20th Century Revolutions in History

20th Century Revolutions in History

Russian Revolution: 1917

Significance of the Russian Revolution

• The Russian Revolution of 1917 was one of the significant events of the 20th century.

• It gave rise to the ideology of Marxism.

• It was a great revolution like the French Revolution and affected several countries of the world.

Two Stages of the Russian Revolution

• The first stage began in March 1917 with the overthrow of Czar Nicholas II.

• The second stage, in November 1917, led to the establishment of the world's first communist state by the Bolsheviks under Lenin.

Causes of the Russian Revolution

• The government was autocratic.

• The Czar (title similar to Roman Caesar) held absolute power, exercised by a corrupt and inefficient bureaucracy.

• The standard of living was tragically low.

• There was little social freedom.

• All Russians were forced to support the Orthodox Church.

Immediate Cause

• The immediate cause was the suffering and confusion due to Russia’s defeats in World War I.

• The army lacked arms and ammunition, prices soared, and the economy collapsed.

March Revolution (February Revolution)

• Began in March 1917 (February in the old Russian calendar) in Petrograd (now Leningrad).

• Czar Nicholas II abdicated.

• He and his family were later killed by the revolutionaries.

Provisional Government and Bolsheviks

• A provisional government led by liberals and Mensheviks (Prince Lyow, then Aleksandr Kerensky) lost control to the Bolsheviks, the radical wing of the Social Democratic Labour Party.

Socialism

Definition of Socialism

• Political and Economic Theory: Land, transport, key industries, and natural resources should be owned and managed by the state, and wealth equally distributed.

Origin of Scientific Socialism

• In 1848, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels laid down the principles of scientific socialism in the Communist Manifesto.

Split in Russian Socialism

• Split between reformist Mensheviks and revolutionary Bolsheviks, leading to the modern understanding of socialism and communism.

November Revolution (October Revolution)

Overthrow of the Kerensky Government

• On November 7, 1917 (October 25 by old calendar), the Kerensky Government was overthrown.

• Power was transferred to the Council of Commissars, with Lenin as Premier.

Bolshevik Rule

• The new government abolished private land ownership and established a dictatorship of the Proletariat, actually ruled by the Communist Party.

Civil War and Communist Victory

• Civil war (1917–1920) between Bolsheviks and anti-Bolsheviks.

• Complicated by foreign intervention.

• Communists gained complete control of Russia.

Suppression of Counter-Revolutionaries

• Landlords, capitalists, and Czarist officers were arrested, exiled, or executed.

• The Czar and his family were killed.

Formation of the USSR and Its Dissolution

Formation of the Soviet Union

• In 1923, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) was established.

• Declared a 'republic of workers and peasants'.

• Ownership of land, factories, banks, railroads, etc., was vested in the state.

Leadership Transition

• Lenin died in 1924, succeeded by Stalin (1924–53).

Collapse of the Soviet Union

• In 1991, the Communist Party collapsed after a failed anti-Gorbachev coup.

• Soviet Union dissolved on December 25, 1991.

Formation of C.I.S.

• The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was formed by Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, later joined by 9 more republics.

• Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania remained fully independent.

• The Soviet Union consisted of 15 republics.

Chinese Revolution

1911 Republican Revolution

• In October 1911, Sun Yat-sen led a revolution that ousted the Manchu (Ch’ing) Dynasty.

• Republic was established.

Rise of Yuan Shik-Kai

• In 1912, Sun Yat-sen resigned in favor of Yuan Shik-Kai (1912–16).

Warlord Era (1916–18)

• A time of chaos where generals ruled various provinces.

KMT and CCP Cooperation and Conflict

• Kuomintang (KMT), led by Sun Yat-sen and later Chiang Kai-shek, tried to govern China.

• The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was founded in 1921, initially cooperating with the KMT.

The Long March and Civil War

• In 1934–35, Mao Zedong led the 6,000-mile Long March.

• Japanese invasion (1937) further complicated the conflict.

Communist Victory in 1949

• After WWII, the KMT and CCP resumed civil war.

• In 1949, Mao Zedong and the communists triumphed.

• Chiang Kai-Shek fled to Taiwan.

• Mao ruled China until he died in 1976.

Turkish Revolution: 1923

Decline of the Ottoman Empire

• Turkey, called the "Sick Man of Europe", faced disintegration.

• Defeated in World War I, and faced division by the Allied Powers.

Khilafat Movement and Indian Response

• Allied treatment of Turkey led to the Khilafat Movement in India, protesting British actions.

Rise of Mustafa Kemal Pasha

• A national government under Mustafa Kemal Pasha was formed in Ankara.

• Greece invaded Turkey, but was repelled under Kemal’s leadership.

Establishment of Turkish Independence

• Allied troops withdrew.

• Turkey achieved complete independence.

• A modernization program followed.

Republic Formation and Secular Reforms

• Turkey declared a republic on October 29, 1923.

• Mustafa Kemal became the first President (1923–1938).

• The caliphate was abolished in 1924.

• Religion is separated from the state.

• Mustafa Kemal Pasha is known as Atatürk — “Father of the Turks.”

Final Thoughts

The 20th century was marked by powerful revolutions that reshaped nations and ideologies across the globe. The Russian Revolution led to the rise of the first communist state, challenging both monarchies and capitalism.

The Chinese Revolution transformed China into a socialist republic under Mao Zedong, while the Turkish Revolution modernized a decaying empire into a secular republic under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. These revolutions were fueled by factors such as social injustice, war, nationalism, and the spread of ideologies like Marxism, socialism, and communism.

Each movement not only changed its own country but also had a global impact on politics, economies, and society. Understanding these revolutions is essential to grasp the origins of modern conflicts, international alliances, and governing systems that still influence our world today.