Russian Revolution: Causes and Impact 1917
The Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution was one of the most important events in modern times. Its impact was palpable in both America and Europe, although the Revolution did not immediately expand communism. The United States, later a fully socialist state, faced Russia in the Cold War. The two revolutions of 1917 were divided into two parts: the fall of the Tsarist regime (February Revolution) and the creation of the first communist state in the world (October Revolution). The causes of these two revolutions encompass the political, social, and economic conditions of Russia at the time.
Political Causes of the Russian Revolution
Politically, the Russian people hated the dictatorship of Tsar Nicholas II. The casualties the Russians suffered during World War I further weakened the image of Nicholas. The political facet of the Russian Revolution is essentially a combination of social and economic problems. Since 1904, lower-class workers of Russia suffered a dire economic situation. Many of them worked eleven hours a day. The health and safety conditions at work were bleak, and wages fell.
There were numerous strikes and protests over time. Almost all were ignored or suppressed by Nicholas, sometimes violently and deadly. The attempted failed conquest of Manchuria was also very unpopular among the people. Part of the intellectual class also rejected the tsarist autocracy. In 1915, the situation became critical when Nicholas decided to take direct control of the army, personally overseeing the war front and leaving his wife Alexandra in charge of the government.
By October 1916, Russia had lost between 1.6 and 1.8 million soldiers, in addition to two million prisoners of war and a million missing. These figures were poor for the morale of the army. Riots began to happen, and in 1916, rumors of fraternization with the enemy began circulating. The soldiers were hungry and lacked shoes, munitions, and even weapons. Nicholas was blamed for these disasters.
As this general discontent and hatred of Nicholas II grew, the Duma issued a warning to the Tsar in November 1916, declaring the disaster looming over the nation if constitutional amendments were not put in place. Several months later, the regime collapsed during the February Revolution of 1917. A year later, the Tsar and his family were executed. The mismanagement of the State and War by Nicholas cost him his throne and life.
Social Causes of the Russian Revolution
The social causes of the Revolution come from earlier centuries of oppression of the tsarist regime on the lower classes. Approximately 85% of the Russian people were part of the peasantry, oppressed by the upper classes and the regime itself. Vassalage, commonly associated with the Middle Ages, accurately describes the social situation of Russia under Nicholas. In 1861, the Russian Tsar Alexander II emancipated these farmers, not for moral reasons but because it prevented Russia’s social progress. This new freedom was limited.
As a result, the government issued new laws that gave them small parcels of land to work. The amount of land they gave was inadequate, which triggered massive uprisings. The enormous demand for industrial production of articles of war and workers caused many more uprisings and strikes. Moreover, as many workers were needed in the factories, the peasants migrated to cities, which were soon crowded; living conditions quickly worsened. While the amount of food needed by the Army was increasing, the supply behind the front became more and more impoverished.
Economic Causes of the Russian Revolution
The economic causes of the Russian Revolution are largely attributed to the poor management of the Tsar, together with the First World War. More than fifteen million men joined the army, which left an insufficient number of workers in factories and farms. The result was a widespread shortage of food and raw materials. The workers had to endure terrible working conditions, including twelve to fourteen-hour days and low wages.
Large riots broke out, and strikes demanded better conditions and higher wages. Prices soared as essential goods became increasingly scarce. Famine threatened many major cities. Nicholas’s failure to solve the economic problems of his country and the promise of communism placated the core of this revolution. Definitely, a combination of these three factors, combined with the leadership of Vladimir Lenin, led inevitably to the Russian Revolution.