Russia

RUSSIA VACATION WORK

**__Russia__**

** Revolution in Russia: Liberalism to Communism ** ** Stabilization of Russia’s Communist Regime ** ** Soviet Experimentation ** ** Stalinism in the Soviet Union ** ** Economic Policies ** ** Toward an Industrial Society ** ** Totalitarian Rule ** ** A Soviet Empire ** ** Promoting New Beliefs and Institutions ** · Rapid industrialization caused significant social change in eastern Europe. Tensions increased over relationships with Western culture. o Soviets tried to abolish religion as it would be seen as a threat to the power of the state. § The Orthodox church was reduced to a very weak entity § The Jews were revoked many of their freedoms and they were seen as enemies of the state. § The Muslims were given more freedom as long as they proved devout to the regime. · In 1956 **Nikita Khrushchev** emerged with the primary power. o He attacked Stalinism for its concentration of power and its dictatorship. § However there was little to no change. · Political trials became less common. · Police repression eased. · People were not outright killed for speaking out against the government. o They were sent to mental institutions or ordered under house arrest. Sometimes they would be exiled to the United States. § Was responsible for the greatest tension during the Cold War with the Cuban Missile Crisis. ** The Age of Reform **
 * During March of 1917, the people of Russia began to suffer from hunger and an inadequate government that was unable to respond to the needs of the people.
 * A council of workers (called a soviet) took over a city government and the tsar abdicated, ending imperial rule.
 * For eight months, a liberal provisional government tried to rule. People like **Alexander Kerensky** wanted to see parliaments and the religious and other freedoms that came with a liberal government.
 * The middle class was too small to mirror the French Revolution
 * The liberal forces wanted to remain in World War I as it was a tie to democratic France and Britain, however conditions worsened to the point where they had to remove their forces from the War.
 * **Lenin** would take power from the unrest with the **Bolshevik** wing of the Social Democratic party which would become the Communist party.
 * Lenin did not believe that the Revolution came from the masses but rather from “tightly organized cells of leaders”
 * Russia’s exclusion from the Treaty of Versailles would set the stage for the future expansion of Russia.
 * Lenin would disband the Social Revolutionary Party to give control to the Bolsheviks.
 * The control of Lenin and the Bolsheviks would be threatened due to the economic control exercised by the regime as it caused more famine.
 * Leon Trotsky would recruit able generals and loyal masses to create the **Red Army.**
 * It would represent the ability to take part of ones future and it showed promise of a brighter future.
 * Lenin issued his **New Economic Policy**
 * It gave small business owners and peasant landowners more freedom of action although the state still set basic economic policies.
 * In 1923, the Bolshevik Revolution was a fact and the capital was relocated to Moscow. They now had set up the **Union of Soviet Socialist Republics****.**
 * **Supreme Soviets** resembled a parliament but there was no competition allowed for the elections which kept the Communist party in control. The government was fundamentally totalitarian like the tsar ship that they had but was better equipped.
 * The Soviets kept a watchful eye but allowed the people to take part in social reforms.
 * We see the woman gaining equality in legal and educational aspects.
 * Workers were able to influence some of their conditions at which they worked.
 * Literacy increased and we see that new information causes inquiry and new values which encouraged controversy.
 * The Soviets then had to search for a new leader after the death of Lenin in 1924. **Stalin** (meaning steel) would rise to power and take control of the party and government.
 * Although many of the Russian’s believed that their revolution was one in many that would sweep across the Western World, Stalin concentrates on the internal infrastructure.
 * **Collectivization** was the distribution of land. Many fell victim to slaughter or starvation when called to the program of agriculture.
 * The Soviet Union’s economy was so isolated, that it was not as affected by the Great Depression as the Western Powers were.
 * Stalin in turn is trying to industrialize Russia in a revolutionary light so that they can compete with Western powers but still have the industries under the control of the government.
 * **Collectivization** was the creation of large, state-run farms.
 * Allowed for more effective governing of the peasants.
 * The people were taxed to fund the industrialization that Stalin was trying to create.
 * It had mixed reactions.
 * The ones that wanted more access to land were satisfied but the Kulaks or the people in control of the land were more closed off to the idea.
 * The Kulaks were killed by the millions or sent to Siberia (Russia)
 * The people that worked the farms felt as if there was no liberty at all.
 * **Five-Year Plans** would set the framework up for the industrialization.
 * The government constructed massive factories of metallurgy, mining, and electric power to make the Soviet Union independent of the West.
 * Some of this was to prepare for a possible war against Hitler and his anticommunist regime.
 * The Soviet Union became the third industrial power of the world, only behind the United States and Germany.
 * The Soviets would find ways to motivate the workers of the industries while providing a better system of welfare.
 * Vacations to the Black Sea and they were taken care of against illness and age.
 * There was no legal outlet for the workers
 * The unions were outlawed and so were the ability to strike.
 * The problems of the workers were observed and addressed by the government.
 * Stalin would control the culture that developed.
 * He would try to promote a different style from the West as he saw it to be dangerous. (as Hitler did)
 * **Socialist realism** was the style which would concentrate around the workers, soldiers and peasants and nothing else would be allowed to be written or drawn about.
 * Science took a hit as evolutionary biology did no coincide with Marxism.
 * Stalin would kill massive amounts of people of which he suspected would be against his rule or the Communist beliefs.
 * The secret police or later named MVD would take part in arrests.
 * Stalin would have to take more active interest in international relations as Germany began to expand into a power to recon with.
 * Stalin would sign a Treaty with Hitler giving Germany part of Poland due to the inability of the Soviets to fight yet.
 * Soviet Russia expanded its effective empire. Amid new challenges, the Soviet system maintained distinctive political controls.
 * Soviet Union as a Superpower.
 * Through advancements in weaponry and in industry, the Soviets were able to set up alliances that would link the communist movements of the Eastern World.
 * They would try to counter the American influences around the world.
 * Once the development of the atom bomb and the hydrogen bombs occurred, it assured Soviet “superpowerness”
 * The Soviets extended their influence as far as they could west.
 * They took control of Western Germany and most of Eastern Europe fell to the Soviet power.
 * Many of the countries that became part of the Soviet Union would develop strong and independent but due to the diplomatic and military strength of the Soviet Union, many of them stayed part of it.
 * **Mikhail Gorbachev** would be the last of the Soviet dictators.
 * He dressed in clothes that were accepted by the West and allowed the Soviet media to allow for active debate.
 * **Glasnost** was his policy of openness, allowing the freedom to comment or criticize.
 * **Perestroika** was the economic reform that he allowed to take place that would give more leeway to private ownership and decentralized control of industry and agriculture.
 * He did a lot to dismantle the Soviet Union as he let some of the Eastern European states gain their freedom.
 * **Boris Yeltsin** would declare the end of the Soviet Union and though Gorbachev tried to maintain power, Yeltsin became the President of Russia
 * Renounced communism.
 * **Vladimir Putin** took control in 1999 and promised to clean up the corruption although he has attacked some television stations and newspapers.


 * Name of Leader: Joseph Stalin ||
 * Lifespan 1878-1953 || Title: First General Secretary of the Communist Party ||
 * Country/region: Soviet Union || Years in Power 1922-1953 ||
 * Political, Social, & Economic Conditions Prior to Leaders Gaining Power
 * Lenin helped establish the communistic ideas that would guide Stalin.
 * The Communist Party was locked in place. ||
 * Ideology, Motivation, Goals:
 * Wanted to industrialize Russia so it could compete with Western powers.
 * Also wanted to organize the system of agriculture to a more effective method. ||
 * Significant Actions & events During Term of Power
 * Created a system where the government funded the building of metallurgy plants and such to support the industry of the nation.
 * Killed massive amounts of people through Collectivization.
 * Killed anyone suspect of being against the government. ||
 * Short-Term effects:
 * Collectivization caused a surplus in the agriculture, aiding the stimulus for the industrialization || Long-Term Effects
 * Modernized the economy of the Soviet Union.
 * Created a successful industrial economy ||

__Analyze the changes and continuities in Russian political structure from 1914 to the present__ Although Russia went from being a totalitarian ruled government with communistic ideals to a Republic with more socialist ideals, it is visible that the government still has a heavy hand over the people. __Analyze the changes in Russian Society from 1914 to the present__ Russia had changed from becoming agrarian to industrialized and also gave women mainly more equal legal and cultural rights, however maintain its attitude of Westernization without sacrificing its own identity.