Animal Farm & Russian Revolution: A Historical Backdrop.

Animal FarmAnimal Farm& Russian Revolution: & Russian Revolution:

A Historical BackdropA Historical Backdrop

Monarchy Under Czar Nicholas II

1894-1917

CZARCZAR

AristocracyAristocracy

MilitaryMilitary

AgricultureAgriculture IndustryIndustry

– – Proletariat – Proletariat – Workers fromWorkers from

Privatized Farms and IndustryPrivatized Farms and Industry(owned by aristocracy)(owned by aristocracy)

Monarchy Under Czar Nicholas IIMonarchy Under Czar Nicholas II

1894-19171894-1917Czar Nicholas Czar Nicholas was “Emperor was “Emperor and Autocrat and Autocrat of all the of all the Russias”Russias”

Czar = “power Czar = “power from God”from God”

Monarchy Under Czar Nicholas IIMonarchy Under Czar Nicholas II

Russia lagged Russia lagged behind other behind other modernized modernized countries in:countries in:

IndustrializatioIndustrializationn

GovernmentGovernment

EducationEducation

Majority of Majority of population faced population faced poverty, hunger, poverty, hunger, and unemploymentand unemploymentWWI WWI

Lost territory Lost territory from warfrom warFood & resources Food & resources going to troops going to troops

Monarchy Under Czar Nicholas IIMonarchy Under Czar Nicholas II

Monarchy Under Czar Nicholas IIMonarchy Under Czar Nicholas II

Revolts led by Revolts led by hungry hungry workers workers erupted across erupted across RussiaRussia

1917 – Czar 1917 – Czar Nicholas II was Nicholas II was overthrownoverthrown

The Russian RevolutionThe Russian Revolution

Bolsheviks, under Bolsheviks, under the leadership of the leadership of Vladimir Lenin, Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, and Leon Trotsky, and Joseph Stalin Joseph Stalin proceeded to proceeded to structure a structure a Communist Communist country as country as envisioned by Karl envisioned by Karl Marx.Marx.

Communism Envisioned byKarl Marx

Self-Self-governancegovernance

Collectively Collectively Owned Owned

AgricultureAgriculture

Collectively Collectively Owned Owned

IndustryIndustry

Mandatory Military Mandatory Military ServiceService

For All CitizensFor All Citizens

Communism Envisioned by Communism Envisioned by Karl MarxKarl Marx

The communists hoped that after The communists hoped that after updating their country’s industry, updating their country’s industry, agriculture, & military, a populace agriculture, & military, a populace of educated people could of educated people could successfully govern themselves successfully govern themselves and collectively own the combined and collectively own the combined wealth of their nation.wealth of their nation.

This was known as “socialism.”This was known as “socialism.”

Communism Envisioned by Communism Envisioned by Karl MarxKarl Marx

It was a utopian It was a utopian type dream type dream where a where a classless society classless society provided all its provided all its citizens with a citizens with a comfortable and comfortable and meaningful life.meaningful life.

Transitional RuleUnderVladimir Lenin

LeninLenin

Communist Communist PartyParty

Military ModernizationMilitary Modernization

Agriculture Agriculture ModernizationModernization

Industry Industry ModernizationModernization

Workers are quickly absorbedWorkers are quickly absorbedInto Agriculture, Industry, and MilitaryInto Agriculture, Industry, and Military

The Russian RevolutionThe Russian Revolution

Soviets gain Soviets gain popular popular support by support by promising:promising:

LandLandBreadBreadPeacePeace

Joseph Stalin and Vladimir LeninJoseph Stalin and Vladimir Lenin

Transitional Rule Under LeninTransitional Rule Under Lenin

Their main goals were Their main goals were as follows:as follows:

Modernize industry Modernize industry and agricultureand agriculture

Get rid of the Get rid of the aristocracy (middle aristocracy (middle & upper classes)& upper classes)

Transitional Rule Under LeninTransitional Rule Under Lenin

(Lenin’s goals continued…)(Lenin’s goals continued…)

Provide adequate food, Provide adequate food, shelter, and medical shelter, and medical services to the poorservices to the poor

Educate the population in Educate the population in the ways of Communism the ways of Communism

Strengthen their militaryStrengthen their military

Transitional Rule Under LeninTransitional Rule Under Lenin

1918: The Red 1918: The Red Army, led by Army, led by Leon Trotsky, Leon Trotsky, identified and identified and executed executed suspected suspected anti-anti-communists.communists.

Transitional Rule Under LeninTransitional Rule Under Lenin

1918-19211918-1921

Civil War Civil War erupted erupted between the between the Communists Communists and their and their oppositionopposition

Transitional Rule Under LeninTransitional Rule Under Lenin

1922: Lenin died 1922: Lenin died before he could before he could see a new Russia see a new Russia emerge. emerge. A power struggle A power struggle developed developed between Trotsky between Trotsky and Stalin. and Stalin.

Transitional Rule Under LeninTransitional Rule Under Lenin

Trotsky was Trotsky was run out of the run out of the country by country by Stalin whose Stalin whose powers lie in powers lie in his infamous his infamous secret police or secret police or “cheka” (KGB).“cheka” (KGB).

Communist RuleUnderJoseph Stalin

StalinStalin

Secret PoliceSecret Police(KGB)(KGB)

MilitaryMilitary

AgricultureAgriculture IndustryIndustry

– – Proletariat – Proletariat – Workers fromWorkers from

Government Farms and IndustryGovernment Farms and Industry(owned by Stalin)(owned by Stalin)

Communist Rule Under StalinCommunist Rule Under Stalin

The Russia that The Russia that Stalin Stalin developed was developed was renamed the renamed the Soviet Union, Soviet Union, and was not and was not the same the same country that country that Lenin had Lenin had hoped for. hoped for.

Communist Rule Under StalinCommunist Rule Under Stalin

19281928Stalin’s “Five Stalin’s “Five Year Plans”Year Plans”

Designed to Designed to bring bring Russia into Russia into the the industrial industrial ageage

Communist Rule Under StalinCommunist Rule Under Stalin

Stalin Stalin maintained maintained power by using power by using political and political and social terror.social terror.

KGB, Cheka, KGB, Cheka, and system of and system of spiesspies

Communist Rule Under StalinCommunist Rule Under Stalin

The PurgesThe Purges

High ranking High ranking officials were officials were arrested, forced to arrested, forced to confess to false confess to false charges, and then charges, and then executedexecuted

Stalin was seen as Stalin was seen as protecting Russiaprotecting Russia

Communist Rule Under StalinCommunist Rule Under Stalin

In addition to his In addition to his campaign of terror, campaign of terror, Stalin also Stalin also controlled all media controlled all media sources.sources.Stalin could Stalin could effectively rewrite effectively rewrite history to suit his history to suit his political/military political/military needs.needs.