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4648200000Holy Cross High SchoolHigher History (European and World- Russia 1881-1921)GlossaryThis Russian Revolution glossary contains definitions of events, terms and concepts relevant to Russia under tsarism, the Provisional Government and the Bolsheviks. Words from A to L. Non-English words are italicised. These definitions have been written by Alpha History authors.agent provocateurA secret agent hired to incite or provoke illegal actions among revolutionary or political groups, usually?with the aim of identifying and arresting individual suspects.agrarianRelating to agriculture, crops, methods of farming or those workers employed on the land.anarchismA left-wing political ideology supporting the removal or destruction of government through random acts of violence. During the Russian Civil War most anarchist groups came to oppose the Bolshevik regime. The black flag (symbol) and Black Guards (a paramilitary brigade) were both associated with the anarchist movement.April ThesesA document published by Lenin shortly after his return to Russia from exile in 1917. It insisted that no support be given to the Provisional Government, calling for an immediate end to Russia’s involvement in World War I and for socialist revolution as soon as possible.autocracyA system of government where all political power and sovereignty is vested in a single ruler called an autocrat (usually a king, tsar or emperor).batrakA landless peasant or a peasant labourer who works for a wage; the lowest class of peasant in tsarist Russia.bedniakA peasant possessed of some land but still desperately poor; the second-lowest class of peasant in tsarist Russia.Black Army (or?Makhnovshchina)An anarchist-nationalist army emanating from the Ukraine. The Black Army aligned with the Bolsheviks initially but later fought against them during the Civil War.Black GuardsAn anarchist paramilitary brigade created in 1917. The Black Guards opposed the centralised Soviet state and fought for land redistribution and small local communes.Black HundredsReactionary and conservative groups that existed in Russia prior to World War I. The Black Hundreds were known for their support for tsarism and anti-Semitism.Bolsheviks?(Russian, ‘majority’)The radical Marxist revolutionary group formed in 1903, following a split in the Russian Social Democratic Party (SDs). The Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, wanted socialist revolution and the creation of a ‘workers’ dictatorship’ as early as practicable.bourgeois (pronounced bore-jwah)bourgeoisie?(pronounced?bore-jwah-zee)French term used to describe the propertied, capital-owning middle-class. In Marxism, the bourgeoisie?control the means of production.bureaucracyDepartments or agencies employed to enact and implement the policies of the government.capitalMaterial such as land, resources, buildings, machinery, factories and infrastructure, which is?used to produce commodities and to generate profit. In Marxism, capital is also known as ‘the means of production’.capitalismAn economic system where most or all capital is privately-owned.capitalistDescribes either an element of capitalism, an individual who supports capitalism or (in Marxism) an individual who owns capital and uses it to generate profit.centralisationThe process of political power and/or decision-making being acquired by fewer people; the opposite of?democratisation.CHEKA?(or Vecheka)(Russian abbreviation, ‘extraordinary commission’). Soviet secret police formed in late 1917 to identify, investigate and deal with potential enemies of the state. CHEKA agents operated outside any legal framework and used a wide variety of methods, many intimidatory or brutal, to extract information and/or deal with dissidents.classA section, division or layer of society, usually determined by wealth and economic factors.class struggleA Marxist concept describing the ongoing tension between different economic classes, each of whom seek to improve their wealth and conditions at the expense of other classes.class warA period following a socialist revolution, where individuals, structures and concepts of the old capitalist order would be destroyed.class consciousnessThe awareness of a class or group that they are being exploited; an important requisite for internThe Communist International, an organisation established in Moscow in 1919 to advance the cause of international missarA Russian communist term that can refer to either a high-ranking minister in the Soviet government, or an individual who is assigned to monitor or oversee a group or agency on behalf of the Communist muneA social unit in tsarist Russia, usually comprising a village of 200-500 workers; a smallcollective of workers responsible for sharing resources and munismA political ideology that strives to create a society with no classes or structures of government.Constituent AssemblyA representative political body, elected by the Russian people in December 1917. The Constituent Assembly met for one day in January 1918 before being dissolved by Bolshevik troops.counter-revolutionA period or set of actions where individuals or groups attempt to reverse or halt changes that have?been introduced by a revolution.czar (see tsar)democratic centralismThe framework and procedure for decision-making within the Bolshevik Party. Its central tenet was that major decisions would be made democratically by party leaders – but once made they were to be followed rigidly by all in the party, including those who did not support them.dictatorship of the proletariatA term describing the political system anticipated after a socialist revolution. Representatives of the proletariat (working classes) would assume control of the government, eradicate democracy and make decisions to benefit the workers.divine rightAny system of government, usually a monarchy or autocracy, where the ruler claims to draw his/her?authority from God, rather than the will of the people.Duma (or State Duma)(Russian, ‘thinkers’). The national parliament of Russia between 1906 and 1917. The Duma was formed by Tsar Nicholas II in the wake of the 1905 Revolution, however it exerted little political influence during its life.emancipationThe act of granting freedom to individuals or a class previously enslaved or held in bondage. Russia’s serfs (bonded peasants) were emancipated by order of Alexander II in 1861.Esers (see SRs)factionalismThe presence of different opinions or groups within a larger organisation.feudalismA socio-political system with agricultural economic production and a rigid social hierarchy.Green ArmiesPeasant-based militias that formed during the Civil War. The Green Armies had little or no political basis but instead formed to resist interference or oppression by the Bolsheviks and/or the White armies.guberniyaAn administrative division in tsarist Russia, the broad equivalent of states. Each guberniya was overseen by a gubernator (governor) on behalf of the tsar.haemophilia?(or hemophilia)A genetic blood disease carried by females but with symptoms that only affect males. It hinders blood clotting, leaving sufferers at risk of bleeding to death from even minor cuts or bruises. European royal families were especially prone to haemophilia, probably because of their inbreeding.imperialismA political system where one powerful nation conquers smaller nations, which become colonies; the imperial nation?then asserts political control of the colony and/or exploits its labour and resources for profit.industrialisationThe process by which a nation or state moves from an agricultural economy to one concerned with manufacturing and industrial production.internationalism (or international revolution)The idea that Marxism could not be confined to one country, and that socialist revolution in one nation would lead to growing dissatisfaction and revolutions in others.Ipatiev HouseA private residence in Ekaterinberg where the tsar and his family were imprisoned between April 1918 and their execution in July 1918.Iskra(Russian, ‘spark’). Official newspaper of the Russian Social Democratic Party (SDs), formed in 1900. After the SDs split in 1903 it was controlled by the Mensheviks.IspolkomThe executive committee which led the Petrograd Soviet during the revolution.July DaysRefers to a spontaneous public uprising against the Provisional Government in early July 1917. The uprising was dispersed by government troops.KadetsAn abbreviated name for the Constitutional Democratic Party, a revolutionary party founded in 1905 and led by Pavel Milyukov. Membership of the?Kadets?was dominated middle-class professionals and some zemstvo delegates. Their aim was to replace tsarism with liberal-democratic republic or constitutional monarchy.kulakA peasant who is wealthier than other peasants. A kulak is usually distinguished by his ownership of large tracts of land; his ability to produce and sell surplus produce for profit; or his employment of other peasants as labourers.Left SRs (or Left Esers)The radical socialist faction of the SRs, which broke away from the main party and aligned with the Bolsheviks during 1917. The Left SRs launched an attempt to capture Moscow in July 1918 but were defeated by the Bolsheviks and suppressed during the Red Terror.left-wingAn ideological position concerned with minimising or eliminating class differences and achieving economic?equality, such as socialism, communism or MarxismMarxismA theory of history and political ideology developed in the 1800s by Karl Marx.Milrevcom (or MRC)The Military Revolutionary Committee, formed in October 1917 at Trotsky’s request to plan paramilitary responses to the Provisional Government.mir?(or obshchina)Russian word for ‘commune’, the village community and its collective ability to produce and make decisions.Narodnaya Volya(Russian, ‘people’s will’). A late 19th century democratic-socialist part and left-wing terrorist group, responsible for the assassination of Tsar Alexander II.NarodniksMid-19th century liberal reformers, mainly from the middle classes and universities. The Narodniks ventured into rural areas to politically enlighten peasants and incite revolution, but found little interest in either.NepmenA name given to the capitalist class of businessmen, merchants and traders that emerged during the New Economic Policy (NEP). The majority of Nepmen were small wholesalers or retailers, buying goods or resources and then selling it for a profit.oblastAn area of administration in imperial Russia, the equivalent of a province or county.obshchina (see mir)Okhrana?(Russian, ‘guards’). The tsarist secret police force, created in 1881 by restructuring the Third Section. The Okhrana was primarily concerned with state security and the personal safety of the tsar, mainly by identifying and bringing to justice dangerous revolutionary, anarchist or terrorist groups.peasantA farmer or farming labourer, usually with little or no wealth (see also batrak, bedniak, kulak).People’s Will (see Narodnaya Volya)Politburo(Russian-English, ‘political bureau’) The executive committee of the Bolshevik and later Communist Party. The first Politburo, formed in October 1917, had seven members but this number was expanded after the Bolshevik revolution.prodrazvyorstkaThe Russian term for compulsory grain requisitioning under war communism (1918-21).Pravda(Russian, ‘truth’). A Russian socialist newspaper formed in 1903. It came under Bolshevik control in 1912 and was later the official publication of the Communist Party.professional revolutionaryA concept at the core of Leninist ideology, which argues that socialist revolutionaries must work full-time and be entirely committed to the cause of revolution.proletariatA term used to describe all working classes, particularly those in capitalist systems. In Marxist contexts, the proletariat usually refers to industrial or factory workers.Provisional CommitteeThe sub-committee of the fourth State Duma, formed in March 1917 to respond to the abdication of Nicholas II.Provisional GovernmentThe body tasked with governing Russia after the collapse of tsarism in March 1917. The Provisional Government’s main mission was to organise elections for a more permanent Constituent Assembly, while ruling Russia in the interim.Red ArmyThe official Soviet military force, formed in 1918 from the Red Guards, elements of the tsarist Imperial Army and conscripts. The Red Army defended the Soviet state from the Whites during the Civil War.Red GuardsMilitia units formed by the Bolsheviks in April 1917, ostensibly to guard against counter-revolutionary aggression. Most Red Guards were factory workers; a smaller number were current or former soldiers or sailors.Red TerrorA two-year period during the Russian Civil War, when the Bolsheviks used military force, secret police units, violence and intimidation to assert control and suppress resistance. The main targets during this period were White and foreign agents and sympathisers, kulaks and Left SRs.revolutionary defencismA position adopted by some Russian socialists with regard to World War I. They argued that Russia should remain in the war but only to defend the revolution from possible collapse or defeat.right-wingDescribes a person, group or point of view which is conservative and opposes change or reform.RussificationA policy employed throughout the Russian Empire by Alexander III, commencing in the early 1880s. Russification imposed the Russian language,?religion and culture on non-Russian regions of the empire, such as Poland, Finland and Asiatic Russia.staretsA Russian Orthodox elder or spiritual advisor.serfA peasant who is bound to the land, and so in legal terms is owned by the landowner. Russian peasants were serfs until 1861, when they were emancipated by Alexander II.Smolny Institute (or ‘the Smolny’)A former girls’ school that was used as a headquarters for the Bolshevik party in 1917. Much of the preparations for the October Revolution were organised in the Smolny. socialismIn Marxism, the political and economic system installed after the overthrow of capitalism. Socialism is a transitional phase between capitalism and communism.sovietA council of working class delegates, each selected to represent their work unit (for example, a factory, mine or military unit). The Petrograd Soviet, formed in March 1917, was the largest and most significant of the 3,000 or so soviets across Russia.Soviet Order Number OneA resolution passed by the Petrograd Soviet in March 1917, requiring all orders from the Provisional Government to be endorsed by the Soviet’s own executive committee. This order challenged and undermined the authority of the Provisional Government.Sovnarkom(Russian abbreviation, ‘Soviet People’s Commissioners’). The executive committee or cabinet of the Soviet government. The Sovnarkom contained between 15 and 22 members.Stolypin’s necktieA colloquial term for the hangman’s noose, the use of which was expanded considerably during the prime ministership of Petr Stolypin (1906-1911).SRs (or Esers)The Socialist-Revolutionaries, a left-wing political party formed in 1902. Its main platforms were improved rights and conditions for peasants and workers; and the equitable redistribution of land. The SRs enjoyed considerable support from Russia’s peasantry.stateIn Marxism, the state refers to the groups and instruments by which a government imposes power or control, such as ministers, departments, public servants, regulations and police.syndicalismA form of socialism where workers’ unions or collectives manage factories or production units, making decisions democratically and in their own interests.Tauride PalaceA large palace in St Petersburg, once the summer residence of Catherine the Great. The palace had a large meeting hall that was used by the State Duma (1906-1917), the Provisional Government (1917) and the Petrograd Soviet (1917).tenementA crowded accommodation such as a dormitory or bunkhouse, usually in poor condition.Trudoviks(Russian, ‘workers’). A socialist party active in Russian politics between 1905 and 1917. The Trudoviks were a breakaway faction of the SRs who won large numbers of seats in the first two State Dumas, one of whom was Alexander Kerensky.tsar (also spelled?czar or tzar)A Russian word for ‘emperor’, derived from the Latin ‘Caesar’.Tsarskoye SeloRussian for ‘tsar’s village’. A small town approximately 15 miles south of St Petersburg. The home of the Alexander Palace, Nicholas II’s favourite residence.vanguard?A person or group who pioneers or leads the way, usually with new or improved ideas. During the Russian Revolution, Lenin and the Bolsheviks often referred to themselves as the ‘vanguard of the revolution’ or ‘vanguard of the proletariat’.Vecheka (see CHEKA)VesenkhaThe branch of the Soviet government responsible for economic policy and management. Vesenkha had the authority to nationalise companies, confiscate resources, set production targets and decide labour conditions.war communismThe name given to the Bolshevik economic policy imposed during the Russian Civil War (1918-21). War communism sought to supply the war effort with compulsory grain requisitioning, along with strong state controls over labour and production. It was replaced in 1921 by the New Economic Policy (NEP).What is to Be Done?The name of a 1903 text written by Lenin, where he outlines his views about the composition, membership and tactical approaches of an effective revolutionary party. It is widely regarded as the blueprint for the Bolshevik movement.White ArmiesAn umbrella term for counter-revolutionary army units that fought against the Bolshevik Red Army during the Civil War.White RussiansPrior to the revolution, this referred to the people of Slavic ethnicity who inhabited the Ukraine and Belarus. After 1917 it was also used to describe those who opposed the Bolshevik regime and/or fled as refugees during the Civil War.White TerrorViolence and harassment carried out by the White armies against suspected Bolshevik supporters during the Civil War.Winter PalaceThe official residence of the Romanov royal family in tsarist Russia. The Winter Palace is an opulent 1,500-room building that saw many critical events of the revolution, including ‘Bloody Sunday’ and the arrest of the Provisional Government on October 26th 1917.Workers’ OppositionA faction of the Bolshevik party that emerged in 1920 and was led by Alexander Shlyapnikov and supported by Alexander Kollontai. It criticised the Soviet government’s centralised economic planning and growing bureaucracy, arguing that workers should have more control of their factories and workplaces.zemstvo (plural, zemstva)A representative local council. The zemstva were established by Alexander II in 1864 and given the legal authority to?make local improvements in education, healthcare and social policy. Most zemstva were dominated by conservative or liberal nobles so were mildly reformist but not revolutionary.zubatovshchinaWorkers’ unions created and run by agents of the Okhrana, usually as a means of limiting or controlling anti-government dissent. They took their name from the Okhrana chief Zubatov. ................
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