CBSE Class 9 Social Science Chapter 5: Socialism in Europe and the Russian Revolution NCERT Solutions

Social Conditions: Approximately 85% of the Russian population was involved in agriculture. While industries existed, most were privately owned. The workforce was divided based on their occupations, with many migrating to cities for factory employment. The peasant community was deeply religious but held little regard for the nobility, believing land should be divided among themselves.

Economic Condition: Russia faced economic hardship, marked by rising prices of essential goods and a 20% decrease in real wages. This economic distress triggered the famous St. Petersburg strike, which initiated a series of events known as the 1905 Revolution. During this period, widespread strikes occurred, universities closed, and professionals and workers formed the 'Union of Unions' demanding a constituent assembly.

Political Condition: Political parties were outlawed in Russia before 1914. Socialists who followed Marx's ideas founded the Russian Social Democratic Workers Party in 1898. By 1903, this party split into two factions: the Mensheviks and the Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, constituted the majority and Lenin is considered a highly influential socialist thinker after Marx.

A significant difference was that not all Russian industrial workers had migrated from villages; some continued to live in villages and commuted to towns for work. The Russian working class was also socially and professionally divided, which was reflected in their attire and demeanor. Metal workers were considered the elite ('aristocrats') of the working class due to the higher level of training and skill their jobs demanded. Despite these internal divisions, the working population was united in their opposition to poor working conditions and the perceived tyranny of employers, frequently resorting to strikes.

Initially, the Tsar dissolved the first two Dumas (parliaments) and later appointed conservatives to the parliament, undermining representative governance. During World War I, the Tsar made critical decisions without consulting the Duma. The significant casualties suffered by Russian soldiers in the war led to widespread disillusionment and alienation from the Tsar. Furthermore, the Russian armies' scorched-earth tactics, involving the burning of crops and buildings as they retreated, created severe food shortages across Russia. These cumulative issues eroded public trust and support, leading to the collapse of the Tsarist regime.

February Revolution (1917)

• Main Events:
  • February 22: Factory lockout occurred on the right bank of the Neva River.
  • February 25: The Duma was dissolved by the Tsar.
  • February 27: Police headquarters were ransacked, army regiments sided with the workers, and the Petrograd Soviet was formed.
  • March 2: The Tsar abdicated his authority.
• Effects: The monarchy was overthrown, and the Soviet and Duma leaders established a Provisional Government for Russia. Trade unions increased in number.
• Involvement and Leadership: This revolution was primarily led by the general populace of Petrograd, with no single political party at its forefront. It was a spontaneous uprising of workers and soldiers.
• Impact on Soviet History: The February Revolution marked the end of Tsarist rule and brought the monarchy down. It gave Petrograd a significant historical position as the center of the revolution and led to the growth of organized labor through trade unions.

October Revolution (1917)

• Main Events:
  • October 16: The Soviet appointed a Military Revolutionary Committee.
  • October 24: An uprising against the Provisional Government began. By nightfall, the Military Revolutionary Committee had control of the city, and ministers surrendered.
• Effects: The Bolsheviks seized political power.
• Involvement and Leadership: This revolution was led by Lenin and Trotsky, with the active support of the masses who followed them. It was a more organized and politically driven takeover.
• Impact on Soviet History: The October Revolution signified the beginning of Bolshevik rule under Lenin's leadership, fundamentally transforming Russia into the Soviet Union and initiating a new era of socialist governance.

• Banks and major industries were nationalized, bringing them under state control.
• Land was declared social property, empowering peasants to seize it from the nobility.
• In urban areas, housing was redistributed and partitioned according to the needs of different families.
• Old aristocratic titles were abolished, and new, standardized uniforms were designed for the army and government officials to signify equality and a break from the past.