Monarchy: The Czar (Tsar)

Monarchy: The Czar (Tsar)

• Monarchy: The Czar (Tsar)

• Until 1905 the Tsar's powers were unlimited.

• Russia had no constitution,

• No political party system to check the Tsar's power

• A strong secret police which terrorized the people.

Russia declares war on Austria-Hungary

• Russia declares war on Austria-Hungary

• War becomes unpopular

• Rationing leads to starvation

• Nicholas II leaves St. Petersburg to war front

1917- protests spread through St. Petersburg and the Royal palace is taken over.

• 1917- protests spread through St. Petersburg and the Royal palace is taken over.

• Czar abdicates

• Provisional government (Duma) takes control lead by Alexander Keresnky

• Provisional government unpopular after decision to stay in WWI

Lead by VI Lenin “Peace, Land, and Bread”

• Lead by VI Lenin “Peace, Land, and Bread”

• Won support of people (especially peasants)

• 1918 March The Bolsheviks accept the peace of Brest Litovsk, ending WWI with Germany.

Economic Reforms included the New Economic Plan (NEP)

• Economic Reforms included the New Economic Plan (NEP)

• -moderate mix of capitalism and socialism

• Political Reforms

• -Bolshevik party became Communist Party

• -Russia becomes the United Soviet Socialist Republics

A Form of Socialism

• A Form of Socialism

• Central Planning of the Economy by the State

• Gov’t (Communist Party) makes decisions on individual jobs and pay

Lenin Dies

• Lenin Dies

• Power Vaccuum

• Leon Trotsky vs. Joseph Stalin

• Stalin takes control

• Now must decide how he will maintain power

• Decides to create a totalitarian state

Dictatorship- Absolute Authority

• Dictatorship- Absolute Authority

• Dynamic Leader- Vision for the nation

• State Control Over All Sectors of Society

• Business, Family Life, Labor, youth groups, housing, religion, education, the arts

• State Control Over the Individual

• Obedience
• Denies basic liberties

• Organized Violence

• Uses force to crush opposition

State Control of the Economy

• State Control of the Economy

• 5 year plan, collective farms

• Police Terror

• Great Purge, crush opposition

• Religious Persecution

• Control of the individual

• Propaganda (socialist realism)

• Molding peoples minds

• Education

• Controlled by the government

Russian novelist, whose work was suppressed while he lived in Russia.

• Russian novelist, whose work was suppressed while he lived in Russia.

• Fierce critic of totalitarianism

• Brought worldwide attention (and acclaim) for One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, based on his own experiences in the Soviet Union’s forced labor camp system under Stalin