IX Chapter 2 History.pdf SOCIALISM IN EUROPE AND THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

SOCIALISM IN EUROPE AND THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

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CLASS - IX
SOCIAL STUDIES – PART II









Dr. K. THULASI KRISHNA, Ph.D.
PGT – COMMERCE
AP MODEL SCHOOL & JUNIOR COLLEGE, RAMAPURAM
ANNAMAYYA – Dist., A.P., INDIA

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HISTORY - CHAPTER 2
SOCIALISM IN EUROPE AND THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
Key Words
1. Bolsheviks: Members of Russian Social Democratic Labour Party led by Lenin.
2. Mensheviks: Minority group of Russian Social Democratic Labour Party who opposed
Bolsheviks.
3. Suffragette Movement: A movement to five women the right to vote.
4. Cheka: Soviet Police.
5. Commintern: Communist International which was set up by Vladimir Lenin to
promote communist revolutions all over the world.
6. Tsar: It is the title given to the Emperor of Russia which was abolished in 1917.
7. Communism: An economic system in which the means of production is owned by the
state.
8. Soviet: An elected council in Russia.
9. Nationalisation: The process of bringing under the control of government.
10. Duma: The Russian Parliament or Legislature.
11. Red Army: The Army of Revolutionary Russia which fought against the army of Tsar.
Workers and peasants were the members of this army.
12. Kulaks: Wealthy peasants or farmers.
13. Jadidsts: Muslim reformers within the Russian Empire.
14. Autonomy: The right to govern themselves.

Very Short Answer Questions

1. Write about Liberals?
Ans. Liberals wanted a nation which tolerated all religions. They opposed the uncontrolled
power of dynastic rulers. They wanted to protect the rights of individuals. They demanded
an elected parliamentary government, subject to laws interpreted by a well-trained
independent judiciary. They felt men of property mainly should have the vote. They also
did not want the vote for women.

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2. Write about Radicals.
Ans. Radicals wanted a nation in which government was based on the majority of a
country’s population. Many supported women’s suffragette movements. They opposed
the privileges of great landowners and wealthy factory owners. They were not against the
existence of private property but disliked concentration of property in the hands of a few.
3. Write about Conservatives.
Ans. Conservatives were opposed to radicals and liberals. By the nineteenth century, they
accepted that some change was needed but believed that the past had to be respected and
change has to take place through a slow process.
4. Write a note on the ‘Bloody Sunday’ incident.
Ans: On 22
nd
January (Sunday), 1905, a group of workers led by Father Gapon were fired
upon by the Russian Troops when they went to the Winter Palace to present a petition to
the Tsar. Over100 workers were killed while about 300 workers were injured and hence
this day was called as Bloody Sunday.
5. Describe February Revolution of 1917 in brief.
Ans. February Revolution:
• Factory was locked out on the right bank on 22
nd
February.
• Strike was done by workers in 50 factories on 23
rd
February.
• Government suspended Duma on 25
th
February.
• Demonstrators came on roads.
• Army supported the workers and on 2
nd
March, Tsar was removed from the position
of emperor.
6. Who was Lenin? What was April Thesis?
Ans. Lenin was one of the most important leaders of the Bolsheviks Party. He led the
Russian Revolution of 1917. He declared that
• War must be closed;
• Land be transferred to peasants and
• Banks be nationalised.
These 3 demands were Lenin’s April Theses.

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7. What is meant by ‘October Revolution’?
Ans. The revolution occurred in October 1917 in Russia was called as ‘October Revolution’.
It was led by Vladimir Lenin. A\ Military Revolutionary Committee was appointed which
seized the government officers and arrested ministers. The Bolsheviks gained control.
8. What is ‘Collectivisation’?
Ans. Consolidate individual land and labour into collective farms so that new techniques
and machines could be used. It is a policy adopted by the Soviet Government between 1929
and 1933 to transform traditional agriculture in the USSR and to reduce the economic
power of the landlords of Russia.
9. What is Bloody Sunday Revolution?
Ans. Bloody Sunday is a term used to describe an incident that occurred in Russia before
the Revolution of 1905. On Sunday, January 22, 1905, Russian labourers led by Father
Gapon arrived at Tsar’s winter palace to offer a petition. However, they were shot at
indiscriminately by police and cassocks, resulting in the deaths of over 100 employees and
the injuries of over 300 more.
Essay Type Questions and Answers

10. What were the social, economic and political conditions in Russia before 1905?
Ans. Social and economic conditions:
• 85% of the Russian population earned their living from agriculture.
• Most of the land was owned by rich people.
• Peasants worked with very low wages.
• Most of the industries were owned by private people.
• Working conditions in factories were horrible.
• Women were not paid wages equal to men.
• Unemployment rate was high.
• Prices of essential commodities were high.

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Political conditions:
• Russia was under the autocratic rule of Tsar Nicholas II.
• The society was divided into 3 groups namely, Liberals, Radicals and Conservatives.
• Russians demanded a responsible government and led revolutions in 1905 and
1917.

11. In what ways was the working population in Russia different from other
countries in Europe?
Ans.
• In Russia, 85% of the populations was agriculturists. This proportion was very high
than any other European country.
• Industrialisation started late in Russia. Most of the industries were owned by
private people.
• In Russia, peasants wanted the land of the nobles as they were cultivating it. They
refused to pay rent and even murdered landlords in 1902.
• Russian peasants followed Collectivisation of Agriculture which was not seen in any
other European country.

12. Why did Tsarist Autocracy collapse in 1917?
Ans. Reasons for the collapse of Tsarist Empire:
• Tsarist Autocracy was collapsed because of dissatisfaction among the public and
lack of confidence.
• Tsar Nicholus II imposed restrictions on political activities and dismissed any
questioning of his authority.
• Industries were badly affected due to World War I and imports were reduced.
• People wanted peace and bred.
• Public demanded Tsar to exit from World War I.
• Series of revolutions took place in 1917 which led to collapse of Tsarist Autocracy.

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13. What were the main changes brought about by the Bolsheviks immediately after
the October Revolution?
Ans. Changes brought about by the Bolsheviks:
• Bolsheviks were opposed to private property. Hnece, Industries and banks were
nationalised.
• Land was declared as social property and peasants were allowed to seize the land
on which they worked.
• Use of old titles of aristocracy was banned.
• They implemented centralized planning.
• In cities, they enforced the partition of large houses according to family
requirements.
• Russia signed a peace treaty with Germany at Brest Litovsk.

Fill up the blanks
1. Robert Owen, an English manufacturer, sought to build a cooperative community
called New Harmony in Indiana (USA).
2. Karl Marx initiated the ideas of Communism.
3. Bolsheviks were led by Vladimir Lenin.
4. Jadidists of Russia wanted to modernize Islam to lead their society.
5. International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8
th
(Russia: February 22
nd
).
6. Bolsheviks’ slogan was ‘All Power to the Soviets’.
7. Five-year plans were introduced by Stalin.
8. The collective farms were called as Kolkhoz.
9. Leon Trotsky was the leader of a Military Revolutionary Committee appointed by the
Soviet to organise seizure of power.
10. Fall of Monarchy in Russia occurred in February 1917.