Russian Revolution

The Russian Revolution of 1917 was one of the most significant events of 20th century. It established  the ideology of Marxism. It was a great revolution after French revolution which was not limited to Russia but affected several countries of the world. The great revolution in Russia took place in two stages. The first stages of Russian revolution began in march 1917 with the overthrow of the Czar Nicholas II. The second stage in nov. of same year led to the establishment of the world's first communist state by Bolsheviks under Lenin.

                    The basic causes of the revolution were deep seated. The government was Autocratic. The Czar was the source of all authority and his powers were vigorously exercised by corrupt and inefficient bureucracy. The general standard of living of the people was tragically low. There was little social freedom. All Russian were forced to support the orthodox church.The intermediate cause of the event was however  the suffering and confusion caused by Russian disastrous defeats during world war I.Her armies lacked arms and ammunition. Prices soared high and economy was in shambles.Russian revolution began with March Revolution . Disorder broke out in Petrograd, the Russian capital in march 1917.Czar Nicholas II was forced to abdicate.

                   A provisional government composed of liberal and democratic elements under the successive premiership of Prince Lvov and then Aleksandr Kerensky lost ground to the radical wing of the social Democratic labour party.The Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, seized power in Petrograd on nov 7, 1917- November Revolution. The Kerensky Government was overthrown and authority was vested in council of commissioner with Lenin as Premier. The new Government immediately decreed the abolition of private land ownership and set up a dictatorship of the Proletariat- actually of the communist party, as the Bolsheviks came to called.

             The Bolsheviks extended their authority over a large part of European Russia, but elsewhere they faced the resistance of the anti-Bolshevik Parties. the resulting civil war lasted till 1920 and was complicated by foreign intervention. The communists were ultimately in undisputed control of the country.In the period between 1917 and 1920, the communists took drastic action against

internal enemies . Former Landlords, capitalists, Czarist officers, etc. were arrested, exiled or executed, the Czar and his family were killed. In 1923, the Union Soviet Socialist Republics came. Its constitution declared the establishment of a 'republic of workers and peasants'. Ownership of the means of production, including land, factories, mines, banks, and railroads was vested in the state. The state is officially known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, also commonly referred to as the Soviet Russia, or just Russia.