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[[File: 1106px-Family Nicholas II of Russia ca. 1914.jpg|thumbnail|left|250px|Tsar Nicholas II and his Family 1913]]The Russian Romanov dynasty collapsed in the chaos of the Russian Revolution of 1917 was . The rise of the Soviet Union from the Romanovs' ashes is perhaps the most important event in the twentieth century. It saw the world’s first Communist government , and it led to a wave of communist -inspired revolutions around the world and , ultimately , the Cold War. The Revolution is often shown to be inevitable because of the unequal nature of Russian society and its undemocratic political system. However, the Russian Revolution was not unavoidable and was a direct result of directly resulted from the impact of the First World War on Russia. ==At the turn of the 20th Century how was Russia changing? ==Russia was and is a vast and diverse country with a huge multi-ethnic population. The Russian Empire was an autocracy, where effectively the Tsar’s will was the law. Tsar Nicholas II ‘indulged in a fantasy of absolute power,’ and he believed that God had appointed him to the throne.<ref>Figes, Orlando. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014024364X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=014024364X&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=06c5bfa36690a28acda82d3d2a108211 A People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution: 1891-1924]''(Pimlico, 1996), p. 23</ref> The Tsarist government repressed any signs of organized dissent, and as a result, there were many political prisoners. Russia was changing in the early years of the twentieth century. It was rapidly industrializing, and the country’s economy was growing fast.<ref>Figes, p. 86</ref> A new industrial class of workers was emerging, and society was becoming increasingly urbanized. However, this class was impoverished and lived and worked in appalling conditions. The majority of the population were still peasants that often worked the land for wealthy landlords and endured lives of great hardship. The industrial workers and the peasants did not benefit from the economic expansion in any way. Russia’s economic growth did create a new middle class. However, this class was excluded from the political system and resented the Tsar’s restrictions on its political and personal freedoms. Only the aristocracy and the elite supported the Tsarist government and just out of self-interest.
==Back GroundWhat was the 1905 Revolution in Russia?==Russia [[File:The_Russian_Revolution,_1905_Q81553.jpg|thumbnail|left|300px|Barricades manned by workers of Schmidt factory in Moscow, Dec. 1905]] There was and is a vast and diverse country with a huge multi-ethnic population. The widespread discontent in the Russian Empire was an autocracy. Since the 1890s, where effectively various terrorist organizations had waged a violent campaign against the Tsar’s will was the lawregime. Tsar Nicholas II ‘indulged There were many radical political parties active in a fantasy of absolute power’ and he believed that he had been appointed by God to the thronecountry, including the Bolshevik party.<ref>FigesWood, OrlandoAlan (1993). ''A People's Tragedy[https: //www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415307341/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0415307341&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=c7ddf62267e62ec99e78cd6a10e4245b The Origins of the Russian Revolution: 1891, 1861-19241917]''.(Pimlico, 1996), p. 23London: Routledge</ref> The Tsarist government repressed any signs of organized dissent and as Many people believed that Russian was ripe for a result there were many political prisonersrevolution. In 1905 Russia was changing in routed by the early years of the twentieth century. It was rapidly industrializing and the country’s economy was growing fast.<ref>Figes, p. 86</ref> A new industrial class of workers was emerging and society was becoming increasingly urbanised. However, this class was impoverished and lived and worked Japanese Empire in appalling conditions. The majority of the population were still peasants that often worked the land for wealthy landlords and endured lives of great hardship. The industrial workers and the peasants did not benefit from the economic expansion a brief war in anywayNorth-East Asia. Russia’s economic growth did create This defeat was a new middle class. Howevernational humiliation, this class was excluded from the political system and resented the Tsar’s restrictions on its political Tsar and personal freedoms. Only the aristocracy and the elite supported the Tsarist his government and only out of self-interestbecame very unpopular.
==How did World War Ifundamentally change Russia?==
[[File:1200px-Russian_Troops_NGM-v31-p372.jpg|thumbnail|300px|left|Russian troops moving to the front lines in 1917]]
In 1913 , there were lavish public celebrations of the 300th anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty’s rule in Russia. The Tsar used the anniversary to demonstrate that he was God appointed by God him to rule ‘all the Russia’s.<ref>Figes, p. 117.</ref> That year , the Tsar and his family were very popular , and it seemed to the revolutionaries that there would never be a revolution. However, after the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand, Europe was plunged into war. Russia was allied with France and Britain against Germany, Austro-Hungary , and Turkey. Russia invaded Prussia in 1914, but after some initial success , was defeated. It also fought campaigns against the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian EmpireEmpires. <dh-ad/> The war on the Eastern Front became bogged down in trench warfare. Russia endured very heavy hefty casualties , and it placed a great strain on its resources. Poverty increased and food Food supplies became scarcer scarce, and poverty spread across Russia. Essentially, the lives of many ordinary people most Russians became intolerable. The Tsarist government became very unpopular. A scandal also made the Tsar and his family hated by many. A Siberian holy man, called Rasputin , gained great influence with the Tsar and his family, as he claimed to have the ability to heal the crown prince’s haemophiliahemophilia. This brought him ‘immense power and prestige at Court’ Court,’ but it scandalized many.<ref>Figes, p. 31.</ref> By 1917, the Russian people were war -weary , and strikes became very common. The Tsar refused to enter into peace negotiations with the Central Powers, despite several defeats on the Eastern Front and ordinary people's suffering. ==What was the Russian Revolution of 1917?==[[File:19170704_Riot_on_Nevsky_prosp_Petrograd.jpg|thumbnail|left|300px|Troops open fire on Russian protesters in 1917.]] By February 1917, the situation was unbearable for the average Russian soldier and citizens. A series of strikes were staged in St. Petersburg, and the Tsar ordered the army to break the strikes. Instead, the army mutinied and began to fraternize with the suffering strikers.<ref>Robert Service (2005). ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/067401801X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=067401801X&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=1f1aedc66cb1d26dbbb2b33138bcf078 A history of modern Russia from Nicholas II to Vladimir Putin]''. Harvard University Press</ref> The authority of the ordinary peopleTsar ebbed away, and he was forced to abdicate. A Provisional Government that claimed to represent the workers and the peasants took power. This became known as the October Revolution.<ref>, Malone, Richard (2004). ''Analyzing the Russian Revolution''. Australia: Cambridge University Press. p. 67.</ref>
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Updated March 22, 2021