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Summary of the Russian Revolution AQA A-level
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Complete Summary of the Russian Revolution for the AQA A-Level
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Russia RevisionUnit 1:
• Political Opposition in RussiaThere were 4 different political opposition groups in Russia in
1917
• The Liberals - They believed in reform and non violence, as well as the rule of law, civil rights
and freedom of the individual. They didn’t have any support outside of the cities.
• Socialist Revolutionaries (SRs) - This group was formed in 1901 and it was split between
moderates and radicals, which persisted into the 1917 revolution. The SRs placed their
central hope for revolution with the peasants. They had lots of support from the peasants
which made up 80% of Russia’s population in 1917.
• Marxists - This was the name given to the followers of the German Philosopher Karl Marx.
They believed in action and they organised strikes in factories. They believed that the
working class were key to the revolution and not the peasants. Marxism offered a scientific
view on history and as a result, it attracted more people.
• Social Democrats (SDs) - Some believed and wanted to encourage trade unions and improve
worker conditions. Others, on the other hand wanted to focus on revolutionary tactics. This
led to a split in the party and created the Mensheviks and the Bolsheviks.
• Bolsheviks: led by Lenin and their job was to bring socialism to the workers
• Mensheviks: They believed the party should encourage trade unions and help with the
working class.
• How did Lenin justify his April thesis?
• Lenin said that a revolution would not start in a highly industrialised state, instead it would
start in a backwards society where capitalism was just beginning. Lenin and Trotsky thought
that once the revolution had begun, it would spread to other capitalist countries and then
they would come and help Russia.
• Problems facing the P.G
• War - War was a crucial factor in how the revolution developed. Problems got worse when it
was made apparent that Milyukov wanted to make territorial gains near the Black sea. This
outraged socialists and sent the P.G into crisis. - This crisis ended on May 5th when 5
socialist leaders joined the new coalition government. The failed summer offensive of 1917
struck a huge blow at the P.G and ended this coalition.
• Land - By 1917 there was significant unrest in the country side and many peasants wanted to
leave the army and take land. Peasants felt betrayed by the emancipation of 1861 and
wanted to legally obtain land, liberals in the P.G however were unwilling to make land “free
for all” in fears of the disintegration of the army.
• National minority demands - As soon as the central Tsarist regime collapsed, the Finns and
the Poles demanded independence. This outraged liberals in the provisional government
because they saw it as the first steps to the break up of Russia. Ukraine was very important
to Russia because it contained farm land which was valuable and it was also close to the
front lines. This split the provisional government and led to the resignation of Lvov.
• Deteriorating economy - When the P.G took over, there were food shortages, inflation and
high unemployment rates. The shortages of raw materials led to factories having to close
down and this led to thousands of jobs being lost. TheP.G found themselves increasingly
unable to meet the requirements of the workers and so they found that more and more
people were moving towards the Bolsheviks.
• Consequences of the Kornilov Affair in August 1917
• Kerensky’s reputation was irreparably damaged
, • P.G was destroyed
• Mensheviks and SR leaders were discredited due to their association with Kerensky
• The Bolsheviks gained masses of support (On sept 9th they gained overall control of the
Petrograd Soviet and on Sept 25th Trotsky became its president)
• The October Revolution
• Lenin returned from Finland on October 7th and he had decided that it was time for a
revolution.
• On October 25th, units of Red Guard soldiers were sent out to seize key points in the city
and then that night, after a blank shot from the Cruise ship Aurora at 9.40 PM, the
Bolsheviks made their move and stormed the Winter Palace.
• The same night, the all Russia congress of soviets met and Lenin announced the overthrow
of the P.G and the establishment of a Bolshevik government.
• Why were the Bolsheviks successful in October 1917?
• The Bolsheviks were successful in October 1917 due to not only the weaknesses of the
Provisional Government, but also their strengths.
P.G Weaknesses Bolshevik strengths
1) Nature of the P.G - It’s scope for action was 1) The Party - Lenin’s role was crucial, his strong
limited because most of the power was determined leadership was crucial to forcing
from the soviet. It saw itself as temporary. through key political decisions such as the
Also, divisions between the Socialists and April Thesis. Trotsky’s role was very important
Liberals led to a lack of clear policies. too, his persuading Lenin to postpone the
take-over was v. important. it was a good tactic
to use the All Russia congress as a vehicle for
the take over.
2) Policies - Their decision to continue the war 2) Policies - The Bolsheviks were the only party to
led to lots of opposition towards them. Their want to end the war, which increased their
failure to legitimise peasant land take over was popularity. They also wanted to give peasants
also an issue. As a result, peasants stopped land, which secured their support from them, who
supplying grain to the cities. made up a huge % of Russia’s pop. Their radical
policies were in tune with the Workers, soldiers
and peasants’ demands. (Bread, Peace, land!)
3) Kerensky’s Mistakes - Summer Offensive 3) Luck - The economic and military collapses of
and the Kornilov affair ruined kerensky’s rep September/October 1917 offered the Bolsheviks
and subsequently people refused to fight for an opportunity to seize power, which they did.
the P.G. He also underestimated the Kerensky also played into the Bols’ hands through
Bolsheviks his failed attempts to counter uprisings.
4) Other factors - Failed to call a constituent 4) Other factors - Many of the people in Moscow
assembly in time and Petrograd remained neutral to the Bolshevisk,
they didn’t oppose them and this guaranteed their
success in october.
SUMMARY - By the end of 1917, the P.G was SUMMARY - By October 1917, the Bolsheviks
left discredited and hated by most of the had become the main form of Opposition to the
people in Petrograd. P.G and they managed to overthrow them and
created an all Bolshevik government.
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