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6 THE INTERWAR YEARS 1 THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTIONCAUSES OF THE REVOLUTIONThe Russian Empire at the beginning of the 20th century occupied from Poland to the Pacific Ocean and the northern limits were in the Baltic Sea reaching the Black Sea in the south. Russian was ruled by the Romanov dynasty and Tsar Nicholas II was an absolute monarch. Russian people were not satisfied with the political and economic systems:Tsars governed in a dictatorial way so political opposition emerged appearing political parties such as the liberals and the Marxist revolutionary parties represented by the Bolsheviks.The economic and social system was unfair as there was a big contrast between the wealthiest minority and the poor peasants and proletariat.THE REVOLUTION OF 1905The Russian defeat in the Russo -Japanese war as well as the economic and political crisis turned into a revolution against Tsar Nicholas II who was forced to create a Parliament called Duma and implement political reforms but he still was powerful.THE 1917 REVOLUTIONSRussian army was defeated by the Germans in 1917 while the lower classes experienced the results of the economic crisis so they set off 2 revolutions:The liberal bourgeois February Revolution of 1917 deposed the Tsar and created a Republic led by liberal parties. The government promised reforms but they decided to continue in World War I. People wanted to cancel their participation in the war so this led to a second revolution.October Revolution of 1917 was led by the Bolsheviks who seized power. Their leader Vladimir Lenin became President of the Soviet Republic as the Bolsheviks were supported by the soviets or councils of workers, peasants and soldiers. In 1918, Bolsheviks changed their name into communist and signed the Brest- Litovsk Treaty with Germany to be out of the Great War. The new government issued a Constitution which transferred land property to peasants, nationalized industry, banks and transport. In 1919 the Third International was created.These political decisions crashed with the liberal and armed counter-revolutionary groups. The opposition was supported by European countries – mainly England and France- and proclaimed themselves the White Army. A civil war started between the White and the Red (communist) Army won by the communists. This victory consolidated the revolution.2 CONSEQUENCES OF THE REVOLUTION AND THE USSRLenin was in power until his death in 1924. He created the USSR which was the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics including old Russian territories as well as other Asian Republics and forming a federal state. Economy was based in NEP or New Economic Policy, a combination of capitalism and communism policies which led to an economic expansion. Joseph Stalin was Lenin?s successor and his government is known as Stalinism. It was a totalitarian political system based on state violence to finish with political opposition. On the other hand, economy was controlled by the state: land was collectivized and cultivated by agricultural cooperatives (kolkhoz) and state-owned farms called sovjoses.Industrial estates for metallurgical, chemical and arms production were created while the banking system belonged to the state. Economy was planned by the government in programs of five year known as five-year plans containing the objectives to be reached in industry and agriculture every five years. Due to these types of policies, URSS became a major economic and military power.3 THE ROARING TWENTIESEconomy from 1924 to 1929 experienced a period of prosperity called the Roaring Twenties. European economy progressed although USA benefited from the recovery after the war and became the top economic power. American economy was based on:Industrial development?focused on?assembly lines and mass production which made products more competitive.Increased of consumption?based on advertising and implementation of new paying methods as instalment payment and bank loans.Stock market investments. Investing in shares became a quick way to make money so Banks and individuals purchased shares and prices rise continuously.This period of prosperity?allowed people to have a high standard of living with more goods and services. People had extravagant tastes and enjoyed life more than decades before.People had more money to spend on entertainment and leisure:Radios and gramophones meant that young people had new styles such as jazz, Charleston.Silent films were popular and actors like Charles Chaplin and Buster Keaton became huge film stars and in the late 1920s the first talkies were shot.Life changed radically for women. In many countries women, had just won the right to vote and many women had a job so new appliances were needed as women could spend less time on housework. Women in cities smoked and drank and in public and they were called flappers. Besides, fashion changed and women began to short their hair and to wear make – up as well as shorter skirts and high heels. ?Going out and dancing Charleston was considered immoral by older people.However, these changes were only in cities as in rural areas women remained at home and they only had low skilled and low paid jobs.4 WALL STREET CRASH AND THE GREAT DEPRESSIONThe stock market crash of 1929 was one of the worst stock market crashes in history. The value of stocks fell dramatically at the end of October 1929. Many people lost all their savings and their homes. Businesses had to lay off employees or go bankrupt. The crash is the start of the Great Depression.The 1920s (called the Roaring Twenties) were a time of economic boom and business speculation. This optimism caused speculation in the stock market. Between 1921 and 1929 the stock market increased by 600%. The continuous growth in the stock market was not based on reality. The economy could not continue to grow forever. In 1929 the economy began to slow down. At the end of October, panic collapsed the stock market and people began to sell massive amounts of stock. The worst days were October 28th and 29th when values fell a total of 23%. These days were known as "Black Monday" and "Black Tuesday."Although the market tried to normalized, it couldn't recover. Over the course of a few months, the stock market fell around 40%. Many investors lost everything. It didn't reach the bottom until the summer of 1932 when it had dropped 89% from its peak. 5 THE GREAT DEPRESSIONCONSEQUENCES OF THE CRISISThe Great Depression spread from USA to the rest of the world affecting Europe, Latin America and Asia from 1930 to 1931. It was a global crisis and its main consequences were:Economically production decreased as well as demand did, foreign trade diminished and protectionism increased.Population growth was limited as well as international migrations.Politically, democracy lost popularity in favor of totalitarism and communism which seem to connect better with the middle and the working classesTHE NEW DEALThe "New Deal" refers to several U.S.A government programs?to help the country recover from the Great Depression. The New Deal programs that were passed during the first two years that Franklin D. Roosevelt was president are sometimes called the "First New Deal." Later programs are known as the Second New Deal and were implemented between 1935 to 1938.When President Roosevelt was elected, he wanted to improve economy quickly. During the first one hundred, he implemented measures to make economy work. The most important were:Banking reforms. President Roosevelt closed the banks in what he called a "bank holiday." This stabilized the banks and brought back confidence in the banking system.Stock Market. The Securities Act of 1933 was passed to prevent another stock market crash. It required companies to provide accurate information to the public including profits, losses, and corporate officers of the company.?Public Works. A large program for public works started. This program built roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, and dams across the country. These programs provided jobs for many people.?Farm Programs. To help farmers out, the Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA) was implemented. It helped to improve farming practices, reduced farm production to raise prices. It had a positive impact in American rural area 6THE RISE OF TOTALITARISMTHE CRISIS OF DEMOCRACYDemocracy experienced a decline in central and southern Europe since totalitarian regimes rose supported by the middle class unsatisfied with their lower standard of living due to the crisis. On the other hand, USA, France and United Kingdom continued with their democratic systems.CHARACTERISTICS OF TOTALITARISMTotalitarian parties had absolute control of power and the main characteristics of totalitarian regimes are:Authoritarian political system which means power is held in hands of the state by a charismatic leader who demands blind obedience. There is no personal freedom or political pluralism in totalitarian regimes. Opposition is violently suppressed.Economic and social control from the state. Governments are anti-capitalists or anti-communist. There is a solid control of social media, education via censorship and propagandaLack of equality since the ruling party members are superior to the rest of society. Persecution of races or foreigners. Fanatism, symbols, parades, unfirms and emblems unify the followers.Ultra-nationalism in form of being proud of the greatness of the nation, demand of new territories or territorial expansion.Militarism strong army and arm race to prove of power and prestige.7 FASCISM IN ITALYThe reason why Fascism spread in Italy were the dissatisfaction with the peace agreements after the I World War as well as the effects of the crisis: inflation and unemployment.Fascism was created by Benito Mussolini when he founded the National Fascist Party using paramilitary groups (Black shirts) to crush the working class. Middle classes (landlords, small bourgeoisie) the Church and king Victor Emmanuel III supported fascism.In 1922, Mussolini claimed power after combating strikes so he organized the March on Rome with the Blackshirts. He was appointed prime minister by the king.After reaching power, Mussolini controlled the country and extinguished opposition with the help of the secret police OVRA, political parties were forbidden as well as trade unions, planned economy and propaganda and censorship contributed to his leadership and reputation.8 NAZISM IN GERMANYThe main cause that led to the spread of Nazism in Germany was the humiliation of the Treaty of Versailles as well as the results of the economic crisis. Nazism was created by Adolf Hitler who founded the National Socialist German Workers? Party in 1920 and its paramilitary organization the SA to combat communists.Hitler was supported by the middle class which experienced the consequences of the great depression as well as by the capitalists who were against communism.After the 1932 elections, the Nazi Party obtained good results and Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany. Weimar Republic finished and the Third Reich was created by establishing a dictatorship and dissolving political parties and trade unions. Freedoms and rights were limited drastically.Hitler controlled the economy, the education, culture and art using propaganda and censorship. He proclaimed the superiority of the Aryan race and promoted the persecution of the Jews.His rejection of the Treaty of Versailles, rearmament and expansion policy led to the Second World War. ................
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