“The slogan “Thanks to Comrade Stalin for our happy childhood” rang without irony for children who were cared for, believed in the society that cared for them, and accepted its structures of authority.” (Childhood Under Stalin) Stalin worked hard to create the impression that he was a benevolent and caring ruler both domestically and abroad. […]
Tag Archive for reform
Week 3 Posts
13 Days Difference
by Anna •
On February 14th, 1918, Soviet leadership reconstituted an entity greater than politics or economics or society- they altered time. The Council of People’s Commissars, or Sovnarkom, was the governing body that made this decision to switch from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar … Continue reading →
Red Star, Students' Choice, Week 3 Posts
Social Women: This one’s for the girls
by gracehemmingson •
“The Liberation of Women Workers is the affair of the Women themselves!” – N. Lenin In the years after the 1917 Revolution, the Bolsheviks began a new war, one that targeted the old society which had been based on oppression, … Continue reading →
Week 3 Posts
New Economic Policy
by jenniferh •
On November 7th, 1917, Vladimir Lenin led the Bolshevik party takeover in Russia, thus starting the creation of the socialist state. Vladimir Lenin aimed at creating a Marxist communist utopia. Lenin promised liberation of oppressed workers and peasants, equality, advancement, … Continue reading →
Comrades' Corner, Week 3 Posts
Образование масс
by jmhawkins •
With the revolution in February, the socialist youth movement emerged out of young workers throughout Russia. They pushed for more education opportunities and education for everyone. This youth movement join with the Bolsheviks Party and they helped to create policies … Continue reading →
Red Star, Week 2 Posts
Weak Fixes for Growing Problems
by Alex Apollonio •
Last week, I alluded to Nicholas II’s unwillingness to give up absolute power in a time of growing unrest in his country. Of the failed ploys by Russian monarchists to appease revolutionary forces, none were on such a large scale … Continue reading →
Week 1 Posts
Serf’s Up!
by ryandellinger •
The serfs were Russia’s primary agricultural laborers up to the mid-19th century. However, Russia’s defeat in the Crimean War brought to light the need for societal reform, and the issue of serfs was a hotbed of political debate. The reformists wanted serfs to be liberated (although to what extent was also debated at length), while […]
Week 1 Posts
A Game of Kings and Peasants
by Alex Apollonio •
Despite the Russian Empire’s rapid entry onto the world stage after Peter the Great’s program of westernization in the early 18th century, it began to lag far behind countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States during the … Continue reading →
Week 1 Posts
Emancipation Declination
by Anna •
After suffering defeat in the Crimean War, late Imperial Russia underwent many reforms in an effort to reestablish national confidence and internal stability. Some of these reforms included changes to the judicial and educational system as well as installing zemstvo- an elected … Continue reading →
Comrades' Corner, Week 1 Posts
A Band-aid that didn’t stick: Russian reform in the 1860s and 70s
by gracehemmingson •
Reform. Counter-reform. One step forward and two steps back. This pattern can be seen in many places throughout history, and usually leads to a period of explosive reform started by the people. Examples of this pattern are the reforms begun by Qing Russia before the 1911 Revolution and even the connection between post-civil war […]