Key Terms and Events of the Russian Revolution 1917
Key Terms of the Russian Revolution
Supreme: The supreme organ of state, also called the Congress of Soviets, and to exercise legislative power in the new state created by the Bolsheviks.
Kolkhoz: Collective farms and cooperatives that are self-governed.
Sovkhoz: Farms engaged in the agricultural sector and state-owned.
Gulag: The prison system developed in the era of Stalin and the government that brought together a series of forced labor camps located throughout the USSR, and very specially in the most inhospitable areas.
Leninism: Set of contributions made to Marxism by Lenin, among which worth mentioning is the analysis of imperialism as the highest stage of capitalism, the realization of the dictatorship of the proletariat as a communist party dictatorship.
Stalinism: Interpretation of Marxism-Leninism made by Stalin. It is also the leader of this stage of government characterized by a strong centralist, interventionist economic policy and the monopoly of power in the hands of a communist party subjected to a dictatorial discipline.
Purges: Widespread repression carried out by Stalin throughout the 1930s against the former revolutionary guard and against any possible opposition or alternative to them.
February Revolution 1917
February 23: General strike and mutiny of the military garrison city, throughout the country training Soviets. The Czar refuses to abandon the war. Pressure exerted against parties and he abdicates. The Duma imposes a provisional government headed by Prince Lvov. The new government promises political reforms (freedom of opinion, of assembly, etc.) and social reforms (8-hour working day, trade union rights).
October Revolution 1917 – March
The Lvov government is overwhelmed by the popular movement led by the Soviets. The reforms are not progressing. The moderate socialist Kerensky replaced Lvov to push for reforms in favor and against the war. A military coup in August by the Tsarist is stopped by Kerensky. Lenin sees the necessity for the Bolsheviks to convince the Soviets of Moscow and Petrograd to spend armed insurrection. The hands of Trotsky.