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“The Communist Manifesto” by Karl Marx
Marx’s way to communism:
Capitalist-led idsutralisation ==> class conflict ==> revolution by proletariat ==> communism -
The October Manifesto
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Period: to
World War I
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February Revolution
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October Revolution
Lenin’s (1917) and Trotsky’s (1917+) ways to communism:
Proletariat revolution in undeveloped Russia ==> revolution spreads to industrialised countries ==> industrialised countries help develop poorer ones ==> communism -
Period: to
Russian Civil War
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Period: to
War Communism
War communism included the following policies:
*nationalization of all industry, strict centralized management
*introduction of State control of foreign trade
*strict discipline for workers, with strikes disallowed
*prodrazvyorstka – requisition of agricultural surpluses from peasants with centralized distribution among the population
*rationing of food and most commodities
*private enterprise became illegal -
Comintern founded
Comintern (Communist International) was dedicated to the global spread of communism (was arranging meetings with communist parties from around the world).
Officialy dissolved by Stalin in 1943. -
The Kronstadt rebellion
7—17 March The rebellion was one of the reasons for Vladimir Lenin's and the Communist Party's decision to loosen its control of the Russian economy by implementing the New Economic Policy. From the Bolsheviks’ point of view, the Kronstadters demanded a special attitude whilst the rest of the country was starving. Trotsky affirmed that their actions were counter-revolutionary no matter of what was the sailors’ initial purpose. -
NEP introduced
Lenin's way to communism: revolution in Russia but temporary survival of capitalism elsewhere ==> Russia industrialises independently ==> capitalism collapses eventually: revolution ==> communism -
Period: to
NEP
Lenin's way to communism:
revolution in Russia but temporary survival of capitalism elsewhere ==> Russia industrialises independently ==> capitalism collapses eventually: revolution ==> communism A bit more liberal approach to commmunism, but still many aspects under state control.
Food requisitioning was replaced with a tax.
Ended by Stalin and replaced by central planning -
Treaty on the Creation of the USSR
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Lenin dies
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Trotsky expelled from the Politburo
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Soviet famine of 1932–33
Famine in the rural areas (especially Ukraine):
*Weather: droughts in 1931-2
*Peasants eat the animals instead of them being collectivised
Some argue (Robert Conquest) that it was to eliminate nationalism in Ukraine with the use of purging the kulaks, dekulakization, and to destroy the will of peasantry to resist. -
Period: to
World War II
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Stalin dies
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Khrushchev dismissed
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Brezhnev dies
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Andropov dies
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Chernenko dies
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Rally in Bucharest
Nicolae Ceauşescu staged a massive rally to show support for his regime. -
Collapse of the USSR
