4.2 Communism in the USSR
Completion requirements
4.2 Communism in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Russia)
In 1917, Vladimir Lenin led the
Russian Revolution against the Tsar of Russia. The Tsar was the autocratic ruler of Russia. The timing was right for a revolution.
Life for the vast majority of people in Russia was very difficult.
However, life for the small upper class group was excellent. While other
areas of Europe were becoming democratic, modernizing agricultural
production and profiting from the effects of the Industrial Revolution,
Russia remained backwards and poor. This was compounded by Russia's
participation in World War I. Tsar Nicholas sent his troops to the front
with guns that did not fire and without proper shoes, clothing, or even
ammunition. Military losses were huge, and the soldiers rebelled.
Vladimir Lenin was a university-educated
revolutionary who had embraced Marxism as a solution for Russia's woes.
He used his ability to speak in public and strong personal commitment to
inspire the workers and soldiers to rise up against the old regime in
Russia. In a short well-organized revolution, Lenin and his followers
succeeded in taking control of Russia. Private
property was confiscated and controlled by the government, and
everything was supposed to be redistributed according to a Marxist
principle: "
From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs."
During this period, Lenin's government redistributed the land
previously owned by the wealthy landowners to the peasants, who, after
submitting a quota of their produce to the government, were allowed to
sell their goods on the open market. The government nationalized heavy
industry and banking and began the process of modernization. In
addition, the country was renamed the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics (USSR) to honour the Soviets, which referred to the
organizations of the workers and provincial areas of Russia.
To explore the Hollywood versions of these events, watch the following movies:
- Reds
- Nicholas and Alexandra
Shortly after the Russian Revolution, Lenin died, and Josef Stalin
became leader of the USSR (Soviet Union). Stalin was an authoritarian
leader, and in fact, assumed total control of all the Soviet Union. He
consolidated his power and forged ahead with a single-minded approach to
industrial growth. Stalin allowed nothing to stand in the way of his
drive to industrialize the Soviet Union. He ended the peasants' right to
sell their surplus products on the open market by taking away their
private land and forcing them all to work collectively. He used the
agricultural production of the country to fuel the industrial growth of
the nation. While the nationalization of industry was very successful in
terms of increasing production, collectivization was not as successful
in agriculture. Landowners were exiled; some killed their livestock and
burned their crops rather than turn them over to the government.
Agricultural production at first declined, and many people starved to
death.
