red army, had vanquished the whites. Following this, the Bolsheviks converted to
communism, and Lenin became the first president of the USSR, a socialist one-party state. He
used to blatantly acknowledge that he was a despot, but a "dictator of the proletariat."

Impacts

● End of monarchy is one of the largest empires.

● Communism found its practical shape.
● Nationalism of all resources.
● Abolition of private property.
● Command economy, 5 years plans(1928).
● First revolution to establish TRUE EQUALITY.

Stanley W. Page, The Russian Proletariat and World Revolution: Lenin's Views to 1914, American Slavic and East
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European Review, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Feb., 1951), pp. 1-13

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CAUSES OF RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
The main reason for the Russian revolution at the time was the circumstance in Russia. These
uneven circumstances had a number of causes, which are listed below to help you understand
what led to the Russian Revolution:

Among the main causes of this revolution were the lack of food supplies, the consequences of
Bloody Sunday, and the repercussions of World War I on Russia's economy and society.

1. One of the main causes of this revolution was autocracy. Russia's famed Czar
Alexander II rose as a result of the changes he introduced. However, his
successors, like Czars Alexander III and Nicholas II, grew to be quite despotic.
Political parties like Meer, Jemstvo, and Duma lost their influence while they
were in office. Unrest in the society already existed, and their policies and actions
only served to exacerbate it. Thus, one of the primary causes became the Czars'
authoritarian control.
2. Russianisation of all systems was a programme that Czar Alexander III and his
son Czar Nicholas II promoted. "One Czar, One Church, and One Russia,"
Nicholas II proclaimed. According to this approach, only the Catholic faith and
the Russian language were introduced. Even non-Russian regions like Poland,
Lithuania, Finland, and others have adopted the Russian language. Major uproar
was sparked by this strategy in Russia.7
3. At that time, Russia's society was incredibly lopsided. It was divided into two
classes: the wealthy and the less fortunate. The impoverished class consisted of
labourers, peasants, serfs, etc., whereas the affluent included all nobles, feudal
lords, and wealthy individuals. Everyone in society was irritated. For instance,
political parties lost their influence, feudal lords lost their lands, labourers were
irate over low wages, etc.

7
Frederic Masson,Causes of the Russian Revolution,
Current History (1916-1940), Vol. 7, No. 2, Part II (February, 1918), pp. 307-308

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 4. Nihilism's development and activities, which had an influence on the 1917
Russian Revolution, contributed to creating a favourable environment for the
uprising. Their only goal was the toppling of the Czars. In order to usher in a new
age, their preachers came to overturn the Czarist state, the social order, and the
existing faiths. Their organisations were involved in a variety of initiatives to
mobilise the public against the Czars and their regime.
5. The industrial revolution also had an impact on this Russian revolution. Various
Russian workers were employed in the construction of the Trans-Siberian and
Trans-Caspian railways, and the extension of these railroads led to the creation of
numerous businesses and industries across Russia. As workers' consciousness
grew, the desire to free the country from the autocratic rule of the Czars evolved.

CONSEQUENCES OF RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

The various consequences of the Russian Revolution are mentioned below:

1. the formation of the new administration by Lenin's Bolshevik Party, also referred
to as the communist party.
2. The secret police known as the Cheka was established by the bolsheviks after the
revolution, aiding Lenin in establishing his rule in Russia.
3. Farmland is distributed to farmers, and workers are distributed to factories.
4. Nationalisation of the banks and establishment of a national council to manage the
economy
5. The Brest-Litovsk Treaty, which was signed by Russia, puts an end to World War
One.
6. The execution of Nicholas II, his wife, and their children marked the end of the
Czars' reign.8
7. Lenin was employing cruel techniques for both political prisoners and criminals.
8. A decline in industrial output was seen, and skilled people left the nation.

8
George F. Kennan, Its Nature and Consequences,
Foreign Affairs, Vol. 46, No. 1 (Oct., 1967), pp. 1-21

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CONCLUSION
Thus, we have thoroughly discussed the Russian Revolution and ideas that are linked to it here.
The 1917 was the year of the Russian Revolution. The establishment of the RSDP in 1898, the
Russo-Japanese War of 1904–05, the Russian Revolution of 1905, World War I, the Russian
Revolution of 1917, its ramifications, etc., are only a few of the events that we have learnt about
that contributed to the occurrence of this revolution. It was a journey which took Russia from a
monarchy to communist. And also established the first True Equality.

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REFERENCES
1. Michael Karpovich, The Russian Revolution of 1917, The University of Chicago Press,
Vol. 2, No. 2 (Jun., 1930), pp. 258-280 (23 pages)
2. William M. Salter,The Russian Revolution, International Journal of Ethics
Vol. 17, No. 3 (Apr., 1907), pp. 301-316 (16 pages)
3. Richard Wortman, Nicholas II and the Revolution of 1905, (pp. 199-218)
4. H. Schurer, The Russian Revolution of 1905 and the Origins of German Communism, The
Slavonic and East European Review, Vol. 39, No. 93 (Jun., 1961), pp. 459-471 (13 pages)
5. William Henry Chamberlin, The First Russian Revolution, The Russian Review
Vol. 26, No. 1 (Jan., 1967), pp. 4-12 (9 pages)
6. Stanley W. Page, The Russian Proletariat and World Revolution: Lenin's Views to 1914,
American Slavic and East European Review, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Feb., 1951), pp. 1-13
7. Frederic Masson,Causes of the Russian Revolution,
Current History (1916-1940), Vol. 7, No. 2, Part II (February, 1918), pp. 307-308
8. George F. Kennan, Its Nature and Consequences,
Foreign Affairs, Vol. 46, No. 1 (Oct., 1967), pp. 1-21

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