Test: Socialism in Europe & the Russian Revolution (Term II)- 2 - Class 9 MCQ

The April Theses was a document of ten points presented to the April Conference of Bolsheviks by Vladimir Lenin in 1917. The main points of the April Theses were to focus Bolshevik efforts on opposing the provisional government, promote a socialist revolution and lay the groundwork for a proletariat-led government.

Radicals wanted a nation in which the government was based on the majority of a country’s population. Many supported women’s suffrage movements. Unlike liberals, 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.

• (a) 25th February: This date is associated with the February Revolution in Russia. On this day, the Russian Provisional Government was formed in 1917, so it matches with (iii) Duma suspended.

• (b) Mass of peaceful workers were fired upon by the Russian troops: This refers to the event known as "Bloody Sunday" that took place in 1905 when peaceful demonstrators marching to present a petition to Tsar Nicholas II were fired upon by the Imperial Guard, so it matches with (v) Bloody Sunday.

• (c) Provisional Government: During the Provisional Government's rule in Russia, they seized buildings housing Bolshevik newspapers to try to stop their revolutionary message from spreading.

• (d) 1898: This year marks the formation of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, which later split into Bolsheviks and Mensheviks. Hence, it corresponds to (i) Formation of Russian Social Democratic Labour Party.

• (e) Peasants: Peasants in Russia before the revolutions of 1917 did not enjoy many political rights. They were largely serfs tied to the land until the emancipation reform of 1861, and even after that, they faced many restrictions. So, this matches with (ii) Did not enjoy any political rights.

Did the Bolsheviks gain majority support in the November 1917 elections?

Answer: False

The Bolsheviks did not gain majority support in the November 1917 elections. Here's a detailed explanation:

• The November 1917 elections in Russia were for the Constituent Assembly, which was supposed to establish a democratic government after the fall of the Provisional Government.


• The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, participated in these elections but did not secure a majority of the votes.


• The Socialist Revolutionary Party (SR) emerged as the largest party in the Constituent Assembly elections, winning around 40% of the popular vote.


• The Bolsheviks, on the other hand, received only about 24% of the vote, making them the second-largest party.


• Despite not gaining majority support, the Bolsheviks went on to seize power through a violent revolution in October 1917, known as the October Revolution.


• After the revolution, the Bolsheviks dissolved the Constituent Assembly in January 1918, as they believed it did not represent the will of the people.

In summary, the Bolsheviks did not gain majority support in the November 1917 elections, but they still managed to seize power and establish the Soviet Union.

Liberals also opposed the uncontrolled power of dynastic rulers. They wanted to safeguard the rights of individuals against governments. They argued for a representative, elected parliamentary government, subject to laws interpreted by a well-trained judiciary that was independent of rulers and officials.

Robert Owen's built the cooperative known as the 'New Harmony'

(i) Socialists were against private property. They saw it as the root of all social ills of the time.

(ii) They argued that individuals owned the property that gave employment but the property was concerned only with personal gain and not with the welfare of those who made the property productive.

(iii) So, if society as a whole rather than single individuals controlled property, more attention would be paid to collective social interests.

(iv) Socialists wanted this change and campaigned for it.

In January 1905, an incident known as “Bloody Sunday” occurred when Father Gapon led an enormous crowd to the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg to present a petition to the tsar.

Karl Marx (1818-1883) and Friedrich Engels (1820-1895) added other ideas to this body of arguments. Marx argued that industrial society was ‘capitalist’. Capitalists owned the capital invested in factories, and the profit of capitalists was produced by workers. The conditions of workers could not improve as long as this profit was accumulated by private capitalists. Workers had to overthrow capitalism and the rule of private property. Marx believed that to free themselves from capitalist exploitation, workers had to construct a radically socialist society where all property was socially controlled. This would be a communist society. He was convinced that workers would triumph in their conflict with capitalists. A communist society was the natural society of the future.

The main objectives of Liberals are as follows

(i) They expected a nation which tolerated all the religions.

(ii) They opposed the uncontrolled powers of dynastic rules.

(iii) They wanted to safeguard the right of individuals against the government.

(iv) They did not believe in universal adult franchise as they were not democrats.

(v) Liberals argued for a representative elected by the government. They were subjected to laws interrupted by a well-trained judiciary that was independent of rulers and officials.

(vi) In the parts of Europe, where independent nation states did not yet exist. For example, Germany, Italy, etc.

The shortage of food supply, effects of Blood Sunday, and world war I on Russia and its economy and society were some of the major reasons for this revolution.

Socialism: Theory emphasizing on restructuring society

• Definition: Socialism is a socio-economic theory that advocates for the collective ownership and control of the means of production, distribution, and exchange.


• Restructuring Society: Socialism aims to restructure society by reducing economic inequality and promoting social equality.


• Key Principles: Socialism emphasizes the following principles:




• Collective Ownership: It promotes the idea that resources and means of production should be owned and controlled collectively by the society as a whole, rather than being privately owned by individuals or corporations.


• Redistribution of Wealth: Socialism aims to distribute wealth and resources more equitably among all members of society, ensuring that basic needs are met for everyone.


• Democratic Planning: It advocates for democratic decision-making in economic planning, where the society collectively determines the allocation of resources and production priorities.


• Social Welfare: Socialism emphasizes the provision of social welfare programs, such as healthcare, education, and social security, to ensure the well-being of all members of society.


• Elimination of Exploitation: It seeks to eliminate exploitation by ensuring fair wages, worker rights, and protection against capitalist exploitation.




• Historical Examples: Some countries that have implemented or experimented with socialist principles include the Soviet Union, China, Cuba, and Scandinavian countries like Sweden and Norway.


• Debate and Criticism: Socialism has been a subject of debate, with proponents arguing for its potential to reduce inequality and promote social justice, while critics often raise concerns about limited individual freedoms, inefficiency, and lack of incentives for innovation.

By emphasizing the restructuring of society through collective ownership, wealth redistribution, democratic planning, social welfare, and the elimination of exploitation, socialism aims to create a more equitable and just society.

All political parties were illegal in Russia before 1914. The Russian Social Democratic Workers Party was founded in 1898 by socialists who respected Marx’s ideas. However, because of government policing, it had to operate as an illegal organisation. It set up a newspaper, mobilised workers and organised strikes.

Assertion (A): Production increased rapidly due to Stalin's Collectivization Programme.
Reason (R): There was a bad harvest during 1930-1933.
Explanation:
The given statement is evaluating the relationship between Stalin's Collectivization Programme and the increase in production, with the reason being the bad harvest during 1930-1933. Let's evaluate each statement separately:
Assertion (A): Production increased rapidly due to Stalin's Collectivization Programme.
- The Collectivization Programme implemented by Stalin aimed to consolidate individual peasant farms into collective farms, also known as kolkhozes.
- The collectivization process involved pooling resources, land, and labor to increase agricultural productivity and promote industrialization.
- The goal was to increase agricultural output and provide a surplus for industrial development.
- The program involved forced collectivization, which led to resistance and peasant uprisings.
- While there was an initial increase in production due to the consolidation of resources, the program also resulted in significant disruption and loss of productivity.
- Therefore, the assertion that production increased rapidly due to Stalin's Collectivization Programme is not entirely accurate.
Reason (R): There was a bad harvest during 1930-1933.
- The period between 1930 and 1933 in the Soviet Union was marked by a severe famine known as the Holodomor.
- The bad harvest during this time was a result of various factors, including unfavorable weather conditions, poor agricultural practices, and the disruption caused by the collectivization process.
- The collectivization program, which involved forcibly taking land and livestock from individual farmers, led to resistance and reduced agricultural productivity.
- The lack of incentives for individual farmers and the disruption of traditional farming practices contributed to the decline in agricultural output.
- Therefore, the reason that there was a bad harvest during 1930-1933 is supported by historical evidence.
Evaluation:
- Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true.
- However, Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
- The increase in production due to Stalin's Collectivization Programme cannot be solely attributed to the bad harvest during 1930-1933, as the program itself had both positive and negative impacts on agricultural productivity.
- The assertion and reason are not directly connected in a cause-and-effect relationship.
Conclusion:
The correct answer is B: Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.

Tsar also spelled czar, tzar, or csar, is a title used to designate East and South Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers of Eastern Europe, originally the Bulgarian monarchs from 10th century onwards, much later a title for two rulers of the Serbian Empire,[citation needed] and from 1547 the supreme ruler of the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire.