HISTORY EYA NOTES French revolution February revolution October revolution

Political Revolutions # Times when people attempt to completely and radically transform the existing social, economic, political and ideological features of society # Due to dissatisfaction with problems present in country, leading to desire for change # Many interlocking causes: weak leadership, social discontent, poor economy, new ideology Social: # People are driving force behind revolutions as they want change # Masses rise up due to unhappiness # All other causes serve to aggravate social discontent # Social discontent is over-arching cause of political revolution # Other factors are a catalyst to deepen social dissatisfaction # Hence social discontent is the main cause

French Revolution #1789-1799 #Long-term and short-term causes

French Revolution

LOUISA’S

Cause

Description

Significance

Tennis Court Oath & National Assembly

 National Assembly members took it  Lead by Mounier & Mirabeau  Swear: not relent in efforts until new constitution had been agreed upon

 Revolutionary spirit galvanised France  Paris: storming of Bastille (prison)  Countryside: farmers & peasants revolted against feudal contracts by attacking manors and estates of landlords (“Great Fear)

Assembly of Notables Meeting of the Estates General

 23 June 1789, as a final act of desperation, - from advice by Necker (popular with people)  An ancient assembly consisting of 3 different estates which represented a portion of French population  If Estates-General could agree on a tax solution, it would be implemented  Since 2/3 were tax exempt, they constituted the majority (despite peasants being majority) and thus out ruled the Third Estate

 Riots broke over this disparity  Declared itself as the revolutionary sovereign National Assembly which many members of the other two estates switched allegiances to.

Storming of Bastille

 14 July 1789  Motive: to obtain gunpowder for the firearms at the weapon store (Hotel des Invalides, retirement home for soldiers)  They first negotiated the handover but crowd grew impatient and firing & assaulting began.

 Destruction of a symbol of the arbitrary power of the King.  Royal troops stood by  = King definitely lost control.  The Assembly drew up a constitution, no longer under threat of being dissolved by the King.

French Revolution

LOUISA’S

Cause

Description

Impacts

Age of Enlightenment American Revolutionaries

 During 18th century  Movement questioned & challenged whole range of views & ideas that were widely accepted: religion, nature & absolute monarchy  Based on reason and rational thought, rather than superstition and tradition  Les Philosophes: popularised and spread new ideas for general reading public. Had great faith in it to discover and act  Spread via salons, books, printing press.  John Locke, Voltaire, Rousseau

 Last quarter of 18th century: complaints from some members in 2nd estate, numbers of people joining church and religious books declined  Opened up their minds to believe in freedom, etc.  Liberal society can flourish with free commerce  Challenged absolute right to rule  Applealed to bourgeoisie grievances

Taxation 3 Estates System

 Chaotic and inefficient. Filled with corruption.  Three Estates system: Lowest class was the majority and paid the most taxes  Other estates had political rights, controlling and tax free.  Farmers-General was a company that collected indirect taxes for government and paid the agreed sum, keeping the rest for themselves  Indirect taxes on salt, food, export, goods etc

 French government never received enough money from taxes to cover its expenditure. Had to borrow  Caused resentment amongst 3rd Est.

Financial Problems Tax Reform

 Financial crisis= inability to meet payments due to a shortfall in income or fall in borrowing credibility  Due to high expenditure on wars: Spanish, Polish, Austrian, Seven Years War, War of American Independence  France was well off but resources were locked up by system of govt and organisation of society  Rural economy was dependent on weather and bad harvest could rocket prices, in turn hitting the industry

 Forced to resort to a number of temporary taxes (e.g. vingtieme).  Encouraged opposition, increased spread of enlightenment ideas

Louis X(a)VI & Marie

 Incompetent leader (not weak), weak willed and diffident, not suited to be a king who had to be ruthless at times  Marie influenced him and shlurged state’s monei even while bankruht, e.g.

 Failed to provide necessary support during crucial times e.g. faltered at rage of the Nobles

dresses, petit trianon  Preferred personal interests to court ones  Kicked out the good financial advisors who suggested that they needed a reform in taxation system

when he suggested the tax even though he had authority  Kicked out the good financial advisors who suggested that they needed a reform in taxation system

Russian Revolution # 1917 - 1918 # Feb: Removed Tsar Nicholas II from power, developed spontaneously out of series of increasingly violent demonstrations and riots on streets. # Oct: overturned interim provisional government

Feb Revolution Description

\Cause

LOUISA’S

Impacts

1905 Revolution

• • • • •

World War I & Economic Factors

 War losses as russians were poorly prepared, armed forces faced shortages due to inefficient distribution of military supplies  High expenditure on war, caused inflation and rise in taxes  Factory workers sent to fight in wars  Majority of food produced given to army

   

Tsar Nicholas II

 Failure to meet demands for more representational form of government  Unwillingness to abandon autocracy  Failed to deal effectively with domestic problems as reforms initiated by ministers (Stolihin’s land reforms, Witte’s industrialisation) failed to improve overall living conditions in Russia

 Tsar’s inabiliti to govern effectiveli  Growing dissent against his authority

Bloody Sunday was the spark Long-term social and economic discontent. Famine. Lots of strikes Failed because there was no clear leader. Feb = unfinished business left by 1905 revolution

• October Manifesto: Promise of freedom of speech, right to form political parties, establish Duma, no new laws without consent of Duma • Broken promise: voting system was unfair, rich had more influence than poor • Duma were dismissed for demanding, had little influence Loss of Morale, casualties mounted Loss of land Discontent at Tsar for incompetency Agricultural work in hands of elderly and women

Oct Revolution Description

\Cause

LOUISA’S

Impacts

Provisional Govt

• They were not elected, had to function alongside Petrograd Soviet • Continued with WWI as wanted to show improvement in • No land reforms, didn’t imhrove living & working conditions • They were temporary and elections were delayed

Petrograd Soviet

 Were elected representatives of workers & soldiers  Had great deal of power via trade unions, postal & telegraph services they controlled  Able to manipulate the masses

Lenin & Bolsheviks

 Provided leadership  Sided with the Petrograd Soviet “All Power to the Soviets”  Called for end of war “ Peace, Land, Bread”

 Appeal to the masses  Led the revolution

WWI

   

 Difficult living conditions, massive unemployment  Dwindling Economy  Major dissatisfaction with government

Military failure Anger over inflation and conscription of young man Strained resources, drained wealth, hurt pride People were exhausted and wanted it to end

• Peasants started taking Nobles’ Land • Inflation and hunger got worse