by Ingrid Chan (10.3)
There are both short term and long term impacts of the October Revolution 1917. Bellow is an explanation of the positive impacts of the October Revolution.
There are both short term and long term impacts of the October Revolution 1917. Bellow is an explanation of the positive impacts of the October Revolution.
Short Term Impacts
Bolshevik Consolidation of Power (political impact) - October 1917
The Bolshevik Consolidation of Power is a political short term impact of the October Revolution. The Bolshevik Party started to gain their power ever since fall of the Tsarist Autocracy. They overthrew the provisional government that was established after the fall of the Tsarist Autocracy. The party was also supported by the soviets (i.e. workers) as the Bolshevik Party has given power to the workers' councils who were also against the provisional government. The Bolshevik Party promised the workers' councils that the government would be run by the workers' councils in order to overthrow the provisional government. Overall, we can see that the consolidation of power of the Bolshevik Party has given a positive impact on the workers in the Russian society. With the power that the Bolshevik Party has gain, they were able to lead the October revolution, in which the revolution has positively affected the soviets (workers) as they have been given power by the Bolshevik party. Therefore, we can see that the consolidation of power of the Bolshevik Party has benefitted and put a positive impact on the soviets. However, the Bolshevik Party only controlled Russia from 1917 to 1924, meaning that the control of the Bolshevik Party over Russia only had a short term impact on the Russian society. Decrees passed by the Second Congress of Soviets (social & economic impact) After the Bolshevik Party overthrew the provisional government, the Second Congress of Soviets was held. The Bolshevik Party was elected into 390 seats of the Second Congress of Soviets. The Second Congress of Soviets made three decrees. Firstly, the Second Congress of Soviets approved Lenin's Decree on Peace. The decree was to remove Russia's participation of World War 1. This has helped Russia to stay out of conflicts and maintain more peace within the country, which allows citizens of Russia not needing suffer due to wars. Secondly, the Second Congress of Soviets had a Decree on Land. The decree was to forbid any land ownership. As land ownership is forbidden, everyone would have the same amount of possessions / property, which makes the economic status of citizens equal. Thirdly, the Second Congress of Soviets decrees that "all power in the localities shall pass to the Soviets of Workers', Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies, which must guarantee genuine revolutionary order." This helps to improve the work and living conditions of soldier, peasants and workers in particular in Russia. With this decree, a positive change would be made to the life of workers in comparison to their life before during the Tsarist Autocracy system. Overall, we can see that the Second Congress of Soviets has improved the lives of citizens, making sure that there is more social and economic equality amongst people of the society and creating more peace for the country. Armistice of 11th November 1918 (political impact) On the 11th November 1918, the armistice was the agreement between the Allies (i.e. countries that were at war with the Central Powers during World War 1) and Germany to end the fight in western Europe. There are two major parts of the armistice in relation to the removal of Russia's participation World War 1. The first part is the removal of German troops on Russian territory. The German troops were on the Russian territory due to the Eastern Front in World War 1 (1914). Removing the German troops on the Russian territory would allow Russia to take back it's own land, which will allow citizens to use the land freely instead of being restricted from that land due to the fact that it has been occupied. The other major part of the armistice was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, which is the removal of Russia's participation in World War 1. Removing Russia from World War 1 would allow Russia to maintain peace within the country and not having to deal with disastrous consequences that would happen to the country and the people due to war. Overall, we can see the the Armistice has impacted Russia in terms of keeping the country peaceful, safe and has helped Russia take back the land that belongs to them. Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (political & social impact) - 3rd March 1918 The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed on March 3rd 1918 between the Bolshevik government of Russia and the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey). The treaty ended Russia's participation in World War 1. Going back to 1917, Germany and Russia had to deal with the Eastern Front of World War 1. The economy of Russia nearly collapsed due to the war (i.e. Eastern Front of World War 1). However, the provisional government that replaced the Tsar decided to continue the war with the Allies of World War 1. In this case, the Bolshevik Party decided to overthrow the provisional government in order to end the Eastern Front of World War 1 as well as removing Russia's participation in the war. On the 26th October 1917, which was after the consolidation of power of the Bolshevik Party, The Second Congress of Soviets approved Lenin of signing the Decree on Peace. The Decree on Peace "proposed an immediate withdrawal of Russia from World War 1". On 22nd December 1917, there were peace negotiations being started at Brest-Litovsk. The peace negotiations made in Brest-Litovsk were called Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. Through signing the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, just like the Armistice of 11th November 1918, it has helped prevent citizens of Russia from suffering due to war and to keep Russia away from conflicts to maintain peace. However, other than allowing Russia to maintain peace within the country, the treaty also helped to protect the economy of Russia. As the economy of Russia was at the verge of falling apart due to the Eastern Front of World War 1, removing Russia's participation in the war helps the country's economy to develop itself again and to keep the country running well. The country also depends on the economy for support, so if the economy of Russia did fall apart, systems in the country will not be able to continue to run, which would disrupt the Russian society. Nationalised banks (economic impact) As the Second Congress of Soviets passed a Decree on Land, land ownership or private property was forbidden. Therefore, all banks in Russia were nationalised, meanings that the government took control over all of the banks in Russia. The nationalisation of banks impacted the Russian society by allowing equal economic status amongst the citizens of the Russian society as all citizens would have the same amount of possessions. Dissolution of Russian Constituent Assembly (political impact) - 18th--19th January 1918 The Constituent Assembly was dissolved in the 19th January 1989 by the VTsIK (All-Russian Central Executive Committee). The Constituent Assembly was led by Victor Chernov, also the leader of the Right Socialist Revolutionary party. On the 18th January, the Constituent Assembly held a meeting. The Constituent Assembly opposed against the Soviet government, disagreeing that they would hold new elections because they thought that they were not ready for Soviet Power. Therefore, the Bolsheviks and Left Socialist Revolutionary Party decided to dissolve Constituent Assembly. The Right Socialist Revolutionary party tried to use the Constituent Assembly "to pass socialist measures which they had failed to implement in months of power in Provisional Government." (Meeting in Petrograd (5-6/18-19 January) - Wikipedia) They had another next meeting on January 19th 1918. After the meeting, the Constituent Assembly was then declared dissolved by the Bolshevik Left Socialist government. As the Right Socialist Revolutionary Party, which are the leaders of the Constituent Assembly, opposes against holding new elections, it would mean that there will be no change in roles in the governing body. The dissolution of the Constituent Assembly would mean that there will be no opposition against the Soviet government in terms of holding new elections. In addition, it would allow citizens of the Russian society to have the freedom and right to choose their leaders and representatives in the governing body of Russia, which puts a positive impact on them. Russian Civil War (political impact) - (November 1917 - October 1922) The Russian Civil War began on the 11th November 1917. The war was organised by Krasnov, an anti-Bolshevik, to attack the Bolsheviks as their response to the Bolshevik Revolution. The anti-Bolsheviks were known as the White Army ("Whites"). The Bolsheviks were known as the Red Army ("Reds"). The anti-Bolsheviks favoured monarchy, capitalism and alternative forms of socialism whereas the Bolsheviks favoured their form of socialism. The anti-Bolsheviks fought against the Bolsheviks. During the war, there was a military intervention of The Allied (allies of World War 1) in Russia. The Allied supported the anti-Bolsheviks because they were also against the ideology of the Bolshevik party. The Red Army defeated the White Army of South Russia, which were Ukraine and Siberia in 1919. Until 1920, the allies of World War 1 withdrew from the Russian Civil War. The Russian Civil war continued for 2 more years from then and there were only White Armies in the east of Russia. After the White Army were completely defeated by the Red Army, the Soviet Union was established in December 1922. The Russian Civil War has put a positive impact on the Soviets. Although thousands of people were killed during the Russian Civil War, the war has led to the establishment of the Soviet Union in 1922 that the government runs by the Marxism-Leninism ideology. The ideology supports "a classes social system with common ownership" which helps to maintain the social and economic equality of all citizens. Therefore, we can see the the Russian Civil War has led to a good impact on the citizens of Russia. Set up Cheka (social & political impact) - 20th December 1917 The Cheka, also known as the Emergency Committee, was created on the 20th December 1917 after the October Revolution (1917). The organisation was created and led by the official order (decree) of Lenin, and was later led by Felix Dzerzhinsky (originally a Polish aristocrat but turned into a communist). The Cheka was a secret-police organisation set up in Russia. It was set up when the Bolshevik Party started to gain their power over their political opponents. The purpose of the organisation was to imprison any opposition inside of Russia, or to "hunt out what became known as “enemies of the state” and to deal with them.". The "enemies of the state" would refer to the political opponents of the Bolshevik Party. The set up and purpose of the Cheka positively impacts the Russian society by preventing any conflicts from happening within the country due to fights between different parties that could lead to overthrowing of the governing body of Russia. |
Bolshevik Party meeting
Second Congress of Soviets
Armistice of 11th November 1918
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed
Logo of the Russian Constituent Assembly
Russian Civil War in 1917
The Cheka in 1920
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Long Term Impacts
Death of Lenin (political impact)
On the 21st January 1924, Vladimir Lenin passed away due to his suffer of three strokes. Lenin suffered his first stroke in May 1922. He couldn't give speeches and had difficulties with moving. On December 1922, Lenin suffered his second stroke. He had to retire from his job, learn how to write with his left hand and had to learn how to speak. Lenin suffered his third stroke on March 1923. He could not speak, which deprived him from giving speeches to crowds. Lenin's third stroke then led to his death on the 21st January 1924. After Lenin's death, the era of Lenin ended. As the era of Lenin has ended, it means that the Bolshevik Party is dissolved. Knowing that the Bolshevik Party governs Russia, their dissolution would impact the Russian society. There needs to be a new party or leader to govern Russia. The new leader of Russia may completely change the political system positively or negatively. As the death of Lenin may have cause a change in the political system of Russia, this would be a long term impact to the Russian society as the new political system may not go back to the original system when Lenin was Head of Government of the Soviet Union. After the end of Lenin's era, Stalin, a member of the Bolshevik Party who later on became General Secretary of the Soviet Union, started to rise and begun a new era. |
Death of Lenin
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