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Classix Socialscience History Ch-2
Classix Socialscience History Ch-2
CLASS: IX
SECTION: ALL
SUBJECT: SOCIAL SCIENCE (HISTORY)
SESSION: 2023-24
CHAPTER-2: RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
NOTES
Important points
1) The three demands by Vladimir Lenin in ‘April Theses’ OR major demands of Bolsheviks during 1917 were
a) He declared that the war be brought to a close
b) Land should be transferred to the peasants
c) Banks to be nationalized
2) Kolkhoz- Collective farms were also known as kolkhoz.
3) Duma- Elected consultative parliament in Russia is called the Duma. The first Duma was
constituted in1905.
4) Tsar- An emperor of Russia before 1917
5) Bloody Sunday-The incident of attack by police over protesting workers demanding improvement in working
condition in Russia which left many workers killed and wounded is known as ‘Bloody Sunday’.
6) Result of the February Revolution of 1917 – It ended the autocratic Tsarist rule in Russia and
paved way for an elected government on the basis of universal adult suffrage
7) Women workers between 1900 and 1930- Participation of women workers in revolution was quite
significant in Russia. About one-third industrial workers were women. Especially during the war years, the
number of women workers increased because the able-bodied men were called for war time duties.
8) Bolsheviks and Mensheviks had a number of common features and beliefs:
They both strived for the elimination of the capitalist system;
They both wanted to overthrow the Tsarist regime; and
They were both part of the Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP).
Q1) How was the ideology of liberals different from that of radicals and conservatives in Europe? OR
State one different idea each of liberals, radicals and conservatives.
Ans 1) LIBERALS
1) Liberals wanted a nation which tolerated all religions.
2) Liberals also opposed the uncontrolled power of dynastic rulers.
3) They wanted to safeguard the rights of individuals against governments.
4) They wanted a representative, elected parliamentary government, subject to laws interpreted by a well-
trainedjudiciary that was independent of rulers and officials. (However, they were not democrats).
5) They did not believe in universal adult franchise. They felt men of property should have the right to vote.
They also did not want the right to vote for women.
RADICALS
The radicals believed in drastic change of society. They wanted: -
1) A nation in which government was based on the majority of a country’s population
2) Many supported women’s right to vote
3) They were opposed to privileges of landowners and wealthy factory owners.
4) They were not against the existence of private property but disliked concentration of property in the hands of a
few.
CONSERVATIVES
1) They were opposed to radicals and liberals.
2) The conservatives believed in respect for the past and change through a gradual process.
IMPACT
IMPACT
due to high demand for wages were low. The of low demand for
labour. growth of towns led to industrial goods.
problems of housing
and sanitation.
Q4) ‘Some nationalists, liberals and radicals wanted revolutions to put an end to the kind of governments
established in Europe in 1815.’ What did they do to achieve their goal?
Ans 4)
1) In order to achieve their goal, in France, Italy, Germany and Russia, some nationalists (liberals and
radicals) became revolutionaries and worked to overthrow existing monarchs.
2) Nationalists talked of revolutions that would create nations where all citizens would have equal rights.
3) After 1815, Giuseppe Mazzini, an Italian nationalist, conspired with others to achieve this in Italy and
Nationalists elsewhere also read his writings.
Q5) What according to Socialism was the root of all evil in society? Why? How did they wish to change this? OR
List out the socialist ideas of mid-19th century. OR
Explain the views of the socialists about private property? OR
Ans 5) Socialist regarded private property as the root of all evils in society.
1. Socialists were against private property because they believed that property owners were
concerned only withpersonal gain and not with the welfare of those who made the property
productive.
2. They wanted state should control property so that more attention could be paid tocollective
social interests.
Q6) What was the basic difference between the cooperatives advocated by Robert Owen and Louis Blanc?
Ans 6)
Louis Blanc favoured government
intervention in setting up of cooperatives
Q8) Why were the Workers Associations formed in France, Britain and Germany?
Ans 8) Workers associations were formed in France, Britain and Germany because of the following reasons: -
1) To fight for better living and working conditions.
2) To demanded a reduction of working hours.
3) To pressurize governments to grant right to vote to workers.
4) In Germany, these associations worked closely with the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and helped it
win parliamentary seats.
1) About 85 per cent of the Russian empire’s population earned their living from agriculture.
2) Government supervised large factories (which were mostly private) to ensure minimum wages and limited hours
of work.
3) In small workshops, the working day was sometimes 15 hours compared with 10-12 hours in factories.
4) Women made up of 31 percent of the factory labour and were paid less than men.
5) Workers were divided by skill. Metalworkers considered themselves aristocrats among other
workers as theiroccupations demanded more training and skill.
SOCIAL CONDITIONS
1) Peasants cultivated most of the land. But the nobility, the crown and the Orthodox Church
owned large properties.
2) Peasants had no respect for the nobility. They often refused to pay rent and even murdered landlords.
3) Peasants pooled their land together periodically and their commune (mir) divided it according to the
needs ofindividual families.
POLITICAL CONDITIONS
1) Russia was an absolute monarchy. The Tsar was an autocrat as he ruled by himself without a
Parliament.
Q10) Discuss the relationship between peasants and nobles in Russia during early 19th century. OR
Explain any five differences between the peasants of Russia and peasants of Europe.
Ans10) Relationship between peasants and nobles in Russia during early 19th century can be explained as follows:
1) Unlike other peasants in Europe the peasants in Russia had no respect for the nobility and did not
fight war forthem.
2) In Russia, peasants wanted the land of the nobles to be given to them.
3) Frequently, they refused to pay rent and even murdered landlords.
4) They pooled their land together periodically and their commune (mir) divided it according to the
needs of individual families.
5) Nobles got their power and position through their service to the Tsar, not through power and popularity.
Q12) Describe the changes introduced in Russia by Tzar Nicolas II during the Revolution. OR
What is Duma? How did the Duma work under Tsar? OR
What was Duma? How far was it successful in Russia during Tsar regime? Explain.
Ans12) The changes introduced in Russia by Tzar Nicolas II during the Revolution are as follows: -
1) The Tsar allowed the creation of an elected consultative Parliament or Duma.
2) After 1905, most committees and trade unions were declared illegal, hence they worked unofficially.
3) Severe restrictions were placed on political activity. The Tsar dismissed the first Duma within 75 days and the re-
elected secondDuma within three months.
4) Tsar did not want any questioning of his authority or any reduction in his power. Hence, voting pattern was changed for the
election of third Duma to encourage representation of conservatives. Liberals and Revolutionaries were kept out.
Q14) How did the destruction of Industries after the First World War became one of the causes of resentment of
people?
OR
Describe the impact of First World War on industries in Russia.
OR
Describe the Impact of the First World War over Russia.
Ans 14) Russians armies lost badly between 1914 to 1916. There were over 7 million casualties. This destruction led to
over 3 million refugees in Russia.
The war also had a severe impact on the industry:
1) Russia was cut off from other suppliers of industrial goods by German control of the Baltic Sea.
2) By 1916, railway lines began to break down.
3) Able-bodied men were called up to the war which resulted in labour shortages. Small workshops producing essentials
were shut down.
4) Large supplies of grain were sent to feed the army. For the people in the cities, bread and flour became scarce.
5) By the winter of 1916, riots at bread shops were common.
Q15) Describe any three steps taken to improve the condition of factory workers and peasants in Russia after the
Civil War.
Ans 15)
1. An extended schooling system developed, and arrangements were made for factory workers and peasants to
enter universities.
2) Crèches were established in factories for the children of women workers.
3) Cheap public health care was provided. Model living quarters were set up for workers.
Q16) Explain any five measures adopted by the Bolsheviks to make a socialist society in Russia. What were the effects
of centralized planning?
Ans16) Measures adopted by the Bolsheviks to make a socialist society in Russia are as follows: -
1) During the civil war, the Bolsheviks kept industries and banks nationalized.
2) They permitted peasants to cultivate the land that had been socialized. They demonstrated what collective work
could be.
3) A process of centralized planning was introduced.
4) Officials assessed how the economy could work and set targets for a five-year period.
5) The government fixed all prices to promote industrial growth during the first two ‘Plans’
Q17) Explain the main events of February Revolution. (All points) Ans 15) Events of February Revolution of 1917 are as
follows-:
24th and • The government called out the cavalry and police to keep an eye on demonstrators.
25th
February:
• Government suspended the Duma. Demonstrators returned in force to the streets of the left bank.
25th
February:
• The Police Headquarters were ransacked. The streets thronged with people raising slogans about
bread, wages, better hours and democracy. The government called out the cavalry once again.
27th
February However, the cavalry refused to fire on the demonstrators. By evening, soldiers and striking workers
formed a soviet or council. This was the Petrograd Soviet.
• A delegation went to see the Tsar. Military commanders advised him to abdicate.
28th
February
2nd March • Tsar abdicates while Soviet leaders and Duma leaders formed provisional government.
Army officials,
Monarchy was
landowners and
brought down
industrialists were
which ended the
influential in the
autocratic Tsarist
Provincial
rule in Russia
Government
Q20) Explain the events of October, 1917 that wiped out the provisional government from Russia. OR
Describe any three events that led to the October revolution of 1917 in Russia. OR
Elaborate the Lenin’s contribution to the Russian Revolution in 1917.
ANS20)
• Vladimir Lenin returned to Russia and announced ‘April Theses’. He declared that the war be
brought to a close, land be transferred to the peasants, and banks be nationalized.
April 1917
July and
•Conflict between provisional government and Bolsheviks increased as growth of soviets was resisted
by the provisional government. Peasants seized land between July and September.
Sept. 1917
16
•Lenin persuaded the Petrograd Soviet and the Bolshevik Party to agree to a socialist seizure of
October
power. A Military Revolutionary Committee was appointed by the Soviet under Leon Trotskii.
1917
• Pro-government troops called in by PM Kerenskii to deal with the situation. They seized the
• Military Revolutionary Committee ordered its supporters to seize government offices and arrest
ministers. They controlled the city by night and ministers surrendered.
RESPONSE •The Bolsheviks took control of the power.
Q21) Explain the Lenin’s April Theses’. What was its effect on the party members?
Ans21) The three demands by Vladimir Lenin came to be known as April thesis. They were: -
Q22) State any measures taken by the Provisional Government to suppress the Bolshevik influence.
Ans 22) As the Provisional Government saw its power reduce and Bolshevik influence grow, it decided to take stern
measures against the Bolsheviks.
It resisted
attempts by
workers to run
factories and
began arresting
leaders.
Popular
demonstrations
staged by the
Bolsheviks in July
1917 were sternly
repressed. Many
Bolshevik leaders
had to go into
hiding or flee.
They seized
Seized buildings
buildings of two
of two Bolshevik
Bolshevik
newspapers.
newspapers.
Q24) What were the main changes brought about by the Bolsheviks immediately after the October Revolution?
OR
What changes were brought by Bolsheviks in Russia after they came to power? OR
Explain the changes made in Russia after the October revolution. OR
Explain any five effects of the Russian revolution of 1917 over Russia? OR
Highlight any five changes brought by Lenin in Russia after October revolution of 1917.
Ans24) Major changes -after the October Revolution OR after Bolsheviks came to power
1) The Bolsheviks were totally opposed to private property. Most industry and banks were nationalized in November
1917.
2) Land was declared social property and peasants were allowed to seize the land of the nobility.
3) In cities, Bolsheviks enforced the partition of large houses according to family requirements.
4) They banned the use of the old titles of aristocracy.
5) New uniforms were designed for the army and officials, following a clothing competition organized in 1918 when the
Soviet hat (budeonovka) was chosen.
6) The Bolshevik Party was renamed the Russian Communist Party (Bolshevik).
7) Russia became a one-party state. Trade unions were kept under party control.
8) The secret police (called the Cheka first, and later OGPU and NKVD) punished those who criticised the Bolsheviks
Q25) Explain any three reasons which led to civil war between the Bolsheviks and the Russian army of Non
Bolsheviks.
Ans 25) Reasons which led to civil war between the Bolsheviks and the Russian army of Non Bolsheviks are as follows:
-
1) Bolsheviks- When the Bolsheviks ordered land redistribution, Soldiers, mostly peasants, wished to go home for the
redistribution and deserted.
2) Non-Bolshevik- Non-Bolshevik, socialists, liberals and supporters of autocracy condemned the Bolshevik uprising.
Their leaders organised troops to fight the Bolsheviks (the reds)
3) Support for Non- Bolsheviks- During 1918 and 1919, the greens (Socialist Revolutionaries) and whites (pro-Tsarists)
controlled most of the Russian empire. They were backed by French, American, British and Japanese troops -all those
forces who were worried at the growth of socialism in Russia.
Q26) Give the positive and negative aspect of Bolshevik government on Soviet Union and its people. Give two points
of each.
Ans 26) Positive aspect of Bolshevik government on Soviet Union
1) A backward country had become a great power
2) Its industries and agriculture had developed and poor were being fed
Q27) Explain the factors that led Stalin to launch the collectivization programme.
Ans27) Collectivisation of Stalin was prompted by the following factors:
1) Towns in Soviet Russia faced an acute shortage of grain supplies
2) Peasants refused to sell their grains to government buyers at a price fixed by the government.
3) Stalin believed that rich peasants and traders in the countryside were holding stocks in the hope of higher prices.
4) Shortage of grains production due to small size of land holdings.
5) Small-sized peasant farms could not be modernized.
Q28) Explain measures adopted by Stalin to impose restrictions on Kulaks (well to do peasants) in Russia.
OR
State any the measures undertaken by Stalin to solve the problem of acute shortage of grain in Russia.
OR
Explain the Stalin’s Collectivisation programme. What happened to those who resisted collectivisation. What
were the results of collectivisation?
OR
OR
Analyse the reasons of Stalin’s unpopularity in Soviet Union.
OR
Why didn’t Stalin’s policy of Collectivisation yield immediate results? (Write results of collectivisation)
OR
How was the period of early planned economy linked to the disasters of collectivisation of agriculture in the
Soviet Unions?
Ans28) Measures adopted by Stalin to impose restrictions on Kulaks: - (OR Stalin’s Collectivisation programme.)
1) The government fixed prices at which grain must be sold, but the peasants refused to sell their grain to government
buyers at these prices.
2) To prevent rich peasants & landlords from indulging in speculation, in 1928, Stalin’s Party members supervised
enforced grain collections, and raided ‘Kulaks’.
3) As shortages of grain continued, their land was taken away and state controlled large farms were established.
4) From 1929, the Party forced all peasants to cultivate in collective farms (kolkhoz).
5) The bulk of land and implements were transferred to the ownership of collective farms. Peasants worked on the land,
and the kolkhoz profit was shared.
REACTION BY PEASANTS
1) Enraged peasants resisted the authorities and destroyed their livestock
2) The number of cattle fell by one third between 1929 and 1931
3) Peasants argued that they merely did not want to work in collective farms for a variety of reasons
4) Many were deported and exiled.
5) Stalin’s government allowed some independent cultivation, but treated such cultivators unsympathetically.
1) Between 1929 and 1931, the number of cattle fell by one-third as angry peasants destroyed livestock.
2) In spite of collectivization, production did not increase immediately.
3) In fact, the bad harvests of 1930-1933 led to one of most devastating famines in Soviet history when over 4 million
died.
REASONS OF STALIN’S UNPOPULARITY IN SOVIET UNION (above 2 points and the following)
1) Many within the Party criticized the consequences of collectivization.
2) Critics were charged with conspiracy against socialism and by 1939, over 2 million were in prisons or labour camps.
3) A large number were forced to make false confessions under torture and were executed.
Q29) Describe the global influence of the Russian Revolution on other countries of the World. OR
Explain the impact of Russian revolution on the world.
Ans 28) By the time of the outbreak of the Second World War, the USSR had given socialism a global face and world
stature.
1) The possibility of a workers’ state fired people’s imagination across the world.
2) In many countries, communist parties were formed like the Communist Party of Great Britain.
3) The Bolsheviks encouraged colonial peoples to follow their experiment to fight –against imperialism.
4) Many non-Russians from outside the USSR participated in the Conference of the Peoples of the East (1920).
5) The Bolshevik-founded Comintern (An International union of pro-Bolshevik socialist parties).
6) Some received education in the USSR’s Communist University of the Workers of the East.
Q30) Explain any five causes leading to the outbreak of Russian revolution.
1) LEADER The Bolsheviks under their leader Vladimir The Mensheviks represented a minority group
Lenin constituted a majority of the under the leadership of Alexander Kerenskii.
socialists.
2) PARTY They wanted the party should be They favored a party which was open toall
disciplined and should and to work within the system.
control the number and quality of its
members.
3) WORKING They wanted to work for Revolution. They believed in gradual change and
establishment of a parliamentary form of
government like that of France and Britain.
4) MEANING Bolsheviks meant the majority. Mensheviks meant the minority.
5) VIOLENCE Bolsheviks were not hesitant to use Mensheviks did not want to use violence.
violence to achieve their goals.
6) IDEOLOGY Bolsheviks wanted a direct change They felt a socialist society should be preceded
from Tsarism to Communism. by a liberal capitalist system; therefore, there
could be no direct transition
from Tsarism to Communism.