Question

Write the information about Russian Revolution with reference to:
(a) Despotic rule in Russia
(b) Lenin's contribution.

Answer 1

(a) Despotic Rule in Russia : (i) For 300 years Russia was ruled by the despotic Tsars of the Romanov Dynasty.
(ii) The Tsars were opposed to the liberal ideas, denied rights and freedom, to the people.
(iii) Agriculture was the backbone of the Russian economy. Howover, the feudalism resulted misery for the farmers.
(iv) Some industrial development had taken place. However, the capitalists exploited the workers. The Tsarist government did not make any attempt to improve the condition of the workers.
(v) The trade unions worked secretly and formed the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party in 1898.
(vi) The non-Russian nationalities suffered subjugation.
(vii) There was unrest among all sections against the despotic rule of the Tsar.
(b) Lenin's Contribution :
(i) Lenin was the architect of Bolshevik Revolution. He headed the Bolshevik government.
(ii) His actions were guided by the Marxian philosophy. He undertook war communism whereby the business and industry were nationalized. The lands of the feudal lords were confiscated. The right to property was abolished. The workers were brought under total control of the state.
(iii) To overcome the difficulties created by war communism, he adopted New Economic Policy (NEP), a temporary compromise with capitalism.
(iv) Under the NEP, the private sector was allowed to function under control of the State. The land was distributed among the farmers. As a result industrial and agricultural production increased.
(v) Lenin was a revolutionary who founded the first communist government in Russia and laid the foundation of the emergence of the USSR as a super-power.