Social and Political Factors and Mechanisms of the Great Russian Revolution

Abstract

The article analyses the factors and the dynamics of the revolutionary processes in Russia in the early 20th century. By applying modern theoretical concepts of political science and sociology, the author concludes that early 20th century Russia could be characterised by a number of social and political conflicts which were a result of incomplete modernisation. As a result of the imbalanced tempo of modernisation in the economic and political spheres there emerged a conflict between social groups demanding political change and the incumbent political regime. In rural areas, incomplete agrarian reform contributed to a deepening divide between peasants and landlords. The Tsar’s government failed to resolve those conflicts before the beginning of World World I, while the war resulted in their intensification. The socio-psychological syndrome of relevant deprivation emerged as a result of the widening gap between social expectations that Russia’s population had before beginning of World War I and the quickly deteriorating living standards of the majority of the population during the war. The Great Russian Revolution began in February 1917 triggered by the conflict between the old ruling elite and the counter-elite, which mostly consisted of the liberal opposition. Once the counter-elite assumed power, it failed to meet the challenges facing Russia in time. This article concludes that ineffectiveness of the Transitional Government in Russia was the main reason behind intensification of the domestic crisis in Russia, which led to Bolsheviks assuming power in October 1917. Refs. 6.