Russian Revolution 1905-1917: Causes and Key Players
1. The Socio-Economic Situation
Outline of Russian society:
- Upper class: Nobles and clergy, some industrialists and traders. Dominated the state apparatus and army.
- Middle classes: Hardly present.
- Lower classes: The majority of the population. Recently emancipated serfs and industrial workers lived in very poor conditions. The labor movement was developing, influenced by Marxist ideas like those in the *Communist Manifesto*.
The economy was based on archaic agriculture, with rural overpopulation. Industry was limited, with some development in heavy industry, particularly railway construction. Light industry was underdeveloped due to the subsistence nature of the rural economy.
2. The Political Landscape
The government was an autocracy under the Tsar, supported by the bureaucracy, army, Orthodox Church, and police.
Major political parties included:
- Kadet Party (Constitutional Democrat): Formed by medium landowners, technicians, and professionals who wanted to enact a constitution, introduce a parliamentary regime, and modernize the country.
- Russian Social Democratic Workers’ Party (RSDLP): A Marxist party composed of the industrial proletariat. It was divided into two groups (1903):
- Bolsheviks (meaning *majority*), led by Lenin.
- Mensheviks (meaning *minority*), led by Plekhanov.
Lenin’s Key Ideas
Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov (Lenin) revised Marxist theses to apply them to Russia. His main points were:
- Possibility of Revolution in Russia: Marx believed the revolution would occur in an industrialized country. Lenin argued it could happen in a country like Russia. He believed the proletariat in industrialized countries had become complacent, while in Russia, revolution was possible and could spread globally.
- Importance of Intellectuals: Intellectuals were crucial for creating political consciousness.
- Importance of the Party: In a police state like Russia, the party needed to be centralized to become the vanguard of the proletariat.
- Alliance of Peasants and Proletarians: Peasants must join with proletarians in the revolution.
3. The 1905 Revolution and WWI
Between 1904 and 1905, Russia fought a war against Japan. This led to increased taxes and exacerbated socio-economic problems, further agitating the Russian people.
On January 9, 1905, a peaceful demonstration, including women and children, demanded better salaries and working conditions. Cossacks fired on the crowd, causing many deaths. This sparked strikes, and even the crew of the battleship *Potemkin* mutinied on June 22nd. Revolutionary councils (soviets) formed in the fall. Nicholas II was forced to make concessions, and the revolution subsided in December.
In 1914, Russia entered World War I (WWI). The war was unpopular from the outset and faced opposition from all sectors towards the Tsar. Fifteen million men were enlisted, but they could not be properly equipped or fed. The consequences were thousands of deaths, mass desertions, and defeats. Economically, it was a total disaster: taxes increased, agriculture and industry were partially paralyzed (as men were fighting), and food shortages occurred. All of this fueled popular discontent and contributed to the protest movement.
All these factors led to the outbreak of the revolution.