Russian revolution 1905 stalin biography
When Was the Russian Revolution?
In 1917, two revolutions swept through Russia, ending centuries of imperial rule and setting into motion political and social changes that would lead to the eventual formation of the Soviet Union.
However, while the two revolutionary events took place within a few short months of 1917, social unrest in Russia had been brewing for many years prior to the events of that year.
In the early 1900s, Russia was one of the most impoverished countries in Europe with an enormous peasantry and a growing minority of poor industrial workers. Much of Western Europe viewed Russia as an undeveloped, backwards society.
The Russian Empire practiced serfdom—a form of feudalism in which landless peasants were forced to serve the land-owning nobility—well into the nineteenth century. In contrast, the practice had disappeared in most of Western Europe by the end of the Middle Ages.
In 1861, the Russian Empire finally abolished serfdom. The emancipation of serfs would influence the events leading up to the Russian Revolution by giving peasants more freedom to organize.
What Caused the Russian Revolution?
The Industrial Revolution gained a foothold in Russia much later than in Western Europe and the United States. When it finally did, around the turn of the 20th century, it brought with it immense social and political changes.
Between 1890 and 1910, for example, the population of major Russian cities such as St. Petersburg and Moscow nearly doubled, resulting in overcrowding and destitute living conditions for a new class of Russian industrial workers.
A population boom at the end of the 19th century, a harsh growing season due to Russia’s northern climate, and a series of costly wars—starting with the Crimean War—created frequent food shortages across the vast empire. Moreover, a famine in 1891-1892 is estimated to have killed up to 400,000 Russians.
The devastating Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 further weakened Russia and the position of Stalin’s name meant "man of steel" and he lived up to it. He oversaw the war machine that helped defeat Nazism and was the supreme ruler of the Soviet Union for a quarter of a century. His regime of terror caused the death and suffering of tens of millions. But this powerful man began life as the son of an alcoholic cobbler and a doting mother who sent him to study to be a priest. He is born on 18 December 1879 in Gori, Georgia in the Russian empire. He is first named Iosif (Joseph) Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili. Joseph grows up in poverty. His mother is a washerwoman and his father is a cobbler. He catches small pox aged seven and is left with a pockmarked face and a slightly deformed left arm. He is bullied by the other children and feels a continual need to prove himself. His father is an alcoholic who deals out regular beatings. As young Joseph grows up, Georgia’s romantic folklore and anti-Russian traditions capture his imagination. Joseph’s religious mother wants him to be a priest and in 1895 sends him to study in Tiflis, the Georgian capital. However Joseph rebels and instead of studying scripture he reads the secret writings of Karl Marx and joins a local socialist group. He devotes much of his time to the revolutionary movement against the Russian monarchy and loses interest in his studies. Going against his mother’s wishes, Joseph becomes an atheist and frequently argues with the priests. In 1899 he is finally thrown out of the seminary after failing to turn up to his exams. While working as a clerk at the Meteorological Observatory, Joseph carries on with his revolutionary activities, organising strikes and protests. His activities become known to the Tsarist secret police and he is forced to go underground. He joins the Bolshevik party and conducts guerrilla warfare for Overview of Joseph Stalin during 1917–1920 Joseph Stalin was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee from 1922 until his death in 1953. In the years following Lenin's death in 1924, he rose to become the leader of the Soviet Union. After growing up in Georgia, Stalin conducted activities for the Bolshevik party for twelve years before the Russian Revolution of 1917. He had been involved in a number of criminal activities as a robber, gangster and arsonist. After being elected to the Bolshevik Central Committee in April 1917, Stalin helped Lenin to evade capture by authorities and ordered the besieged Bolsheviks to surrender to avoid a bloodbath. The Bolsheviks then seized Petrograd and Stalin was appointed People's Commissar for Nationalities' Affairs. In the Civil War that followed between Lenin's Red Army against the White Army, Stalin formed alliances with Kliment Voroshilov and Semyon Budyonny while leading troops in the Caucasus. There, he ordered the killings of former Tsarist officers and counter-revolutionaries. After their Civil War victory, the Bolsheviks moved to expand the revolution into Europe, starting with Poland, which was fighting the Red Army in Ukraine. As joint commander of an army in Ukraine, Stalin's actions in the war were later criticized, including by Leon Trotsky. Main article: Early life of Joseph Stalin Stalin was born on December 18, 1878 Gori, Georgia to a family of limited financial means. He was the fourth child born to the family of Ekaterina Gheladze and Vissarion Djugashvili; the prior three children of the couple had died at an early age. Stalin later became politically active and, during the Russian Revolution of 1905, organized and armed Bolshevik militias across Georgia, running protection rackets and waging guerrilla warfare. After meeting Lenin Leader of the Soviet Union from 1924 to 1953 "Stalin" redirects here. For the Indian politician, see M. K. Stalin. For other uses, see Stalin (disambiguation). In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Vissarionovich and the family name is Stalin. Joseph Stalin Stalin at the Tehran Conference, 1943 Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili CPSU (from 1912) Central institution membership Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Dzhugashvili;[g] How did Stalin get away with murder?
1879
Born into poverty
1899
Rebels against the priesthood
1901
The revolutionary bandit
Stalin during the Russian Revolution, Civil War and Polish–Soviet War
Background
Joseph Stalin
In office
3 April 1922 – 16 October 1952Preceded by Vyacheslav Molotov(as Responsible Secretary) Succeeded by Nikita Khrushchev(as First Secretary) In office
6 May 1941 – 5 March 1953First Deputy Preceded by Vyacheslav Molotov Succeeded by Georgy Malenkov In office
19 July 1941 – 3 March 1947Premier Himself Preceded by Semyon Timoshenko Succeeded by Nikolai Bulganin In office
8 November 1917 – 7 July 1923Premier Vladimir Lenin Preceded by Office established Succeeded by Office abolished Born
18 December [O.S. 6 December] 1878
Gori, Russian EmpireDied 5 March 1953(1953-03-05) (aged 74)
Moscow, Soviet UnionResting place Political party Other political
affiliationsSpouses Children Parents Awards Full list Signature Nickname Koba Allegiance Branch Red Army Years of service 1918–1920 Rank Generalissimo (from 1945) Commands Soviet Armed Forces (from 1941) Battles/wars Leader of the Soviet Union