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U4AOS1 Revolutions
Causes of the Russian Revolution
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What type of government did Tsar Nicholas II rule under? | Autocracy — he ruled with unlimited power under the Fundamental Laws. |
| What was the Okhrana and what was its purpose? | The Tsar’s secret police, used to suppress opposition through censorship, imprisonment, and exile. |
| What percentage of Russia’s population were peasants before the revolution? | Approximately 82%. |
| What were the effects of Sergei Witte’s industrialisation in the 1890s? | Rapid industrialisation caused overcrowded cities, poor working conditions, and low wages. |
| What was the average working day for Russian workers by 1914? | 11 hours. |
| How many peasant uprisings occurred on average per year between 1902 and 1904? | Over 13,000 per year. |
| What caused the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905)? | Russia sought to expand influence into Manchuria and Northern China, clashing with Japan’s ambitions in the region. |
| What was the outcome of the Russo-Japanese War for Russia? | Russia was humiliated by defeat after Japan’s surprise attack at Port Arthur (1904), damaging Nicholas II’s reputation. |
| What happened on Bloody Sunday (1905)? | 200,000 peaceful protestors led by Father Gapon marched for better conditions; soldiers fired, killing 200 and injuring 800. |
| Why was Bloody Sunday significant? | It shattered faith in the Tsar, leading to nationwide strikes and revolutionary sentiment. |
| What was the October Manifesto (1905)? | A document granting civil rights and creating an elected assembly (Duma) to ease public unrest. |
| How did the October Manifesto fail? | The Fundamental Laws (1906) reasserted Tsarist power, undermining promised reforms. |
| What were the Fundamental Laws (1906)? | Legislation that reaffirmed the Tsar’s autocratic authority and gave him control over military, foreign policy, and the Duma. |
| Why were the first two Dumas dissolved? | They demanded reforms that challenged the Tsar’s power. |
| What were Stolypin’s electoral reforms (1907)? | Reforms that restricted voting rights for peasants and workers, favouring nobles. |
| Why were the later Dumas ineffective? | The 3rd and 4th were dominated by conservatives, becoming rubber-stamp bodies for the Tsar. |
| Why did Nicholas II’s leadership during WWI fail? | He took personal command without experience, leaving Tsarina Alexandra and Rasputin in charge of government. |
| How did Rasputin destabilise the Russian government? | Through “ministerial leapfrogging,” frequently replacing ministers for personal loyalty, weakening government stability. |
| What were the social effects of WWI on Russia by 1916? | Food shortages and inflation; Petrograd received only one-third of required grain. |
| What triggered the February Revolution (1917)? | Food shortages and strikes on International Women’s Day that escalated to mass protests. |
| How did soldiers respond to the February Revolution? | Initially fired on protestors but soon joined them, turning against the Tsar. |
| What was the result of the February Revolution? | Tsar Nicholas II abdicated, ending Romanov rule; Provisional Government established. |
| What reforms did the Provisional Government implement? | Political freedoms, amnesty for political prisoners, and abolition of the death penalty. |
| Why did the Provisional Government fail? | Continued WWI, failed land reforms, worsening food shortages, and economic collapse. |
| How did bread rations in Petrograd change in 1917? | Fell from 1200g in March to 500g in October. |
| Why did the Provisional Government lack legitimacy? | It was unelected and constantly challenged by the Petrograd Soviet. |
| What was the Dual Authority (1917)? | Shared power between the Provisional Government and Soviets. |
| What was Order No. 1 (March 1917)? | Gave Soviets control of the military, undermining Provisional Government authority. |
| What did Lenin call for in the April Theses (1917)? | “Peace, Land, Bread” and “All Power to the Soviets.” |
| How did Lenin return to Russia in 1917? | With German assistance to destabilise Russia during WWI. |
| Why did the Bolsheviks gain support after April 1917? | Their anti-war stance appealed to soldiers, workers, and peasants. |
| What were the July Days (1917)? | Armed demonstrations in Petrograd against the Provisional Government’s decision to stay in WWI. |
| How did the government respond to the July Days? | Suppressed the uprising; Lenin fled to Finland, Trotsky imprisoned. |
| What was the Kornilov Affair (1917)? | General Kornilov attempted a coup; Kerensky armed the Bolsheviks to defend Petrograd. |
| How did the Kornilov Affair strengthen the Bolsheviks? | They gained weapons, legitimacy, and prestige; by September, membership rose to 200,000. |
| What occurred during the October Revolution (1917)? | Bolsheviks seized key sites; Red Guards stormed Winter Palace; Provisional Government arrested. |
| What did Lenin announce on 26 October 1917? | The creation of Sovnarkom — Council of People’s Commissars. |
| How many deaths occurred during the October Revolution in Petrograd? | Six. |
| What did Russian liberals such as the Kadets and Octobrists believe in? | Constitutional monarchy, civil rights, and parliamentary representation. |
| Why were liberal movements weak in Russia? | They lacked mass support among workers and peasants. |
| What was Marxism? | Karl Marx’s theory of class struggle between bourgeoisie and proletariat, advocating revolution against capitalism. |
| When was the RSDLP founded? | 1898. |
| Why did the RSDLP split in 1903? | Divided between Bolsheviks (Lenin, immediate revolution) and Mensheviks (gradual reform). |
| What was Marxism-Leninism? | Lenin’s adaptation of Marxism — a disciplined vanguard party leading immediate revolution. |
| What slogan summarised Lenin’s Marxist message? | “Peace, Land, Bread.” |
| How did Marxism-Leninism influence the October Revolution? | It justified the Bolshevik seizure of power and became the Soviet ideology. |
| Why was Tsar Nicholas II blamed for Russia’s downfall? | His indecisiveness, mishandling of wars, and failure to reform caused the collapse of Tsarism. |
| What did historian Richard Pipes say about Nicholas II? | “Nicholas II was the source of all the problems.” |
| Why was Tsarina Alexandra distrusted? | She was German-born and heavily influenced by Rasputin. |
| Who was Pyotr Stolypin and what did he do? | Prime Minister (1906–1911); introduced land reforms but brutally suppressed opposition (“Stolypin’s Necktie”). |
| What happened to Stolypin? | Assassinated in 1911, ending reform momentum. |
| Who was Grigori Rasputin? | A mystic healer of the Tsar’s son Alexei who gained major political influence. |
| How did Rasputin’s actions affect the monarchy? | His corruption and interference discredited the royal family; murdered in 1916. |
| Who was Alexander Kerensky? | Prime Minister (1917); failed to solve food, land, and war issues; fled during October Revolution. |
| Who was Vladimir Lenin? | Bolshevik leader; author of April Theses; led October Revolution; became head of Sovnarkom. |
| Who was Leon Trotsky? | Organised and led the October takeover as head of the Military Revolutionary Committee; later commanded the Red Army. |
| How did workers and peasants contribute to the revolution? | 1.3 million workers protested in 1914; peasants seized land in 1905 and 1917. |
| How much land did peasants seize before Bolshevik decrees? | Around 10% in some regions. |
| How did soldiers and sailors contribute to revolutionary change? | Refused to fire on protestors, mutinied, and deserted; 1.5 million desertions by 1917. |
| Who were the Kronstadt sailors and why were they important? | Formerly loyal to the Tsar, they played key roles in the July Days and October Revolution. |
| Who were the Socialist Revolutionaries (SRs)? | Peasant-based party advocating land redistribution (“land to the tiller”). |
| Who were the Bolsheviks? | Radical Marxists led by Lenin; aimed for immediate revolution and Soviet power. |
| Who were the Mensheviks? | Moderate socialists advocating gradual reform and cooperation with liberals. |
| Who were the Kadets? | Liberal party seeking parliamentary democracy; weakened by war and Bolshevik rise. |
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