Communism developed in Russia due to several factors. Peasants were dissatisfied with their poverty and small land holdings after emancipation from serfdom. Workers faced difficult conditions in factories with low pay and strikes being illegal. Tsar Nicholas II's autocratic rule was weak and unpopular as Russia fell behind other countries. Russia's losses and defeats in World War I further weakened the Tsar's position and support of the army. These conditions led to the Communist revolution in 1917 under the ideas of Karl Marx which established government control over resources and equality.

1. Communism in Russia
THE ISSUES THAT LED TO COMMUNISM IN RUSSIAN

2. The World of Communism
What is Communism?
• Communism – was a system of government whereby the government
had control over the resources of the country, people shared work fairly
and were paid equally
• The word “Communism” is derived from the Latin word “Communis”
which means – common or – belonging to all.

3. Who came up with Communism?
• Karl Marx (1818 – 1883)
German by birth
Former college professor
Author / philosopher
Communism can further be defined as a philosophy of government /
society, based on the ideals of Marxism / Socialism.

5. Communism highlighted the following issues :
• It required a classless / stateless society
• It established common ownership of all resources
• No private property, the government had control to all
resources
• Social equality was encouraged

6. •What led to the development of Communism: Capitalism
•Capitalism creates a huge working-class of people who soon get angry at
the way they are treated.
•The capitalists get more power to serve their own interests.
•The business owners or capitalists get richer while the workers do all the
hard work

8. Factors that led to the
• Communist revolution
• in 1917.
• The discontent of the peasant
• The weakness of Tsar Nicholas
• Russian failures in the First World War
• The discontent of the workers

9. The discontent of the Peasants
Russia was a rural society with over 90% of the people
being poor peasants. Until 1861 the peasants had
belonged to their masters, who could buy and sell them
like animals. When the peasants were freed in 1861 they
were given small amounts of land for which they had to
pay back the government. As a result most farmers were
in absolute poverty. Agriculture was in desperate need of
modernisation.
In contrast, a small number of upper-class people held
most of the wealth and power. This aristocracy had large
town houses and country estates.

10. The discontent of the Workers
Industrialisation began much later in Russia than in Western Europe. Huge iron foundrie
textile factories and engineering firms were set up. Most were owned by the governme
or foreigners, and were located in the big cities such as St Petersburg or Moscow.
Working conditions in the new industrial towns were hard. Pay was very low. Althoug
strikes and demonstrations were illegal, they often took place. Strikers were frequent
shot by the Tsar’s soldiers or secret police.

11. Weakness of Tsar Nicholas II
The ruler of Russia was Tsar Nicholas II.
He was an absolute monarch, meaning
that he had total power in Russia.
Nicholas II ruled a vast country that was
almost medieval in comparison to other
countries. The Tsar’s undemocratic
government was a major cause of the
revolution.

12. Russian failures in the First World War
Russian forces attacked Germany and Austria-Hungary in 1914 and were only
pushed back after fierce fighting at the battle of Tannenberg.
In 1915, Tsar Nicholas II assumed personal command of the Russian armed
forces. This was a risky policy; any defeats would be blamed on him. As it turned
out the Tsar was a poor commander. The Russian army lost confidence in the
Tsar after a string of serious defeats. The Russian soldiers, poorly trained and
equipped, lacking in basic items such as rifles and ammunition, suffered from
lowering morale. Thousands of men deserted.
Without the support of the army, the Tsar’s position became increasingly
precarious.

13. References
https://www.slideshare.net/kukrejahitesh849/communism-29844327
• https://www.slideshare.net/mivow/doc-communism-unwrapped-consumption-in-cold-war-
eastern-europe-free?qid=3db653b3-5c0c-4bb1-bf42-
3eb65464b824&v=&b=&from_search=1
• https://www.slideshare.net/duzama/pdf-marx-s-dream-from-capitalism-to-communism-
ebook
• https://www.slideshare.net/janetdiederich/communism-capitalism-notes?qid=5ebf4f01-
908a-4898-a282-faea64940149&v=&b=&from_search=1
• ttps://www.slideshare.net/KatsyarynaKraucanka/doc-cambridge-igcse-modern-world-
history-history-in-focus-by-michael-scottbaumann