If you order your custom term paper from our custom writing service you will receive a perfectly written assignment on Russia. What we need from you is to provide us with your detailed paper instructions for our experienced writers to follow all of your specific writing requirements. Specify your order details, state the exact number of pages required and our custom writing professionals will deliver the best quality Russia paper right on time.
Our staff of freelance writers includes over 120 experts proficient in Russia, therefore you can rest assured that your assignment will be handled by only top rated specialists. Order your Russia paper at affordable prices !Standing in between two courses of action is like standing in the middle of the road. It is an excellent place to be hit by a truck. This is what happened to Czarist Russia, when in 117, two hundred years of waffling on reform policy (epitomized by Nicolas the II) put the old order square on the front grill of the revolution.
From the view of a reformist this was a logical consequence from the lack of dedication to policies that would have put Russia on a more solid path. The Czar's unwillingness (or inability) to modernize or empower governmental systems along more western models (such as constitutional monarchies) and failure to liberalize the economy, was a problem with deep roots.Once Peter the Great exposed Russia a to a West under going the age of reason and the liberal philosophy it entailed, the days of the Czar absolute power were numbered. Perhaps Peter thought that he could control the flow of ideas, selecting those he wished and suppressing all others. This strategy may have worked and indeed did for the short term. However with the founding of higher education institutions, the mechanism of spreading, preserving and development of western style "rationalism" or reform ideology was given a foothold in Russia. Although this vine would not bare fruit through the reign of several Czars, it would eventually grow to choke the life from the Romanoff regime.Through oppression within Russia and distraction without (in particular the Napoleonic wars) reform in any really meaning sense, was put off until the rule of Alexander the II. Under the rule of Alexander II, Russia under went its greatest moves toward reform. The Crimean war lost, the glaring shortcomings of where Russia stood in its ability to survive in the modern age became apparent to the staunchest conservative. Poor roads and trains lead to the inability of Russia's army to get to the fighting. Even Nicholas I advised his son for the need to take action in the direction of reform. Alexander II administration moved far ahead toward building a new society, freeing the serfs, new local governance bodies (the Zemstvos), a more open press and land reform. In each case though the reforms fell fall short of there promise. The serfs freed, had to stay within their village communities. The Zemstvos had no political power beyond limited scope of local affairs. The press though given greater freedom was still highly censored. Land reform was, at best, very poor and at worst resembled share cropping and Jim Crow in reconstructionist America following the civil war. The one reform which did seem to enjoy some success at this time was elementary education for the lower classes, this leading to a more educated and political astute population. It can be viewed that in the long laundry list of blunders the failure to enact State Councils was among the most critical in the long term. Considered by his father (who approved it the morning of his assassination) the idea of State Councils was abandoned by Alexandra III under pressure of conservatives among his advisers. Without this step in the governing process the national issues raised at the local levels had no place to be addressed. The situation was a boiler with no where for the pressure to go. All that was required for a disaster was for the heat to be turned up. With ascent of Nicholas II Russia found itself ruled by one of its weakest Czars. Lack of vision for the nation and failure to deal with the realities of the pressures upon a modern nation/state, both within and with out, set the stage for the end. This would not just be the end of the rule of the Czars, but of the reform as envisioned by a majority of Russians seeking it. Failed foreign policy, the most spectacular example, the loss of the Russia-Japan war in 105, lead to low moral in the military. Civil unrest at home, which was brutality suppressed, plagued Nicolas II rule and undermined public support. Even the halfhearted attempts at continued reforms displayed a lack of understanding of the situation. The election of the first Duma over turned by the Czar for being liberal. The second Duma meeting the same fate, showed a cynical approach to the newest threat to Czarist rule, public opinion. The crack down on reformist with thousands killed or missing in attempt to restore control did little more than radicalize those oppressed. With the outbreak of World War I, the last Czar marched an under equipped, under prepared and under governed Russia into war and the arms of revolutionaries that Czarist policy had created. The devastating defeats of the war, famine and the long building unrest in both civil society and the military came to a head in 117. The" controlled" changes guided by the armored hand of the Czar reached critical mass and blew apart that iron hand as it squeezed harder for control.Czarist Russia was a wonderful land if you belonged to the nobility. But for the vast majority of peasant farmers and laborers life was filled with hardships. To many people, it seemed, that the country's resources were used simply to support the elegant life of the czars and noblemen. Consider that during czarist rule from 185 and 117, approximately , people were executed for their political beliefs or activities. By contrast, the Bolsheviks -- after holding power for just four months -- had executed 15,000 people. Moreover, under the czars, with their primitive methods of agriculture, Ukraine was known as the bread basket of the world; its grain was a major Russian export. But from 1 to 1, after peasants rebelled against Stalins collectivization of their farms that forced them to relinquish their grain to the government, an estimated 6 to 7 million Ukrainians were deliberately starved to death by his engineered famine.Russia under Czar Nicholas II was drastic. Under Nicholas II, the Czar rule would crumble. Compared with the industrial nations of Western Europe, Russia was weak and underdeveloped. Sergei Witte ( one of the Czar's ministers ) began a program of reform under Nicholas II. Thus, rasing taxes and borrowed money from abroad. Foreign experts were hired to run Russian factories and Russians were sent abroad to study. As these events were taking place, signs of unrest were appearing among the peasants. Many peasants would leave their farms and go to work in the factories. It was obvious the peasants were very unhappy with the low standard of living and lack of political power. Even the upperclass became resentful of the influence of foreign companies. Critics of the government disagreed over what changes were needed. Some of them wanted to become a democratic republic like France at the time. Yet others wanted a constitutional monarchy like England. Still others wanted to bring socialism to Russia. An earlier socialist movement had failed because of lack of support from the masses. Later revolutionaries believed ( like Karl Marx ) that revolution would come from the working class ( factory workers ) and not the peasants ( farm workers ).All this downturn of events seem to have taken place after 105. In 105, Russia was badly beaten in a war with Japan. Following the defeat, revolts broke out all over Russia involving peasants, workers, sailors, non-Russians, and intellects. In January 105, workers marched unarmed to the royal palace to ask Nicholas for reforms. Upon arrival to the palace, Nicolas II ordered the palace guards to open fire on the crowd killing and wounding hundreds. This bloodshed triggered more strikes and protests. Workers in St. Petersburg formed a representative council to lead the strikes.In contrast to Nicholas II and the Czar rule, came Lenin ( communist rule ) and the Bolsheviks. As a university student, Lenin studied Marx and devoted his entire life overthrowing the Czarist rule and setting up a socialist state. In 185, Lenin was sent to prison to prison for being a political activist. He was given a five year jail term. When he finally got out of jail, he left Russia, but still fought Czarist rule for the next 17 years.Eventually two revolutionary groups would split over ideals and tactics. The Mensheviks believed that Russia had not become an industrialized, capitalist state & was not ripe for a revolution. A socialist revolution would have to wait until the proletariat had time to develop. Whereas, the Bolsheviks believed rather than wait for the Proletariat to grow, wanted to form a secret group that would help the workers stage a revolution. This group would then rule Russia until the proletariat was ready to take power. The Soviet Union under Lenin, was a government that used terror tactics. Lenin proclaims the "dictatorship of the proletariat" will use force to smash all opposition to the Communist government. At this time, the secret police began a regin of terror, executing tens of thousands of people though to oppose Communist rule- among them the Czar and his family.Economic policies, industry, banks, and foreign trade were put under government control, in other words nationalized. Thousands of peasants would die from hunger cold, and disease. The peasants would lose land to Communist ownership. There would be no more private ownership of any land. Eventually, however, after the Kronstadt Uprising of 11, Lenin would dropped his harsh tactics and Introduced the New Economic Policy, and let small factories, businesses and farms return to private control.However, the Communist rule would engaged in religious persecution. Consider that the communist party opposed all organized religion. They saw it as a tool that the ruling class used to exploit the workers. They saw the Russian Orthodox Church as a rival for the loyalties of the Russian people. They seized church land and property, the clergy were jailed, and, of course, state schools taught that God did not exist. By 18, Russian people and peasants had some hopes of fulfillment.Stalin was in power and he just introduced his Five Year plan. In this five year plan, there would be a program of rapid industrialization through state control. It would also set up five year plans to direct industrialization. However, the first and most drastic plan began in 18, with the goal of increasing industrial output by 50 percent. This attempt to make such widespread changes created staggering problems. For example, shoddy goods, grim working conditions.Another part of Stalin's five year plan was demand for greater farm output, which turned into a war against his own people, in which millions died. It was included a plan to get high food output to feed factory workers and pay for new factories. More importantly, which had drastic consequences, Stalin established collective farms, combined small farms into large units, which the peasants viewed as a return to serfdom.Of course, by this time, it was obvious the people of Russia knew that Communist rule was not much different than being rule under the Czar.RUSSIAN AND BOLSHEVIK REVOLUTIONSThe causes of the Bolshevik Revolution of 117 were many. Russia had suffered under an extremely oppressive form of government for centuries under the rule of the czars. During the 1th century the nation was filled with movements for political reform. In the long run there were several revolutions, not one. The first rebellion, known as the Decembrist uprising, took place in December, 185. Members of the upper classes, including many former soldiers, staged a revolt after the death of Alexander I. The revolt failed, but it provided an inspiration to succeeding generations of dissidents. The next revolution took place in 105, after the Russo-Japanese War, which Russia lost. It looked like public discontent would force Czar Nicholas II to establish a constitutional monarchy. Such a change would not have satisfied either the czar or his opponents, however. Radical revolutionaries continued to fight for a democratic republic, and the czar wanted to retain his control of the peasants.The next two revolutions were successful. They occurred during World War I, when Russian military forces were hard pressed by the Germans. The March Revolution of 117 led to the abdication of Nicholas II and the installation of a provisional government. The leader of this government was Alexander Kerensky, who was eventually forced from power. (He later immigrated to the United States.) The last revolution called Bolshevik took place in October of the same year. (Sometimes called Octobrist, Revolution.) It brought to power the Bolshevik wing of the Communist party, led by Vladimir Lenin. The Bolsheviks established the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics under the dictatorship of the Communist party. In the end Lenin and his followers established a government that was more dictatorial than that of any czar. The March Revolution of 117Czar Nicholas had taken command of armies in the field during World War I in the fall of 115. This left a power vacuum in St. Petersburg, the capital. The collapse of the government suddenly came in March, 117. Food riots, strikes, and war protests turned into mass demonstrations. The army refused to fire on the demonstrators. A Soviet (or council) of Workers and Soldiers Deputies was elected, and it formed the provisional government on March 14. The next day Nicholas abdicated (gave up his rule.) The new government was a coalition of factions representing different points of view. Some wanted withdrawal from the war and immediate economic reforms, with guarantees of political liberty. Others, including Kerensky, wanted to continue the war and postpone all reforms until the conflict was finished. No compromise seemed workable. Meanwhile, Lenin--the revolutionary genius--arrived by train from Switzerland. He had been put on a sealed train by the Germans, who hoped that he would influence Russia to leave the war. Lenins slogan was All power to the soviets! and he used it to undermine the new government. He demanded peace at once, immediate land reform, workers control of factories, and self-determination for the non-Russian peoples. Once in power he turned his back on all programs of reform, but he kept his promise to take Russia out of World War I. It was Kerenskys persistence in fighting the war that undid his government, though other factors contributed. The Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, undermined the war effort with propaganda among the soldiers. The government attempted to take action against Lenin, but he went into hiding in Finland. Kerensky tried to reinforce his authority by calling a state conference in Moscow. It failed. The Bolshevik or October RevolutionThe leading characters of the next phase of revolution were Lenin and Leon Trotsky. Trotsky would be murdered years later on Joseph Stalins orders. Kerensky seemed unable to take action against the military preparations of the Bolsheviks, who were distributing arms, subverting the army, and appointing supporters as commissars of military units. On the night of October 4-5, the Bolsheviks acted. By the next evening the capital was in their hands, though fighting in Moscow went on for several days. Soon the Bolsheviks had installed their own general as commander in chief of the armed forces. When the second All-Russian Congress of Soviets met in the capital, most members of other socialist parties walked out, leaving the impression that Lenins party best represented the interests of workers, farmers, and soldiers. The congress called upon all parties in the war to negotiate immediate peace. It also abolished all private ownership of land and took all property of the imperial family and the church. The eight-hour workday was made compulsory, and factory workers were given the right to supervise their enterprises. Meanwhile, Lenin had to deal with the war. Calls for a negotiated peace failed. Lenin then bargained directly with the Germans. Faced with a crippling loss of territory or the collapse of his government, he chose the former. Trotsky headed the Soviet delegation that signed a peace treaty at Brest-Litovsk, in what is now Belarus, on March , 118. Under its terms Russia lost Ukraine, its Polish and Baltic provinces, and Finland. The treaty was effectively annulled by Germanys defeat in November 118, and the Soviet Union eventually regained all of the territory except Finland and Poland. At the time that the Congress of Soviets met to approve the treaty, the Bolsheviks changed their name to the Russian Communist party. The treaty had negative effects for Lenin. Opponents from different Russian factions were united by their opposition to it. Patriotic indignation at the betrayal of Russia to Germany quickly surfaced, even in the army. This division between the Communists and their opponents led to a civil war that lasted until late 10. Trotsky was appointed commissar for war. Civil War after the Bolshevik RevolutionLenins government, which had relocated to the Kremlin in Moscow, was determined to get rid of all opposition. All non-Bolshevik socialist factions were driven out of the workers councils, and they were forbidden to engage in political activity. In retaliation Lenin was shot and seriously wounded. The government responded by proclaiming a campaign of Red Terror, which included shooting hostages and giving the secret police (the Cheka) the power to arrest, try, and execute suspects. Because the Communists feared that Nicholas might be liberated, he and his family were murdered at Ekaterinburg on the night of July 16-17, 118. Trotsky managed to take an army that had once been demoralized by Bolshevik propaganda and turn it into an effective fighting force. He used former czarist officers whose training and experience were too valuable to be ignored. The rigid discipline of the Communist party helped to raise morale. By 11 the Red Army had become a much better fighting force than its opponents, who were collectively referred to as the Whites. A large part of the peasantry disliked the Communists, but they saw no point in supporting the Whites, who they feared would restore the monarchy. The industrial workers entertained no hope from the Whites, who had shown no understanding of city workers. Lenin went far to stop economic discontent by advocating such policies as letting the peasants own land, by reducing taxes, and by permitting a certain amount of private enterprise in his New Economic Policy. But in politics he was rigid. No opinions other than those sanctioned by the Communist party were allowed. The party itself was controlled by its Central Committee and increasingly by smaller units. Effective control passed finally to the Secretariat of the party. When Lenin died in 14 power passed to the first secretary of the party, Joseph Stalin. Under him still one more revolution took place the centralization of all political and economic power in his hands and the transformation of the Soviet Union into a completely totalitarian state. Please note that this sample paper on Russia is for your review only. In order to eliminate any of the plagiarism issues, it is highly recommended that you do not use it for you own writing purposes. In case you experience difficulties with writing a well structured and accurately composed paper on Russia, we are here to assist you. Your cheap custom college paper on Russia will be written from scratch, so you do not have to worry about its originality.
Order your authentic assignment and you will be amazed at how easy it is to complete a quality custom paper within the shortest time possible!
