the russian revolution, stalinism, and animal farm

The Russian Revolution, Stalinism, and Animal Farm6 февраля 2014

February 6, 2014

PеволюцияThe Revolution

• The Russian Revolution was caused by many factors:• Russia had always been ruled by the Tsar (King), who was an

absolute monarch.• The country was not very developed. When the 20th Century

began, it still operated under serfdom. Most people were incredibly poor, owned nothing, and had no rights.


• In 1905, under pressure for more democratic government, the Tsar allowed a government to be formed called the Duma.

• The Duma and the Tsar did not get along well.


• The beginning of the end for the Tsar came when Russia entered World War I in 1914.

• The army was badly equipped and suffered many defeats. The war also took 15 million men from the workforce, and all the trains had to be used for the war.

• As the war went on, prices skyrocketed and there was a country-wide food shortage. Some cities, like Moscow and St. Petersburg, were struck by famine.


• By 1917, the people had enough. • In February 1917, the government was in chaos. By the end of

February and beginning of March, there was a full-fledged revolution, with nation-wide strikes and demonstrations.

• On March 13, with the military now turning on him, Tsar Nicholas was forced to abdicate (step down).


• Months of political upheaval followed, as a transitional government was put in place.

Красный ОктябрьRed October

• In October, a final set of events began to occur that led to the communists taking control in Russia. This is now called the October Revolution (or “Red October”).

• On November 7, all power was given to the Soviets (local councils) and Vladimir Ilyich Lenin took control of the government.

Владимир Ильич ЛенинVladimir Ilyich Lenin

• Lenin had been involved in revolutionary activity for almost 30 years by the time he took control in Russia.

• He implemented many reforms, including giving all royal land in the country over to the workers, farmers, and local soviets.

• When Lenin died in 1924, there were several people who had different ideas on how the country should be run. Of these, two figures stand out: Josef Stalin and Leon Trotsky.

Троцкий и СталинTrotsky and Stalin

• Leon Trotsky and Josef Stalin did not see eye to eye on many issues. • In particular, though, Trotsky believed that communism wouldn’t be

a success unless the whole world became communist. Stalin, on the other hand, believed in building up communism only in the Soviet Union. This split put the two men against each other.

Троцкий и СталинTrotsky and Stalin

• Eventually, because of this and many other reasons, Trotsky was kicked out of the Soviet Union. He lived in exile in Mexico City, where he worked against the policies of Stalin.

• In 1940, he was assassinated in his home by an NKVD agent (the Soviet secret police) by taking an ice pick to the skull.

CталинизмStalinism

• Trotsky was very opposed to Stalin’s method of rule. This has come to be known as Stalinism.

• Stalinism has several key ideas:• Rapid industrialization• Collectivization of all business (everyone works directly for the state)• Getting rid of social classes by wiping out the middle and upper classes

(the bourgeois)• Getting rid of all people opposed to these policies

Персонажи в "Скотный двор"Characters in Animal Farm

In Animal Farm, all of the characters are analogs (representations) of characters from the Russian Revolution.


MANKIND (Capitalists/Leaders of Enemy Nations)• Mr. Jones = Tsar Nicholas II• Mr. Pilkington = Leaders of England• Mr. Frederick = Hitler


PIGS (The Communists)• Old Major = Lenin• Napoleon = Stalin• Snowball = Trotsky• Squealer = The Soviet Media (newspapers were run by the state and only

reported what Stalin wanted them to know)


• HORSES = The People• Boxer and the other horses represent the workers (proletariat)• Mollie represents the upper classes (the bourgeois)

• DOGS = The Army and the Secret Police

• BIRDS AND OTHER ANIMALS = People/groups left out of Stalin’s plan• Moses = The Church• The Hens = Farmers

the russian revolution, stalinism, and animal farm

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