History 127C Week 1 Lecture 1Introduction to RussiaHistory 127C –Modern Russia in the 20th century, Soviet Union, the PresentProfessor GettyDept. of HistoryHistory 127C- Professor Arch Getty- Office: Bunche 5349- Tues, Thurs 3:30-4:30o By appointment- Telephone: x51762- Email: [email protected] Best contact form- Midterm- Take Home FinalSoviet Union Overview- Dominates the 20th century because:o Defeated the Nazi in WWII (biggest war in history) when no one else couldo Ends the century as one of the two superpowers of the world, yet Russia begins the century primitive – rags to riches storyo Revolutionary regime in a capitalistic world – self proclaimed Marxist governmento Sought to spread its ideology into the entire worldo Did not feel bound by the rules of diplomacy- Violence is a legitimate way of solving political problems (secret police, repression of civil rights, etc)- How could this optimistic, democratic, egalitarian upsurge against repressionturn into a Stalin dictatorship?- Unprecedented economic progress in the three decades – Russia grew faster than any other country in that time period- How do contradictions happen in society?- We will study war, foreign affairs, politics, Stalin and Russia today. Terms- Tsar – ruled by a Tsaro Derivation of the word ‘Caesar’o Ruling family liked to stem its word from imperial powers- Nicholas II – part of the Romanov dynastyo Understood his role as the tsar in the beginning of the 20th century to pass down to his son the same kind of monarchy that he inherited and that existed for the past 300 yearso Russia was not a collection of people that he owed anything to; he was ruling because of god’s willo He did not see his authority as a derivative of the peopleo No one in Europe still held medieval type beliefs except for Nicholas II- Romanov- Autocracyo Rule by one person with absolute powero Nicholas II- Dumao Nicholas II considered the duma as his advisorso Legislative bodyo No power over civil affairs, foreign affairs, the judiciary- St. Petersburgo Capital of Russia- Intelligentisiao Educated class, small in sizeo Might stretch to 2% populationo Participatory, engage politics and reformo Very opinionated, active participants o Radical strando Conservative strand- Proleteriato Industrial working class, new classo Industrializing seriously in the 1880s, 1890s and even faster followingthe turn of the century because of government policyo Working class stems from the peasants o Grows very quickly in the beginning of the 20th centuryo Agendas to achieveo Interests to pusho To industrialize, Russia attracted Western European firms and investors to build large factories  Russian government becomes a policeman of the working classand employs force to prevent trade unions, serious negotiations, etc because these things would make things unprofitable for the Russian government and foreigners Russia depended on foreign capital, technology and expertiseo Russia never had small factories- Peasantso Largest part of Russian society; 80-85% at the turn of the centuryo Farming with primitive agricultural technique(s)o Low literacyo Low life expectancyo Superstitious o Low level of participationo Until 19th century, peasants did not have last names because they didn’t need it o Risk averse so they don’t adopt industrialization in agriculture- Miro Translation: My village, the commune that administers my village, the universe o You were born, grew up and died in the same villageo Land was held communallyo Principal of maintaining equality – redistribution of land o Initiative and hard work is essentially pointless as your land and assets will be redistributed so that you are equal with others in your commune Russian Society- 85% were peasantso owned half the land- 3% were nobleso owned half the land- growing working class- growing intelligentsia as education is spreadingThe Double Crisis- Social Crisiso Peasant land hungero Peasants want access to some of the land that the nobility controlso Working conditions - Political Crisiso Absolutismo No constitutiono No real parliamento No democracyo No reform Stark contrast to all of the other European countrieso Therefore no avenue for the intelligentsia to engage in participation The Crisis of 1905- Russo-Japanese War- Defeat, strikes, peasant revolt- General strike - Everybody stopped working because they were so disgusted by the government’s incompetence- October Crisis - October Manifesto:o Unions legalized for the first timeo Parties legalized for the first timeo Duma authorizedPeasants and the land- Mir = Russian peasant commune- Strip farming- How did the population grow?o Potatoes introduced in the 19th century. Everywhere potatoes are introduced, populations increase because anyone can grow potatoes- Land quantity unchangedo “land hunger”o family farms get smaller and smallero drives peasants off the land to look for other places to settle o peasant violenceThe Workers 1910-14- Lena goldfield massacre, Apr. 1912o Catalyst that brings all the other grievances into sharp focuso Poor hungry workers shot down by the government - Unions radicalized- Working conditions improved very little - Growing radical influenceo StrikesKarl Marx - Next time we will be studying the theory and practice of Karl