From the Russian Empire to the USSR

1. Stalin’s Soviet Union
How did Stalin rise from an ordinary revolutionary
to be the supreme leader of the Soviet Union?
Part 1

2. Recall
USSR (Russia) was not invited to the Paris
Peace Conference as the rest did not trust them
They were COMMUNISTS

3. Map of Russian Empire

4. Russian Empire
Very very very LARGE
Stretched from Europe to
Asia
Majority of population were
Russian-speaking
Small groups of ethnic
minorities
Ruled by monarchy
(Romanov family) for 400
years

5. Russian Empire
Entered the war in 1914 on the Allies (Britain and
France) side
By 1917, Russia was struggling with a terrible
winter and keeping up with war efforts
People were unhappy with the losses of war
and poor economic and living conditions
They soon lost confidence in the government
and the ruler

6. February Revolution 1917
Feb 1917, people started protesting and went
on strike
Workers refused to work
They were joined by the Russian Army

7. February Revolution 1917
Watch this video about the February Revolution

8. February Revolution
Lost the support of the people
Nicholas II abdicated (give up power)
Provisional Government came to power
Workers, soldiers, peasants still unhappy as they
wanted change and powers of decision making
They formed their own group and called themselves
SOVIETS

9. October Revolution
Provisional Government had refused to pull
Russia out of WW1
Unable to control the revolutionary forces
Overthrown by BOLSHEVIKS led by Lenin and
Trotsky on 25th Oct 1917
They wanted the soviets in power

10. Civil War 1917 - 1922
The RED ARMY
- Created by Bolshevik
Government
- Supported by the
peasants
- More support
- Better military skills
- COMMUNIST
The WHITES
- anti-
communists

11. Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics (USSR)
Bolsheviks formally declared themselves USSR
in 1922
Bolsheviks change to Communist Party
Under Lenin ruled by one-party government

12. Feb 1917
– People
unhappy with
the Tsar.
Protest and
Strikes
Oct 1917
– People still
unhappy.
Lenin led
Bolsheviks to
overthrow
government
Feb 1917
– Tsar
abdicated,
Provisional
Government
took over
Oct 1917 – 1922
Civil war. Reds VS Whites.
Reds won.
Oct 1922
– USSR
formed
Timeline of events

13. Communism

15. USSR

16. Communism
A system of social organisation where ALL
property is owned by the COMMUNITY
Every person contributes and receives according
to their ability and needs.
Every one is equal
Who are the
main supporters
of Communism?

17. Karl Marx’s Theory
Primitive Communism
Shared resources
Hunting as a group
Tribal, leader is
strongest warrior
Slave Society
Larger population
Class appears –
ruling class and
slave class

18. Karl Marx’s Theory
Feudalism
Aristocracy – ruled
by kings and
queens
Religious rule
Nation-state
Capitalism
Market economy
Private property
Wages
Parliamentary
democracy (secretly

19. Karl Marx’s Theory
Socialism
Workers overthrow
capitalists
Worker awarded
based on
contribution
COMMUNISM
Statelessness
Classlessness
(everyone work for
everyone)
Propertylessness

20. China

21. North Korea

22. Vietnam
and Laos

23. Cuba

24. Feb 1917
– People
unhappy with
the Tsar.
Protest and
Strikes
Oct 1917
– People still
unhappy.
Lenin led
Bolsheviks to
overthrow
government
Feb 1917
– Tsar
abdicated,
Provisional
Government
took over
Oct 1917 – 1922
Civil war. Reds VS Whites.
Reds won.
Oct 1922
– USSR
formed
Timeline of events

25. USSR (1919-1924 period)
Creation of the POLITBURO in 1919
7 people at the top of the Communist Party
Key-decision making team
Under Lenin and the Politburo, USSR underwent
a process of centralisation and
bureaucratisation
By 1924, centralised one-party authoritarian
government

26. Centralisation
Politburo

27. USSR
The Communist Party controlled ALL aspects of
government
Nationalisation and control of key industries,
agriculture and railway systems
Think:
Is Nationalisation
a good or bad
system?

28. USSR
Measures made to ensure complete control
Cheka (Secret police)
Banned opposition parties, members arrested
Controlled media through state-run newspaper
Pravda
Banned newspapers that criticised the state