Bolshievik Revoluition Background Guide
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Tsar to U.S.S.R: A Joint Crisis Committee on The Bolshevik Revolution Bolshevik Revolution 1 Table of Contents Overview 3 Tsar to USSR Sta 4 Letter From the Chairs 7 Logistics of this Committee 8 Tsar Nicholas II and the Romanov Family 10 Revolutionaries and the Revolution Party 11 Russo-Japanese War 12 Revolution of 1905 13 Russia and the Great War 14 Timeline 15 Characters: 16 Revolutionaries: 16 Royal Cabinet/Duma: 21 Position Paper Guiding Questions 24 Bolshevik Revolution 2 Overview The Great Empire of Russia has existed for over 450 years and the Romanovs have been in power for ⅔ of that time, but now the patched up cracks are hard to ignore. Change and innovation are slow to arrive in Russia, with the Industrial Revolution arriving decades after it emerges in Europe, making life difficult for people even before the Great War begins. Whispers of a constitutional monarchy make its way through the land as new political parties like the Constitutional Democracy Party (Cadets) emerge. The economy improves little by little but it is simply not enough to sustain the population when war begins to tear the region to shreds. The economy is in a crisis and citizens are looking for some semblance of leadership to not only improve their lives, but also their international reputation. Delegates in this joint crisis committee will get to determine the fate of Russia and her people through negotiations within their own crisis room and with delegates from the opposing side. We will begin in August of 1915 after the Russian Empire is forced to retreat from Russian Poland. From here, the destiny of the Russian Empire, the Romanov family, and the stirring revolutionary movement is up to you. Choose wisely and you will be rewarded. Take a wrong step, and the whole nation may fracture and the citizens will suffer. *While this is a historical simulation, some events will deviate from history as delegates choose their own paths* Bolshevik Revolution 3 Tsar to USSR Sta Madeleine Stankiewicz: Crisis Director Madeleine Stankiewicz is a sophomore studying Political Science and Spanish with minors in Sociology and Global Studies (because she just doesn’t know when to stop adding classes). She grew up on a small farm in Stillwater, Minnesota and couldn’t be happier to have moved to the bustling city of Minneapolis. When not arguing in committee, Madeleine loves to try her hand at making pasta with her friends and staying caught up on trashy reality TV. She previously served as a crisis assistant in the Countering China committee last year and cannot wait to have a committee of her own to run this year! She is so excited to welcome you to MinneMUN and to see what the delegates have in store for her! Dhruv Singh: Crisis Director Dhruv Singh is a junior studying Economics at the University of Minnesota. Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Dhruv spent his first two years of college at Fordham University in New York City where he fell in love with Model UN. He is currently sitting on the board of UNSA-MUN as the MSA Liaison. Dhruv regularly competes on the circuit and loves the thrill of a crisis simulation. Outside of Model UN, Dhruv is heavily involved in Jazba, an Intercollegiate South Asian Dance Competition where he is the Sponsorship Director! He loves traveling and dedicated a lot of his time into work as well. He is looking forward to meeting you all (virtually!) and wishes you all the best of luck! Priscilla Hagerman: Revolutionaries Committee Chair Priscilla Hagerman is a junior double majoring in Global Studies and Geography with a minor in political science. She has a focus in Political Economy and Environmental Change and regional concentration in Africa, but also has a strong interest in human rights advocacy. She is currently doing advocacy work with World Without Genocide, primarily working towards passing the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in local cities. Priscilla also currently serves as the Advocacy Coordinator for UMN’s Model UN team. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, baking, embroidering, and knitting. She is looking forward to MinneMUN and can’t wait to see how her committee unfolds! Bolshevik Revolution 4 Anna Gannon: Government Officials Committee Chair Anna is a second-year student majoring in Global Studies and Sociology of Law, Criminology, and Deviance, with minors in Spanish and Social Justice. Originally from Wisconsin, she is a huge fan of cheese curds and is obsessed with Culver's. Anna is involved in the Advocacy Committee and previously served as Vice-Chair of The Syrian Opposition Committee during 2020 MinneMUN. Outside of MUN, she goes on runs over the Stone Arch Bridge, attempts to make homemade pasta, and plays card games with her roommates. She is looking forward to MinneMUN and being involved in a Crisis Committee! Bailey Newell: Vice Chair Bailey Newell is a junior Biology, Society, and the Environment major with a minor in History. She grew up in Platte City, Missouri. She is currently an active member of Alpha Sigma Kappa, Multipotentialites in Medicine, and Model UN. In her free time she likes to try new recipes, read fantasy books, and explore Minneapolis. She previously served as Chair for MinneMUN's Russian Bioterrorism Committee in 2019. She looks forward to meeting all of you, and can't wait to help make the Bolshevik Revolution Committee a success! August Krueger: Crisis Assistant August Krueger is a sophomore in the College of Biological Sciences majoring in biochemistry and chemistry with a minor in Spanish. He is hoping to go to school for his PhD in biochemistry (or something related) after graduating. He was introduced to MUN through his friends and decided to join in order to expand his knowledge on international politics. This is his first year of MUN, and he is excited to see where it will take him in the time to come. Chloe Carstenson: Crisis Assistant Chloe Carstenson is a sophomore majoring in global studies with a minor in Arabic. This is her first year of MUN at the University of Minnesota and she is so excited to see what happens in committee! Outside of MUN, she loves to bake, do yoga, and spend copious amounts of time on TikTok. Bolshevik Revolution 5 Carter Curti: Crisis Assistant Carter Curti is a freshman studying Political Science and History. When he’s not doing Model UN, you can find him reading a book or doing pottery. Carter can also be spotted running around Minneapolis when it isn’t -20° outside. He is originally from Edina, Minnesota, where he participated in MUN and has continued virtually in college. He is excited to be a crisis assistant for the first time! Julia Borelli: Crisis Assistant Julia Borellis is a freshman majoring in history and psychology with plans to go into education. This is her second year in Model UN, and she is super excited for her first MinneMUN! Bolshevik Revolution 6 Letter From the Chairs Dear Distinguished Delegates, Welcome to the 2021 University of Minnesota Model United Nations (MinneMUN) Conference! You are now an active member of Tsar to U.S.S.R.: Joint Crisis Committee and will be tasked with representing some of the most important figures during the Bolshevik Revolution. The Russian Revolution has had a lasting impact, leading to the establishment of the Soviet Union. In our Crisis Committee, the year is 1915, and Russia is troubled with the Great War, facing tensions within the nation’s own borders. Citizens seek leadership during a time of economic crisis, crime, and war. Will the Tsar regain control and order? Will the revolutionaries establish a new government? Does Russia have the ability to be salvaged? As a delegate, you will have the ability to influence historical events and shape the revolution. The Communist Manifesto is arguably one of the most important pieces of writing in the world’s history. It has inspired people and movements for over a century. Most notably, Karl Marx’s writing is attributed with inspiring the rise of Communism in the Great Empire of Russia. The Bolshevik Revolution marked a significant turning point in history. The Revolution brought communism to the forefront of international politics. It ultimately led to the rise of the USSR and the Cold War. The dynamics created by these global shifts have had a lasting impact on the world and continue to affect relationships between nations today. While the topic at hand has had a massive impact on the world, we are excited to see how the committees will address these revolutionary ideas. How the events of 1915 unfold is up to the delegates of this joint committee. Your decisions will impact whether the Russian Empire will remain strong or will collapse into the hands of the revolutionaries, or whether a new power will rise entirely. Although this year might be different than in person committees, we are committed to working and adapting with you as delegates. We highly encourage you to read the background guide and research your role, as crises will run smoother with preparation. As your chairs, we look forward to meeting you in committee and seeing how your ideas reshape history. Diplomatically yours, Priscilla Hagerman & Anna Gannon Chairs, Tsar to USSR Bolshevik Revolution 7 Logistics of this Committee Zoom: Zoom will be used as the primary platform for this conference. In order to use it as intended, Delegates will need to have installed the latest updates to have the ability to move around break out rooms freely during unmoderated caucuses.