| Abstract | Rusija je stoljećima bila država autokratskog režima. Tek 1861. godine, Aleksandar II.
provodi neke manje reforme kako bi pokušao usmjeriti državu na pravi put. Ipak, kad ga njegov
sin, Aleksandar III., naslijedio, taj pokušaj modernizacije je obustavljen izrazito
konzervativnom politikom. Sastavio je Okhranu, tajnu policiju kojom je suzbijao bilo kakve
protucarske ideje. Oba ova Cara su bila čvrsti vladari, no njihov nasljednik, Nikola II., nije.
Njegova vladavina je bila ispunjena raznim problemima i ustancima, a prva revolucija se
podigla 1905. kad su njegove trupe gotovo neobjašnjivo pucale na mirne prosvjednike vođene
svećenikom Gaponom. Taj događaj zajedno sa sramotnim porazom u rusko-japanskom ratu je
narušio njegovu reputaciju. Slaba organizacija je glavni krivac za propast ove revolucije te je
jedina promjena bila oformljenje Dume, novog zakonodavnog tijela, objavom Oktobarskog
manifesta. Narodu je nedostajao vođa koji bi ga hrabro poveo u pravu revoluciju. Taj vođa i
jest postojao u osobi Vladimira Lenjina, samo je morao čekati pravi trenutak da dođe do vrha.
Nikola II. je za to vrijeme nakratko poveo Rusiju na put ekonomskog i industrijskog rasta, no
zbog I. svjetskog rata i skandala s Rasputinom, ljudi ponovno postaju nezadovoljni te 1917.
dolazi do Februarske revolucije. Nakon što je bio prisiljen abdicirati, carski režim je napokon
doživio svoj kraj. Velika praznina se stvorila na vrhu ruske hijerarhije, a ubrzo su ju popunila
dva protivnička vladajuća tijela: Petrogardski Sovjet i Ruska privremena vlada. Stvorila se vrlo
nestabilna situacija dualne moći između njih. U srpnju su boljševici pokušali oružanim
ustankom doći do potpune kontrole, no nakon neuspjeha, Ruska privremena vlada je, s
Kerenskyim i njegovom desnom rukom Kornilovom na vrhu, uspjela zaustaviti nerede te uhititi
boljševičke vođe. Lenjin je, pak, uspio pobjeći u Finsku. Kornilov je tada smatrao da ima
savršenu priliku da podigne desničarski ustanak te on povede državu u novom smjeru. Taj
ustanak je Kerensky uspio spriječiti uz pomoć boljševika koje je pustio iz zatvora te im dao
oružje za borbu. S velikom podrškom naroda, Lenjin i njegovi boljševici su tada iskoristili ovaj
slijed događaja i započeli slavnu Oktobarsku revoluciju. Lenjin je bio novi vođa države koja je
tada, uz neke poteškoće, napokon sklopila mirovni sporazum s Njemačkom, ali je zato stupila
u građanski rat koji će potrajati nekoliko godina. |
| Abstract (english) | For centuries, Russia had been a country run by autocrats. It was not until 1861 when
Alexander II carried out some minor reforms in order to get the country on the right path.
However, when his son, Alexander III, took over the throne, the modernization attempt was
halted by his explicitly conservative policies. He started the Okhrana, a secret police which he
used to suppress any anti-Tsarist ideas. Both of these Tsars were strong rulers, but their
successor, Nicholas II was not. His reign was filled with all sorts of problems and riots. The
first revolution took place in 1905 when his troops had, almost inexplicably, fired upon the
peaceful protesters led by Father Gapon. Both this and a humiliating defeat in the Russo-
Japanese War tarnished his image. The main reason this revolution had failed was because of
the weak organisation and the only change was the formation of Duma, a new legislative body,
by passing the October Manifesto. The people needed a leader who would bravely lead them to
a real revolution. That leader did, in fact, exist in the persona of Vladimir Lenin, but he would
have to wait for the right moment to step up. In the meanwhile, Nicholas II managed to get
Russia to grow both economy and indutrywise. However, WWI and the Rasputin scandal had
made the people unhappy once again which would result in a February Revolution in 1917.
After he was forced to abdicate, the Tsarist regime had finally come to an end. A big hole
opened up at the very top of the Russian hierarchy. Two opposing governing bodies, the
Petrograd Soviet and the Russian Provisional Government took over. Between them, there was
a very delicate situation known as the dual power. In July, the Bolsheviks tried to take full
control through an armed uprising, but after they failed, the Russian Provisional Government,
with Kerensky and his right-hand-man Kornilov at the top, managed to stop the riots and arrest
the Bolshevik leaders. Lenin, though, managed to escape. Kornilov then thought that he had the
perfect oportunity to set up a right-wing uprising and to lead the country in a new direction.
That revolt was stopped by Kerensky with the help of Bolsheviks which were relesead from
prison and armed by him. With the great support from the people, Lenin and his Bolsheviks
used this turn of events to their advantage and started the famous October Revolution. Lenin
was now the leader of the country, a country which, with some difficulties, finally signed a
peace treaty with Germany, but had also gotten itself in a state of civil war which would last
for several years. |
