History: Chapter 2

(Prashant sir)

Instruction:

• Read understand and then only write.

• Try to write in your own words it will develop your answer writing potential.
• If you face any difficulty mark with pencil and ask me in classroom.

1. The Age of Social Change in Europe

Liberals, Radicals & Conservatives

• Liberals wanted equality before law, religious tolerance, a government elected by people, and
checks on royal power.
• Radicals pushed for faster, broader changes—often supporting major reforms or revolutions to help
ordinary people.
• Conservatives preferred slow, cautious changes, valuing traditions and stability.

Industrialisation and Social Changes

• The Industrial Revolution brought big factories, cities, and new jobs—but working conditions were
harsh, wages low, and child labour common.
 • People like Robert Owen tried building cooperative communities (e.g., New Harmony), while
others campaigned for government-supported cooperatives (like Louis Blanc) to help workers
directly.

Rise of Socialist Thought

• Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels criticized capitalism, arguing that workers produced the real value
but factory owners took the profits.

• They dreamed of a classless society, with collective ownership—what they called communism.
Spread of Socialism

• Socialist ideas spread across Europe through groups and parties.

• The Second International (formed in the 1870s) coordinated socialist movements globally.
• Workers organized strikes, formed support funds, demanded voting rights, and pushed for shorter
working hours.
• Political parties sprang up: Social Democratic Party in Germany, Labour Party in Britain,
Socialist Party in France—though they hadn’t formed governments by 1914.

2. Russia Before the Revolution

The Russian Empire in 1914

• Ruled by Tsar Nicholas II, the empire covered present-day Russia, Finland, Poland, Ukraine,
Central Asia, and more.
• The majority followed the Russian Orthodox Church, with diverse religions also present.

Economy and Society

• Around 85% of Russians were farmers—much higher than in Western Europe.

• Industry existed only in parts—mainly Moscow and St Petersburg. Foreign investment and rail
expansion in the 1890s helped industries grow.
• Workers were divided by skill and background and earned low wages with long hours. Women
were 31% of factory workers but earned less than men.
Peasants owned small plots; nobles, the Tsar, and the Church owned most land. Peasants resented
landlords, often refused to pay rent, and sometimes even attacked them.
• In some villages, peasants shared land in communes (mir), which some socialists saw as a natural
form of socialism.
3. The Rise of Political Opposition
Socialist Groups

• 1898: Formation of the Russian Social Democratic Workers’ Party, influenced by Marx—illegal,
underground movement.
• 1900: Socialist Revolutionary Party supported peasants and land redistribution.
• Tensions grew between:
o Bolsheviks (led by Lenin): believed in a small, disciplined party of professional
revolutionaries.
o Mensheviks: favoured a broad-based party open to all supporters.

4. Road to Revolution: 1905 up to WWI

The 1905 Revolution & Bloody Sunday

• Rising hardship: from 1904, the cost of living soared, real wages dropped by 20%.
• Workers marched to the Winter Palace demanding better conditions. On 22 January 1905, the
peaceful march turned deadly—over 100 killed, 300 wounded (called Bloody Sunday).
• It sparked widespread protests, strikes, and forced the Tsar to promise a Duma (parliament)—though
he later dissolved it when it challenged his power.

World War I

• From 1914, Russia joined the war alongside Britain and France against Germany and Austria.
• Military defeats, food shortages, broken railways, and failing economy increased anger.
• Bread riots and strikes became common.

5. The Russian Revolution of 1917

February Revolution (March 1917)

• Food shortages and losses in war triggered mass protests in Petrograd.

• Workers, soldiers, and citizens protested—leading the Tsar to abdicate.
• The Provisional Government took over but had to share power with the Petrograd Soviet.
Lenin & the April Theses

• Lenin returned and issued his April Theses: no support for the Provisional Government; “All Power
to the Soviets.”

October Revolution (November 1917)

• October: Bolsheviks seized power by storming the Winter Palace.

• Government offices were taken over, and the Provisional Government was overthrown—marking the
start of Bolshevik rule.

Immediate Changes

• Industries and banks were nationalised.

• Land seized from nobles was given to peasants.
• Large houses were divided; aristocratic titles banned; new uniforms for officials.
• The Bolshevik Party was renamed as the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks).
• They pulled Russia out of WWI by signing the Brest-Litovsk Treaty.
• Introduced a one-party state with Soviets as power centers.

6. Aftermath: Civil War and Building Socialism

Civil War (1918–1920)

• Whites (tsarist supporters, liberals, other parties) fought the Reds (Bolsheviks).
• Foreign powers (Britain, France, Japan, USA) intervened against the Reds.
• Widespread disruption, famine, and violence occurred.
 • By 1920, Bolsheviks secured control, granting limited autonomy to non-Russian regions. In 1922,
the Soviet Union (USSR) was officially formed.

Building a Socialist Society

• Economic changes involved nationalisation, land reform, and centralised planning with Five-Year
Plans.
• Focus on rapid industrial growth—cities like Magnitogorsk built quickly.
• Major challenges: harsh living and working conditions.

• Social reforms: expanded education, healthcare, crèches for working mothers, model housing
(limited in number).

Stalin and Collectivisation

• Late 1920s: Stalin pushed collectivisation to industrialise agriculture.

• Peasants (especially wealthier kulaks) resisted—destroying livestock, hoarding grain.
• Resulted in famine (1930–33), millions died, and harsh repression followed.

7. Why Was Russia Special?

One Reddit comment sums it up:

The Russian people weren't satisfied with the Tsar because of a failing military campaign during WWI…
they tried asking for rights, but that failed, so they had to resort to violence.

This helped explain why socialism took hold in Russia more than in other European countries.

Summary Table
Topic Key Points
• Socialism in Europe Ideas of equality, classless society; leaders like Marx, Owen, Blanc
• Russia before 1917 Agrarian economy, social tension, divided workers and peasants
Light clandestine parties (RSDWP, Socialists); Bolsheviks vs
• Political Mobilization
Mensheviks
• 1905 Revolution Bloody Sunday → Duma, anger builds
• WWI Food shortages, war fatigue, protests
• Revolutions of 1917 February—Tsar abdicates; October—Bolshevik takeover
• Post-Revolution Transition Nationalisation, civil war, USSR creation
• Socialist Society Building Five-Year Plans, collectivisation, social services
• Special Conditions in Failures of monarchy, war, strong socialist leadership, unique
Russia structure
Final Thought
This chapter shows how ideas (socialism) and historical events (like war and autocracy) combine to bring
major change. It helps us understand how Russia transformed from an empire to the first socialist state.