The course of how Russia established a socialist society is not just one page in history; it’s an epic human drama, replete with struggles and hopes, pains and hopes. For centuries, Russia had been ruled by the tsars – autocratic monarchs exercising unlimited power. Meanwhile, millions of ordinary people lived in want, toiled long hours, and suffered from inequality so overwhelming as to be offensive. Persistent inequality helped to create revolutionary ideas which would soon find expression in one of the most dramatic political upheavals of this century: the Russian Revolution.
Seeds of Change: Russia Before 1917
Russia at the turn of the century was a huge empire still living with feudal remnants, while the rest of Europe already enjoyed modern life. This sprawling society had its vast majority in peasants, who mostly worked small plots of land in order to exist and often under pitiful living conditions. In cities like Leningrad and Moscow, industrial workers spent long hours at their jobs for little pay and with few political rights. There was a stark contrast between the wealth and privilege of aristocrats on one hand and the daily struggle faced by the working masses in comparison to them.
Allied socialist and Marxist ideas, preaching workers’ control of production and to end class divisions—of the late 19th-century Russian had such a caramel. Groups of intelligentsia and revolutionaries seized on the writings of Karl Marx to adapt these thoughts to Russia’s peculiar society, and this was the origin of these early movements that created social change that soon grew into a full-blown revolution.
1917: The Year That Changed Russia
The events in 1917 were the core of how a socialist society was established in Russia.
The February Revolution
By February 1917 (March 1917 in the old calendar), Russia was staggering under the stress of World War I. Millions of soldiers had been killed, wounded or suffered breakdowns. There was also a serious shortage of food, with morale collapsing regularly. In Petrograd, strikes and protests started erupting as workers demanded peace, bread and better rights. Soldiers, too, began refusing orders from their officers to join the demonstrations. The growing discontent made Tsar Nicholas II give up power, ending centuries of Romanov rule and ushering in a new age for Russia.
A new Provisional Government came into being, consisting mainly of liberals and moderate socialists, but they did not deal with the main issues facing their country: whether or not to continue to participate in the war, falling living standards and the need for land redistribution. This left many Russians thinking that little had really changed.
The Rise of the Bolsheviks
While the Provisional Government floundered, a radical socialist political group was on the rise: the Bolsheviks, headed by Vladimir Lenin. Unlike other factions that thought of patience or gradual reform, Lenin and the Bolsheviks argued that Russia required an immediate transition to socialism. “PEACE, LAND, AND BREAD” Their slogan, which meant ending the war, giving land to the peasants and power to workers.
By paying close attention to the needs and appeals of ordinary people, the Bolsheviks enjoyed an increasing popular following. Soviets — councils composed of workers and soldiers’ delegates — emerged across Russia and swiftly grew into powerful grassroots organisations that challenged the authority of the Provisional Government.
The October Revolution: The Taking of Power
In October (November new style) 1917, the Bolsheviks made the leap they needed to make. In a rapid and strategically-executed series of moves now known as the October Revolution, they gained control of vital infrastructure in Petrograd – railway stations, telegraph offices, bridges and offices of government – thus effectively forcing the Provisional Government to cede power without prolonged bloodshed.
The Bolsheviks take power, and the transfer of authority to the Soviets is announced. The Council of People’s Commissars is formed with Lenin as its head. This moment is the formal beginning of socialist rule in Russia.
Making Socialism: Early Measures and Policies.
Society was not simply brought under government control but had to be reshaped from top to bottom in its deepest roots, too.
Land and Agriculture
One of the first major steps taken by the Bolsheviks was to redistribute land. Large estates owned by aristocrats, the church or wealthy landlords were confiscated and given to the peasants. This fulfilled one of socialism’s core principles of justice: those who worked the land should own it.
Nationalisation of Industry
The Bolsheviks held that the means of production should no longer be in private hands. Banks, Factories and big industry were nationalised so they became state property. Workers were given greater say in factory administration, and economic planning turned to serving the needs of all people rather than private profit.
Changes in Social and Cultural Practice
Apart from the economic sphere, the new regime set about large-scale social reforms. It abolished the old titles of nobility, pushed literacy, supported equality for women and sought to create a culture in line with its own socialist ideals. These measures were designed to recast society to remove the class barriers!
The Civil War and the Formation of the USSR
Not all the people of Russia welcomed the new socialist order. Those groups against the Bolshevik regime, the White armies, as they were called, together with foreign forces from countries that feared a socialist Russia, fought against the new government in a brutal Civil War (1918-1922).
Despite this wreckage, through military discipline, organisational unity and superior strategic strength. The Bolsheviks (And now reorganised by the Communist Party) ultimately triumphed. etc. However, this state was a socialist one, the very first of its kind, established on the doctrine of Marxist-Leninism.
Legacies: A New Road in World History
The establishment of socialism in Russia held deep implications for the world. It was a vision far different from capitalism and colonialism, and inspired workers, peasants, and intellectuals all around the globe. The Soviet Union stood at the centre or core of international affairs, science, industry, and culture during the 20th century. The concept of socialism–once just a remote theory–then became a living political reality. And its sphere of influence didn’t stop with Russia’s frontiers.
In conclusion: A Revolution Inspired by the PeasantsHope.
If we want to understand how a socialist society was established in Russia, to see how the people fought for dignity, equality and the right to control their own destinies. It was a journey that went from ‘loop rule’ ruling by individuals without concern for the people who are being ruled on to the masses organising collectively， struggling and revolutionarily transforming everything that has gone before.
Although the achievements and shortcomings of the Soviet experience have given rise to heated controversy. The introduction of a Tsarist Empire to Sa ocialist State was a critical point in the history of mankind. Read about its hope and trials in this book about how people lived.
