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 Staf 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 difcult 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 sufer.
*While this is a historical simulation, some events will deviate from history as delegates choose their own paths*
Bolshevik Revolution 3 Tsar to USSR Staf 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 frst 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 Ofcials 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 frst 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 frst 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 fnd 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 frst 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 frst 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 fgures 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 infuence 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 signifcant 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 afect 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 diferent 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. The zoom link will be available on this committee's page on the MinneMUN website. Delegates are asked to change their name to that of their characters once in the room for the purpose of clarity (this way there will be no confusion between delegate and character name). Please mute your microphones when not speaking as a courtesy to other delegates. To raise points or motions, please use the “raise hand” function on Zoom. Additionally, the Zoom chat option will only be accessible for communication with your chair. We ask that you only use this function for issues such as a technical difculty with your chair or sending a ‘note’ to the dias (ex. if you were late to committee). Please remember to be courteous and respectful of other delegates as well as the time and efort they have put into preparing for this conference.
Slack: Slack is an app that can be downloaded on-to a phone or computer, and for the purposes of this conference, will serve instead of note passing. Delegates will be invited to join a Slack channel during the frst day of committee. Once joined, delegates are asked that they once again change their names to that of their characters and can then use private messages to communicate with each other. The main Slack channel for each committee will be used by the Chair as well as the Crisis Team to communicate important information, send reminders, and share documents (such as directives). We ask that you remain professional and respectful during your discourses. If you have any questions as to how to use Slack it may be helpful to watch some instructional videos or ask your Chair. Reminders such as committee start times will be sent through the general MinneMUN 2021 slack channel to which everyone will be invited.
Bolshevik Revolution 8 Email: Email will be the primary form of communication between delegates and the Crisis Team. An email to each individual crisis team will be provided by Chairs. To start dialogue, delegates will send the Crisis team an email with their character’s name in the subject line, and their frst note to Crisis as the email. Please remember to keep emails concise and to be respectful and professional. Additionally, please do not send more than two crisis notes in a row without receiving a response from the crisis team as this can slow down response times to emails. The submission of directives will be through a link to a google drive folder which will be provided both through email as well as into Slack channel. In order to submit documents, delegates will move them into said folder for the chairs to then review.
If there are any questions regarding the logistics of this committee, please do not hesitate to reach out to your chairs or crisis staf either through email or through the committee Slack.
Any behavior that does not follow the guidelines listed above, can be reported to the chairs, and if it continues to the Secretary General after which consequences will follow. You can contact the Secretary General through email at [email protected] or by sending the Secretary General a message through Slack..
Bolshevik Revolution 9 The UMN MODEL U.N. Ultimate Guide to Parliamentary Procedure Action Debate? Vote Description
Point of Order -- -- Ask about the rules or point out an error in the application of ParliPro rules.
Point of -- -- Ask the Chair a question Information
Point of Inquiry -- -- Ask a speaker a question after a speech.
Right of Reply -- -- Request to respond to a direct, ofensive comment by another delegate (not common).
Point of Personal -- -- Inform the Chair that you can’t Privilege hear, there’s no water or paper left, etc
Motion for an -- Simple majority Informal debate, move around Unmoderated the room and talk freely for a Caucus specifc amount of time. Sometimes called “Suspension of the Meeting.”
Motion for a -- Simple majority Formal debate moderated by Moderated Caucus the Chair. Specify a total time, speaking time, and topic.
Motion to Close 2 against Simple majority End debate on any proposal (i.e. Debate resolution) on the foor and move directly into voting.
Motion to Extend 2 for/2 against Simple majority To make any change to the time or Limit Debate, limits in a moderated or unmoderated caucus.
Bolshevik Revolution 10 Motion to Divide 2 for, 2 against Simple majority To divide an amendment or the Question draft resolution into two or more parts and vote on each one separately.
Motion to Consider -- Simple majority Introduce a draft resolution to Draft Resolution # the foor for discussion.
Motion to Consider -- Simple majority Bring an amendment to the Amendments foor for discussion.
Motion to Adopt by -- -- Used if there is little to no Consensus objection to a resolution. The Chair will ask for objections, and if there are none the resolution passes.
Motion for a Roll -- -- The Chair will count every vote Call Vote individually by calling out each name. Can only be used during voting bloc.
*Every motion requires a second EXCEPT roll call vote. **This list is in order of precedence.
Bolshevik Revolution 11 Tsar Nicholas II and the Romanov Family
In 1618, the Romanov family rose to the throne and would continue to hold it for 300 years. The family is made up of some of Russia’s greats, such as Catherine the Great and Peter the Great. However, as of late the royal family seems to be getting farther and farther removed from the general population.
The current man in power is 36 year old Tsar Nicholas II who rose to the throne after the sudden death of his father. Tsar Nicholas is married to the German Alix of Hesse, who would later change her name to Alexandra Feodorovna, and they have 5 children together, daughters Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia and son Alexei. When Tsar Nicholas II came to power, he rejected the constitutional limitations of power on the crown due to his belief that he was given the right to rule from God and therefore all of his decisions refected the Lord and could not be disputed.
Tsar Nicholas II came to power with very limited political experience which has shown extensively in his reign. He is seen as an indecisive and weak leader, especially after he poorly handled the 1905 uprising and Russia’s loss of the Russo-Japanese war.
Currently, the only heir to the throne is Alexei who has tragically been inficted with severe hemophilia and is confned to his bed most days. Tsarina Alexandra has welcomed Gregori Rasputin, a Russian mystic, into the palace to cure Alexei of his afiction which, among many of her other actions, has made the Tsarina largely unpopular amongst the Russian population.
Bolshevik Revolution 12 Revolutionaries and the Revolution Party The Bolsheviks were a radical, far-left, revolutionary Marxist group founded in 1912. Led by the infamous Vladimir Lenin and Alexander Bogdanov, the party was split from the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party. At this time the Bolsheviks are the youngest party who are all full time members of the faction. With over 22% of members under 20 a 37% between 20 - 24 years of age, the majority of the party is supported by industrial workers, a new median of economic revenue, since Russia was the last European country to industrialize.
After the party formalized in January of 1912, Lenin realized he needed funds to lead his new party. While most parties resorted to having membership fees, the Bolsheviks took matters into their own hands and committed bank robberies to raise funds. This was in part due to Lenin rewarding his supporters with salaries. As the October Revolution looms in the start of the simulation, the party has a great desire for war as Lenin’s vision leads the party to believe that the workers and peasants would resist joining the eforts of The Great War. This resistance, in the Bolshevik eyes, should attract people to the socialist movement and lead to the rise of Communism in the near future.
Bolshevik Revolution 13 Russo-Japanese War The Russo-Japanese war lasted from 1904 to 1905. The empires of Russia and Japan were fghting over Manchuria and the Korean peninsula. The main causes for this war was Russia’s need for a warm-water port 1 due to not having one of their own. While the Qing dynasty had leased Port Arthur to the Russian Empire, the Russian Empire was looking for a port that would be solely under their control. For the Japanese Empire, concerns of Russian encroachment on the Japanese sphere of infuence rose after the Sino-Japanese war in 1895.
While the Japanese Empire ofered Manchuria to the Russian Empire in exchange for Japan keeping the Korean peninsula, the Russian Empire refused and demanded that both Manchuria and the Korean Peninsula be recognized as Russian territory. Thus, the fght over the two areas began with a Japanese surprise-attack on the Russian navy docked in Port Arthur. By the end of 1904, the Japanese Empire had sunk every ship in the Russian’s Pacifc feet. In September of 1905, Russia and Japan signed the Treaty of Portsmouth
Russia’s greatest mistake in this war was underestimating the Japanese military. Russia would end up losing three more major battles after its loss in Port Arthur and lose all hope of gaining the land in Manchuria and the Korean peninsula and its ability to dock in Port Arthur. This loss to the Japanese Empire was seen as a national embarrassment and Tsar Nicholas II was blamed for tarnishing Russia’s reputation of having one of the strongest militaries in the world.
1 A warm-water port refers to a port where the water does not freeze during the winter. These can be highly advantageous to nations both during times of peace and war.
Bolshevik Revolution 14 Revolution of 1905 Soldiers returning home from the warfront came home to inadequate pay and mass shortages of food and other resources and decided to organize for a better livelihood. Additionally, lack of industrialization and lack of imports caused Russian debt to skyrocket as the crown spent beyond their means and the military ate up funds.
In January of 1905, before the Russo-Japanese war had fnished, police open-fred on a group of citizens delivering a petition to the Tsar, killing 1,100 people and wounding many more. Mass strikes spread across Russia and Russian Poland and in June of 1905, sailors aboard the Potemkin mutiny after refusing to continue to eat food infested with maggots. Upon receiving word of this occurrence, the people of Russia organize a general strike and demonstrations that spread across the nation.
The revolution of 1905 ends with the October Manifesto which grants personal rights such as freedom of speech and assembly as well as gives voting rights to all men in Russia. The manifesto also creates the State Duma which shall represent the people of Russia and ensures that no laws shall be passed without the input of the Duma.
However, soon after the revolution ends it becomes clear that, while the Tsar has promised civil liberties, he has no intention of fulflling this promise. The Tsar begins to dismiss members of the Duma as the body requests changes such as radical land reform and the release of political prisoners. Additionally, the Tsarina does not trust the Duma’s prime minister after he investigates her trusted advisor, Gregori Rasputin.
Bolshevik Revolution 15 Russia and the Great War
When Russia frst entered the war, the conficts between the government and the people were largely forgotten and replaced with patriotism and unifcation against a common enemy. However, this did not last very long. After being in the war for only fve months, 390,000 Russian men have been killed and 1,000,000 have been wounded. By 1915, Russia was losing about 22,500 men per month.
Due to the Empire of Russia’s reputation of being unmatched in military might, the Allied powers rely on Russia to maintain the Eastern Front. However, it soon became clear that the Russian Empire was unprepared for a war of this scale. Lack of railway systems and German U-boats blocking the Baltic Sea makes it difcult for the Allied powers to send resources to the Eastern Front. Additionally, Russia’s lack of industry has been unable to produce munitions at the level needed to equip the Tsar’s army. While the Russian Empire has been holding its own with the help of Romania, the lack of munitions and mass casualties have killed what was left of the faith held in the Tsar.
Attitudes especially changed after the Russian Second Army was annihilated in the Battle of Tannenberg in August of 1914. 30,000 Russian men were killed compared to Germany’s 13,000. As the war continued, many of the Tsar’s loyal men were killed and were replaced by the poorer, far less loyal russian men leading to a military disillusioned to the war and growing sentiments of distrust and anger toward Tsar Nicholas II.
Bolshevik Revolution 16 Timeline 1861: Tsar Alexander II passes the Emancipation Act, ending serfdom in Russia 1881: Tsar Alexander II is assassinated and succeeded by his son, Alexander III 1892: Famine kills between 375,000 and 400,000 people 1894: Tsar Alexander III dies suddenly and is succeeded by his son, Nicholas II 1895: Vladamir Lenin is arrested and exiled to Serbia. January 1905: Known henceforth as Bloody Sunday, troops and police open fre on civilians during a peaceful demonstration in front of the Winter Palace, killing 1,000 people. The press blames the sitting Tsar for the casualties. June 1905: Sailors mutiny on a Russian ship, triggering riots in Odessa which are quickly quelled by troops on the Tsar’s orders. October 1905: Tsar Nicholas II signs the October Manifesto creating an elected parliament called the Duma and promises civil liberties such as free speech. 1906: The Russian Constitution is published on the eve of the State Duma’s frst session 1907: Tsar Nicholas II dissolves the Second State Duma 1912: Lena Massacre occurs, killing 270 and wounding 250 workers striking in the goldfelds of Lena Gold Mining against dangerous working conditions 1914: Russia enters the Great War with the Battle of Tannenberg. 30,000 Russian troops are killed and 90,000 are captured, while Germany only loses 12,000 men. June 1915: Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich is dismissed from command from the Russian Army. Tsar Nicholas takes over command despite not having any knowledge of military strategy and leaves the kingdom and the Duma in the hands of his ambitious but ultimately unqualifed wife, Alexandra. August 1915: Russian troops are forced to retreat from Warsaw and the rest of Russian Poland after being badly beaten by German forces. While the victors ofered a peace conference with Russia mediated by the Danes, Tsar Nicholas II refuses.
Bolshevik Revolution 17 Characters: *Some characters’ backgrounds have have been changed slightly for the purpose of this committee* Revolutionaries: Vladimir Lenin Vladimir Lenin (formally Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov) formed his revolutionary beliefs during university after his brother was executed for attempting to assassinate Tsar Alexander III. He was expelled from university for participating in an illegal student protest and was forced to complete his law degree as an external student in 1891. He then moved to St. Petersburg and became a revolutionary. This caused him to be arrested and exiled from Russia to Siberia. Lenin then moved to Germany and then Switzerland and became acquainted with other Marxists. He then adopted the name Lenin and emerged as the leader of the Bolshevik faction in the Social Democratic Party. Lenin advocates for Russian defeat in The Great War as he hopes it will create a political revolution against the tsarist empire.
Leon Trotsky Leon Trotsky (formally Lev Davidovich Bronstein) was frst introduced to Marxism in 1896 by underground social circles while he resided in Nikolayev to complete his schooling. He then helped organize the South Russian Workers’ Union and was arrested in 1898 for revolutionary activity and was exiled to Siberia. He later escaped Siberia under the name Trotsky and went to London and joined the Social Democratic Party. After the party split and Trotsky sided with the Mensheviks, he returned to Russia to aid in a revolutionary movement. He was then incarcerated and exiled to Siberia again and escaped again. However, this time he moved to Vienna and worked as a correspondent in the Balkan Wars. As The Great War began, Trotsky has sided with the Russian Social-Democrats in the refusal to support the war efort by the tsarist empire.
Bolshevik Revolution 18 Viktor Mikhailovich Chernov Victor Mikhailovich Chernov, also known as Boris Olenin, was born in Kamyshin, Russia in 1873. Chernov became a revolutionist in 1893, eventually founding the Russian Social Revolution Party in 1902 as an alternative to the Social Democratic Workers Party. While he is not a politician, Chernov is a theoretician and analyst that wrote the platform for his party, which places emphasis on agrarian socialism in an appeal to the peasantry. He is opposed to the autocracy of the current regime and the inequality in the distribution of the land; with this mindset, he supports the "defeatist" resolution, hoping to end the imperialism that drove Russia in the Great War. More than anything, Chernov fghts for the rights for the peasantry to be treated equally in agrarian matters.
Anastasia Alekseevna Bitsenko Anastasia “Nastya” Alekseevna Bitsenko was born in 1875 to a peasant family where she benefted from the educational reforms of the Tsar. When a family swept through her village in 1899, she organized a communal kitchen to feed the starving population. Bitsenko was training to be a secondary school teacher when she met with a fellow student who was a revolutionist and later her husband. They were both arrested and exiled to Siberia in 1901, and in 1903, Bitsenko moved to St. Petersburg where Bitsenko became involved in a conspiracy to assassinate the Minister of the Interior and was arrested and exiled to Siberia again. She then escaped and made her way to Moscow. In 1905, Bitsenko assassinated the ex-Minister of War, Viktor Sakharov, under a terrorist plot she led. Bistenko is a part of a prominent all-female Socialist-Revolutionary group, sometimes called the Shesterka, who have been attributed to many of the assasination of prominent members of the Tsar’s cabinet. She and the fve other women in the group were arrested and sentenced to penal labor for life in Siberia. However, there have been multiple attempts to break these women out of the labor camps.
Bolshevik Revolution 19 Vladimir Alexandrovich Bazarov Vladimir Alexandrovich Bazarov was born in 1874 in Tula as Vladimir Alexandrovich Rudnev. Educated at Moscow University, Bazarov became a philosopher in Marxism, striving to understand how to best interpret The Communist Manifesto into something that could be applied to Russia. As he gained more traction through his writings, Lenin attacked him as being too idealistic and unrealistic. Ironically and malevolently, Lenin labeled him as Machist--a person who follows the philosophy of extreme materialism in regard to knowledge. Contrary to the interpretation of neo-Kantian Marxism as viewing a person as an end and never as a mean, Bazarov's interpretation emphasizes collectivism and proletarianism in order to obtain the supreme outcome of communism. In other words, he believes that in order to achieve the purest form of Marxism, there must be a united working class.
Sergei Kirov Sergei Kirkov was born in 1886 as one of seven children. Kirov’s father left and mother died when he was young, leaving him to be raised by his grandmother briefy and then the orphanage. Kirov moved to Siberia after getting a degree in engineering where he joined the Social Democratic Party and became a Marxist. He participated in the 1905 Russian Revolution and was arrested. Kirkov then joined the Bolsheviks after being released from prison, and then he was arrested again for printing illegal literature. Kirov has continued to print illegal literature and is a highly ambitious member of the Social Democratic party.
Julius Martov Julius Martov was born in 1873 to a middle-class Jewish family in the Ottoman Empire. Martov was a member of Bund, a Jewish socialist group, before he and Vladimir Lenin formed the St. Petersburg Union of Struggle for the Liberation of the Working Class in 1895. He was arrested in 1896 and was exiled to Siberia. He then moved to Switzerland to join Lenin as an editor of Iskra, the newspaper for Russian Social-Democrats. When the Social Democratic Party split, Martov became the leader of the Mensheviks faction. There have been numerous disagreements between him and other Menshevik leaders as well as Lenin. During The Great War, Martov has asked for peace with no victory.
Bolshevik Revolution 20 Pavel Axelrod Pavel Axelrod was born in 1850 in Ukraine. His role in the revolution began at the age of 33 when he founded the Liberation of Labor, a social revolution geared towards the working class. He agreed with Lenin's ideas, but foresaw that as the Bolsheviks gained more power, they would merely replace the existing autocracy with one of their own. Thus, in 1903, he became one of the leaders of the Mensheviks, a non-Leninist wing of the Russian Social Democratic Workers' Party. Now, as one of the leaders, Axelrod continues to fght for the equality of the industrial workers of Russia and the fall of the bourgeoisie.
Alexandr Martynov Alexandr Martynov was born as Aleksandr Smaoilovich Pikker in Pinsk in 1865. Martynov's involvement in the revolution began with violence; he joined The People's Will in 1884, which used terrorist tactics to overthrow the autocracy. Two years later, he was exiled to Siberia for 10 years because of his crimes associated with the organization. In coming back to society, he continued fghting for the end of the tsar more peacefully--as an editor to the communist newspaper for the Russian Social Democratic Party. Now a prominent member of the Mensheviks, Martynov continues to fght for the liberation of the workers from the autocracy of the tsar.
Noe Zhordania Born in 1968 in western Georgia to a petty noble family, Noe Zhordania had his political beginnings in the Social Democratic Party of Georgia. A political thinker more than an activist, Zhordania gained popularity through his journalism and philosophies. His ideals combined Marxism, anti-autocracy, and Georgian patriotism, winning him the appeal of workers, students, and peasants in spite of his relatively afuent upbringing. In 1905, he ofcially afliated with the Mensheviks, taking most of the Georgian party with him. Forced underground following the dissolution of the duma, he now works as a clandestine journalist in an efort to spread the political beliefs of the Mensheviks to a broader audience. He is constantly sparring with Stalin to gain the upper hand in the battle over non-Russian nationalities.
Maria Spiridonova Maria Spiridonova was born in 1884 and attended a local school until the death of her father. Spiridonova moved to Moscow to study dentistry where she became involved in political activism during the Revolution of 1905 where she was arrested during the student demonstrations. She is a prominent member of the Socialist-Revolutionary (SR) Party and ascribes to the Nardonik belief that
Bolshevik Revolution 21 assasignations and terrorism are important weapons of revolution. Spiridonova is a prominent member of the all-female SR Party assassin group sometimes referred to as the Shersterka. Spiridonova was tried and convicted on the assasination of Gavriil Luzhenovsky and sentenced to death, which was later changed to life in penal labor at the same camp as the other women who were a part of the Shersterka. Due to her popularity among the peasants in Russia, there have been multiple unsuccessful attempts to break Spiridonova and her comrades out of the camp. During her time at the camp, she has learned English and French.
Bolshevik Revolution 22 Royal Cabinet/Duma: Tsar Nicholas II Tsar Nicolas II was born on May 6th 1886. Early in life, he enjoyed serving in the military, but was poorly equipped in matters of government when he succeeded his father as Tsar in 1896. Now Tsar, he is heavily autocratic and believes his right to rule comes from God, leading him to oppose constitutional constraints and reforms. His decisions are heavily infuenced by his wife Alexandra Feodorovna and her trusted advisor Gregori Rasputin. The Russo-Japanese War loss frustrated Nicholas II, and domestic unrest caused by it led him to agree to form the Duma and allow for more civil liberties in 1906. One year later, he dissolved the Duma and resumed full control of the Russian Empire. With the outbreak of the Great War, Tsar Nicolas II has dismissed the commander in chief and has taken control of the military. This decision was greatly infuenced by his wife Alexandra and her advisor, Rasputin.
Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna Born in Germany in 1872, she grew up as royalty in the German Empire before marrying Tsar Nicholas II in 1894. She became infatuated with mysticism after her only son was born with hemophilia, leading her to become very close with Grigori Rasputin, who she trusts greatly. She also is very involved with her husband's political life and holds the same ideas of autocratic rule. When the Tsar went to lead during the Great War, she replaced many ministers with those who were loyal to her and Rasputin, angering those who saw this as a betrayal of the Russian people.
Alexander Dmitrievich Protopopov Born in 1866 to a family of nobility that owned extensive land as well as a textile factory. He attended the Nikolaev Cavalry School as a cadet before being commissioned into the Imperial Guard. Protopopov left the guard in 1889 to study law and moved to St. Petersburg where he became active within the fnancial community. In 1907, Protopopov was elected as delegate to the Third and Fourth Dumas and was later elected Marshal of Nobility in 1912 and then vice-president of the Imperial Duma in 1913. A member of the Octobrist party, Protopopov is considered to be fairly liberal but also believes his role to be to preserve the Tsar’s autocracy. Protopopov created and has funded the newspaper Russkaya Volya.
Bolshevik Revolution 23 Mikhail Vladimirovich Rodzianko Mikhail Vladimirovich Rodzianko was born into a wealthy family and received a good education and served in the military before going into politics. He is currently the Chairman of the State Duma. As a moderate member of the Octobrist Party, he pushed for the Russian economy to increase production to help with the war. He supports both the constitution and the monarchy, but is frustrated with Tsar’s ministers and his close relationship with Rasputin. He also advised against the Tsar leading the Russian army to the war front, which along with his distrust of the cabinet led him to become unpopular in government.
Nikolai Vissarionovich Nekrasov Nikolai Nekrasov was born in 1879 to a priest. Nekrasov received a degree in transportation engineering in 1902 and became a professor at the Tomsk Engineering Institute in 1904. During the Revolution of 1905, Nekrasov helped found the Constitutional Democratic Party, also known as the Kadet Party. Since 1909, Nekrasov has been a member of the Kadet's Central Committee in the State Duma where he is considered to be left of center. Nekrasov has argued that any work that the Duma has attempted to accomplish has been impeded by the Tsar and has argued that the Duma should be more anti-government than it currently is. In June of 1915, Nekrasov argued that the Duma had simply become a body willing to write the Tsar a blank check for the Great War. While it was rumored that Nekrasov seeked to resign from his position in the Central Committee, Nekrasov has remained on the committee in a fnal attempt to achieve what he sees the Duma’s purpose to be.
Aleksandr Ivanovich Konovalov Aleksandr Konovalov was born in 1875 to an afuent textile family, Konovalov was educated in England and became the head of the society that owned his family’s holdings. Konovalov is the leader of the Progressive Party and is currently working on organizing a Progressive Bloc in the Duma to push through the sweeping reforms promised during the 1905 Revolution.
Count V. A. Bobrinsky Count Vladimir A. Bobrinsky was born in 1868 to Russian political fgure. He represents the Russian Nationalists in the Duma and advocates for quick Russifcation of the borders. Count Bobrinsky supported Prime Minister Stolypin’s agrarian reform initiatives and shared his views on the monarchy
Alexander Fyodorovitch Trepov
Bolshevik Revolution 24 Alexander Fyodorovitch Trepov is the son of a prominent Russian general. He helped create the constitution, including work in developing the Duma. He later went on to serve as a senator in the Governing Senate in 1906, and was appointed to the State Council as Minister of Transport, Railways and Communication in 1915. Trepov is very ambitious and has worked to build many railroads to help the war efort.
Grigori Rasputin Grigori Rasputin was born a Siberien peasant who at a young age studied to become a monk. He did not succeed, and went on to travel Europe and the Middle East. He ended up living in St. Petersburg as a mystic and a healer, which caught the attention of Tsarina Alexandra whose son, the heir of the Russian Empire, sufered from hemophilia. This led him to become very close to her and her family, and he served as an advisor for many years. He is very controversial in this position, as many people do not approve of his large infuence over the royal family.
Alexander Kerensky Alexander Kerensky was born in 1881 and became a lawyer who was legal counsel to victims of the Revolution of 1905. Kerensky’s father was one of Vladimir Lenin’s teachers and Kerensky and Lenin’s families were close during Kerensky’s youth. He is a well known defense lawyer and a prominent member of the Trudoviks, a moderate non-Marxist labor party. Kerensky is considered to be one of the leaders against the Tsar and wrote a letter of request to the Chairman of the Duma and the Tsar informing them that, to be successful in the Great War, they would have to change domestic policy, end religious intolerance, along with a multitude of other requests.
Sergei Dmitryevich Sazonov Born in 1860, Sergei Sazonov currently serves as Russia’s foreign minister since 1910. Sazonov got his start by serving at the London embassy and later headed a diplomatic mission to the Vatican. In the lead up to the Great War, Sazonov has come under fre for his moderate policies toward the Balkan states. As the war has come to fruition, Sazonov has been applauded for bringing Romania onto the side of the Entente. Sazonov is against Bolshevism and has historically been the Tsar’s level-headed counterpart during foreign relations.
Bolshevik Revolution 25 Position Paper Guiding Questions
● What are your character’s sentiments towards the Czar? ● What are your character's sentiments towards the revolutionary movement? ● What type of government would your character like to see? ● If your character were only able to accomplish one thing during their time in this committee, what would be of the utmost importance? ● What are your character’s thoughts on Lenin? ● What is your character’s political leaning/party/afliation? ● What are your goals for the committee?
This committee will begin in August 1915, so please contain your research to pre-August 1915 as events that follow this period may not be accurate to history due to delegates driving the direction of the committee.
Please keep your position paper to approximately a single page, 1.5 spaced, with 12 point font.
Bolshevik Revolution 26