1. The Failure of Conservative Modernization ---Russia and the Communist Revolution

    Video: "The Red Dawn" Click here for text.

    1. The Legacy of conservative modernization: Economic and social mobilization of the masses contrasted with a failure to mobilize them politically for the support of the country.
      1. The Revolution of 1905. --- rising expectations --- dashed. See F-R, p. 86.
        1. Read the October Manifesto and its obviation.
        2. Read: The Stolypin Land Reform.
      2. The stress of World War I ---- examples from video?
        1. Unresponsive government.
        2. Labor problems: inflation and increased hours.
        3. Food and medical care.
    2. The Revolutions of 1917
      1. The March Revolution:
        1. Doesn't fit the Marxist model as preached by the Mensheviks (See F-R, 87). Because the dialectical transformation of the world anticipated by Marx hadn't happened, Lenin modified Marxist theory in order to "make" a revolution in Russia. Three fundamental principles of Leninism.
          1. Organizational principle, 1903 --- F-R., p. 89, top right.
          2. Revolutionary coalition of proletarians and peasants, in the wake of the 1905 experience.
          3. Lenin's explanation of imperialism and Russia as "the weakest link." See F.R. p. 85.
        1. The March revolution was a spontaneous rising of proletarians and "peasants in uniform."
        2. The failure of the Provisional Government: inappropriateness of a revolution on behalf of liberal values. : In the video: "Was it because it was too liberal, too divided or too slow?" Provisional Goverment committed suicide on all three counts.
          1. "Too liberal" ( see Ignatieff, in Readings, p. 26)
            • Liberties western style.
            • "Sacred Alliances"
          2. Too divided
            • The compositon of the Provisional Government.
            • The problem of "Dual sovereignty."
              • Lenin and the Soviet: See F-R, p. 87
              • READ: April Theses and On Dual Power .
              • How do these essays illustrate the application of Leninism to the practice of revolution?
          3. "Too Slow"
            • Land Reform
            • Constituent National Assembly
        3. Bolshevik Success. :
          1. The Apeal:
            • "Peace, Land, Bread and Freedom" -- "Soldiers: vote with your feet" -Lenin, 1917.
            • Failure of the Brusilov Offensive in June-July.
          2. Kornilov military coup in September aborted, in part through the propaganda efforts of the Bolsheviks --- Kerensky armed the Red Guard as a precaution.
          3. Bolsheviks a majority in the Petrograd Soviet by October. -- "All power to the Soviets."
      2. "The Great October Revolution", November 6-8, 1917 -- "a fact before it happened."
      3. A New Model of Modernization
        1. Contrast with the agents and goals of the revolutionaries of liberal modernization;
          1. Who was it that brought down the tsar and what were their goals?
          1. Did the revolution achieve a change in the elites?
          • Lenin: "We can govern Russia in the interests of the poor against the rich as easily as the 130,000 landlords previously had governed in the interests of the rich against the poor."
        2. Why may the revolution which was a natural outgrowth of failed conservative modernization be seen as creating its mirror image?
          1. A natural outgrowth of Leninism.
          2. Totalitarian socialism (Communism) See F-R, p. 89-90) A blend of the techniques of conservative modernization with a radically altered ruling elite and modern, technological means (totalitarian socialism) of mobilizing the masses.
    3. Consolidation of the Soviet State
      1. Peace: Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, March 1918, disastrous, but "Peace" nevertheless. The losses were staggering. Centennia: Compare 1914 with 1918.3 with 1921.
        1. 1.3 million square miles
        2. 62 million people
        3. 32 % of areable land
        4. 26 % of the railroads
        5. 75 % of developed coal resources
      2. The Civil War and War Communism 1917-1921
        1. The Whites and the "hostile ring of encircling capitalist powers."
        1. The aplication of communist principles to the needs of war." Land," and the promise of "bread and freedom."
          1. Land seized in the revolution was left undisturbed in peasant hands.
          2. Experimental, scientific collective farms established out of old aristocratic estates.
        2. "Confident and united leadership."
          1. Constituent Assembly elected in December, met 18. January 1918, and was dissolved the next day.
          2. Nationalization of industries, banks and businesses.
          3. Skillfull propaganda
          4. Read:Terror.
        3. In the end, the Red Army skillfully led by Trotsky proved superior, the Interventionists too tired of war and the Whites "too divided."
    4. The Era of NEP: 1921-1928
      1. Creating the basis for a socialist society.
        1. The "New Economic Policy" = NEP ---- pragmatic liberalism
          1. The significance of Kronstadt, March, 1921
          2. The economic situation ---- the bitter fruit of 1917-1921.
          • How does NEP bring ideological consistency to the revolution that was prematurely staged in November 1917?
          1. Political motive --- pacification of the peasantry.
        2. Political Policy ---- gathering totalitarianism
          1. Soviets harnessed to the Communist Party. F-R, mid-left 90.
          2. Totalitarian/Command society --- The legacy of the "organizational principle in the post-revolutionary era. See F-R., top-right 90.
      2. Read: the Lenin Testament. (25. Dec. 1922 and P.S., 4. January 1924)
      3. The Struggle for Succession: Trotsky (World Revolution) vs. Stalin (Socialism in One Country)
      4. The "seizure of power." Read Stalin in Control. (the first paragraph)
    5. Revolution from above: The Stalin "socialist" Revolution, 1928-1939: The Economic Ratonale. For a good summary of this period see The History Place.
      1. The "agricultural Revolution," forced Collectivization, 1928. The Consequences: Read The Ukrainian Famine
      2. The "industrial revolution," 1928--- Read Collectivization and Industrialization and F-R., 91, rt. col.
      3. The "social revolution"
        1. Creating the "New Soviet Man and Woman." Read: Soviet Socialist Realism Click posters, art, for examples. Also applied to music, literature, film, history, science, etc.
        2. Purging those who resisted. Read: Kirov Murder and Purges for the background on the purges in general and for the significance of the Kirov murder.
      4. Assessing the Soviet Experience under Lenin and Stalin. See F-R, 92.

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