IGNOU HISTORY NOTES : History Of Modern Europe (Mid 18th to 20th Centuries)- THE SOCIALIST WORLD - I

IGNOU HISTORY Study Notes for IAS, UPSC Exams

History Of Modern Europe Mid 18th to Mid 20th Centuries

THE SOCIALIST WORLD - I

Structure

28.0 Objectives
28. I Introduction
28.2 First Socialist Revolution - Why in Russia?
28.2.1 The Political Structure
28.2.2 Peasantry and Working Class
28.2.3 National Self-detrr~nination
28.2.4 tdeas and Organisations
28.3 Stages of Revolution and Bolshevik Victory
28.4 Socialist Construction or Building Socialism
28.4.1 The Nature of Change - Early Legislation
28.4.2 The Nature of Change - Popular lnitiat~ves
28.5 War Communism
28.5. I Econo~nic Initiatives and Policy Decisions
26.5.2 Political Aspects of War Communism
28.6 New Economic Policy
28.6. I NEP as a Stratcgy for Transition to Socialis~n
28.7 Cultural Aspects of Soci a 1' ~sni
28.9 Let Us Sum Up
28.10 Answers to Check Your Progress Excrcisea

28.0 OBJECTIVES

You have so far studied two of three major ideological strands which dominated the polity of
Europe in the 20th century: liberal democracies and right-wing regimes. The remaining two
Units of this Block are concerned with the third strand: tlic socialist world. As you are aware,
socialism as an idea had been in vogue throughout the 19th century. But it was translated into
a concrete polity only in 1917 in Russia through a revolution. This Unit talks about the
Russian revolution and gives you solne information about the years ti~llowing the rcvolution
till 1928. The development after 1928 will he taken up in tlic next Unit. After,reading this
Unit, you wi!l learn:

• the conditions in Russia which Icd to the first socialist rcvolution,
• the process of building socialism in Russia aftel the revolution,
• thc details of 'war communism' and the New Economic Policy as significant stages in the building of soc;lisni in Russia, and
• the attempt. hy the socialist state in Russia to spread socialisi inthe rest of the world through tile formation a of 'Communist International' (Cominto)

28.1 INTRODUCTION

You have alrcarly read something about the socialist vision ol socicty. The linkages that socialist
2nrties clevelopcd with hc workers. ctrl~gglcs in tlic early 20th czntur-y atldcct a ncw dimension
to nopular struggles in Europe. Both; tlic workcl-sylc and tlic ;~cti\~itics ol' tlic socialist
1 part,:sbhccame powerful nlass movclncnts in tlic 20th century. Their association scncriltcd I

ncw sjmhols of revolution 'uid working class ,cr- SLICII as clcmonstratio. gcncral st[-ikcb.
1 tlic workcrs theatre. thc red fag. May Day as workcl-a clay. X Mal-ch as Intel-national FV'nmen's 

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