How Did Tsar Nicholas II Win The Russian Revolution

In the February Revolution of 1917, Tsar Nicholas II was deposed, as well as the autocratic system of rule, after 300 years of Romanov rule. Tsar Nicholas II was replaced with the Provisional Government, who were themselves overthrown in the October Revolution, when the Bolsheviks took power, with Lenin at the forefront. After Lenin’s death in 1924, a struggle for power resulted, and by 1928 Stalin emerged as the undisputed leader of what was now the USSR. The USSR under Stalin was in some ways an improvement for the people of Russia, such as the improvements seen in living and working conditions, but in other ways, such as equality, there was no progress, or quality even depreciated, as in freedom. Overall, the lives of Russians were better

In rural Russia, the ‘ancient farming technique’1 of strip farming was still used, alongside backwards technologies such as ‘wooden ploughs’ and with ‘few animals and tools’ despite the fact that ‘four out of every five people in Russia were peasants’2, which meant that as a result ‘famine and starvation were common’3 Under Stalin’s rule, the system of collectivisation was introduced. As collectivisation meant peasants did not work individually, but together in a kolkhoz, more advanced technologies such as tractors4 were used. However, as an example of Stalinist propaganda, this source is inclined to show collective farms in a positive light, and not show the negative aspects, such as the widespread famine present prior to its eradication. Despite this, the source still has value in showing what an idealised collective farm would be like, with details such as good quality clothing for all, and equality between the sexes, and this source can be corroborated, as tractors were present for some5 which could be utilised for the benefit of many, they were still uncommon, with as little as 4% with electricity by 1937, and even fewer with running water6. However, even this limited development was better for Russians than under the Tsarist regime, where it was negligible. Only for the kulaks did life on a kolkhoz worsen. For kulaks, as well as the

One of the worst ways that control was exercised by Stalin was that of the Purges, a system of ‘mass terror’29, whereby Stalin removed, by means of murder or imprisonment, anyone thought to be any enemy of either himself or the USSR, to the point where ‘it is said that every family in the USSR lost someone in the Purges’30, and many Russians died31.This source has a purpose of creating opposition to Stalin, and showing the results of the Purges to their full extent, and although it has reason for exaggeration, especially as it was produced by Russian exiles, there is truth to it, as it can be corroborated with the fact that ’10 million died’32 during the Purges. However, opposition in the Tsar’s era was still quelled brutally, with the use of the Okhrana33, the secret police, and the army, specifically the Cossack regiment34, who crushed any semblance of revolt by means of violence, so that ‘soldier are employed and equipped with live ammunition to be sent against out against the people’35. Propaganda was a key element of Stalin’s era, especially with the results of Socialist Realism, where art and culture were ‘used as propaganda to get across a political message’. This propaganda only showed the good side of life, speaking nothing of the downsides, and was used to uphold in the eyes of the people the ideals of Communism, as well as Stalin, with