Download Dr Jakub Basista

Dr Jakub Basista
Modern European State Formation
Meeting 17: Modern dictatorships. Totalitarian states in 20th century Europe.
Soviet Union – first socialist/communist state in the world. Fascism, Nazism and
Stalinism in Europe.
Reading: Di Scala: chapters7, 12, 13, 15; Heineman: chapters 8, 10; Agnew: chapter 10.
Synopsis
Very difficult domestic situation and the hardships of war resulted in a revolution and
overthrowing of the Tsar in Russia in February 1917. But the new, “middle class”
government failed to stop the war and introduce necessary reforms. In effect it left
place for a new revolution, this time carries out by the Bolshevik fraction of Social
Democratic Workers’ Party. In affect power was seized by Workers’ and Soldiers
Soviets, which executed it in the name of Lenin’s Party.
An attempt by “White Russia” to crush the revolution, albeit done with Western help,
failed due to lack of coherent plan and joint operation.
Later on, in December 1922, the various Socialist Republics merged to form a
federation.
Leninism
Leninism rests upon three articles of faith: [1] social reality can only be understood as
a struggle between classes and a class conflict based on material, economic interest
[2] the only way to resolve the problem of the class conflict is through a violent
revolution [3] the only means capable of brining about a revolution are organization
and leadership, embodied it the Communist party.
 The Communist party should become the leader of all other parties and groups
and it must be a well knit, steely, single-minded and very well organized and
disciplined organization seeking to overthrow the Tsar’s rule and feudalism
 Russian society is not ready for a Communist revolution. It is much more guided
by nationalism, thus it needs to be governed by the party.
 Lenin’s Imperialism: The Highest Stage of capitalism seems to indicate that it is
not just the domestic problems and conflicts that lead to the revolution, but
international rivalry between imperialist states as well.
1917
23 February (8 March) Outbreak of the Russian Revolution in St. Petersburg
Forming of the Provisional Executive Committee of the Soviet of Workers’ Deputies
Feb (March) Forming of provisional government under prince Lvov
March 1917 – abdication of Tsar Nicholas II
Two power centers:
 Provisional government, which seeks to fulfill Russia’s international obligations and
thus continue war.
 Petrograd Soviet of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies, which considers the war to be
“an imperialist struggle’ for hegemony over the world and wants to stop it. The
Soviet controls the army.
4 (17) March – Lenin returns to Russia from Switzerland
4 (17) April – Theses of 4th April – a call for a socialist revolution – all power to the Soviets;
call for the establishment of a Socialist Republic; call for the nationalization of banks and
land reform
3-4 (16-17) July – Bolshevik coup in Petrograd fails due to military intervention; Lenin flees
to Finland
Alexander Kierensky becomes the p.m. of the socialist government.
September – another coup by gen. Kornilov fails.
Establishing of Politburo (Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin, Zinoviev, Kamenev) of the Bolsheviks to
push for an armed revolution
24-25 Oct (6-7 Nov) – The October Revolution in Petrograd (Failure of Provisional
government; Kierensky flees: causes of the success – continuation of war; lack of reforms;
postponing of elections by the socialists).
26 Oct (8 Nov) – 2nd All Russian Congress of Soviets; Council of Peoples’ Commissars is
created as a government. Through decrees it introduces:
 termination of war
 land reform
2 (15) Nov – proclamation of the right of self-determination of nations
25 Nov (8 Dec) – elections to the constituent assembly (Bolsheviks get only 9 million out of
36 mln. votes)
1918
5(18) Jan – Opening of the Constituent Assembly – proclamation of Russian Democratic
Federal Republic
6(19) Jan – dissolution of the Assembly by the Council of Peoples’ Commissaries with Red
Army
9(22) Feb – “Peace for Bread” – Germany, A-H., Turkey sign an armistice with Ukraine. An
independent Ukrainian State is formed.
3 Mar – Treaty of Brest-Litovsk – Russia signs a treaty with Germany; Russia gives up
Livonia, Courland, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland; Russia also recognizes Finland and
Ukraine as independent States
 declaration of independence by White Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan
July 1918 – establishment of Russian Socialist Federative Republic (provisional
constitution, principles of the Soviets, dictatorship of the proletariat (working class)
 Assassination of the Tsar and his family
1919 – 8th Party Congress – Politburo, Orgburo and Secretariat become party’s supreme
executive organs
1918-1920 – Civil War
 Kolchak – Ural-Volga Region (incl. Czech legion)
 Denikin, Krasnov, Vrangel – South Russia
 Yudenich – Estonia
 Miller – North Russia
Against Red Army organized by Trotsky
1921 – Economic failure of “War Communism” (Socialization/nationalization of all means of
production and central planning)
1921 – establishing of GOSPLAN to coordinate economy
1921 – NEP state capitalism
1921 – prohibition of all opposition parties
1922 – Cheka turned into G.P.U. (State political adm.)
1922 – Following Lenin’s sickness Stalin becomes secretary-general
Dec 1922 – All-Russian Congress forms “Union of Socialist Soviet Republics”:
Russian; Transcaucasian, Ukrainian, Byelorussian, Uzbek (1924), Turkmenian (1924),
Tajik (1929)
1923 – Constitution of USSR
21 Jan. 1924 – Lenin dies.
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The forming of Fascist state in Italy, Spain.
Emerge of Nazism in Germany.
Small dictators in Central-Eastern Europe.