Transcript
Chapter 5, Section 1 Name: ______________________
Twentieth Century Rejections to Liberalism
What specific aspects of economic liberalism were the Russian workers reacting to?
Basic human rights: Freedom of speech, press, and religion
They wanted: state sponsored education system, improved working conditions, fairer wages, reduction in work day hours.
How were they going to achieve this?
Bloody Sunday was one attempt – Russian workers peacefully marched Czar Nicholas II’s Palace to petition the czar for rights similar to those in European liberal democracies.
Result:
Massacre of Russian workers
Totalitarianism: As a government system,
It seizes and maintains control through a hierarchal organized society, dictated by a single political party run by one leader or a small elite
Seeks complete control over the public and private lives of its citizens
Considers existing society in need of an entire transformation around new ideological framework
It can be left or right wing
Extensively uses propaganda, controls communication technologies
Conformity to the state ideology is demanded of all citizens
Ideology Left or Right? First you must ask,
To what extent does the ideology favour change or tradition?
Radical versus reactionary at the extremes: This quality often refers to democratic versus anti-democratic beliefs and values held by the ideology.
To what extent does the ideology favour individual sovereignty or group security?
Libertarianism or anarchy versus totalitarianism at the extremes: this quality often refers to the degree of government activism and advocated by the ideology; that is, very little government involvement versus a great deal of government involvement
Left Wing Right Wing
USSR Nazi Germany
Several Reasons for the Rise of Communism in Russia
Several reasons for the rise of Nazism in Germany
An unresponsive absolute monarchy under the czars that would not budge
The defeat of Germany in WW1 and the humiliating conditions of The Treaty of Versailles weakened Germany politically, militarily, territorially, and economically.
An exploitive capitalist economic system that privileged the few (ruling czars: the bourgeoisie) at the expense of peasantry and workers (the proletariat)
Many nations refused to trade with postwar Germany making it very difficult for the government to meet its reparation obligations (repayment). This resulted in economic collapse in 1923, which further humiliated and angered many Germans.
A class system that restricted full participation in economic and political life by all citizens
Economic struggles plagued Germany – rebuilding after WW1, rise of unemployment, hyperinflation.
Growing demands by Russian citizens for political, economic, and social reforms were consistently resisted and if considered were ineffectively implemented
But, from 1924 – 1929 with the introduction of a new currency, Germany’s economic system stabilized.
Emerging leaders (Lenin) feed into popular dissatisfaction and challenge established order
The Great Depression resulted in increased unemployment
WW1 created pressures for change due to food shortages and strikes in Russia and losses suffered by the Russian troops neither of which was dealt with by Czar Nicholas II.
Hitler’s promotion of nationalism (unification of all German-speaking peoples), the use of paramilitary organizations to limit dissent and terrorize opposition to create stability and the centralizing of decision making in a single leader to control lawlessness.
Increasing demands for change lead to massive demonstrations and strikes leading to revolutionary actions
The Chaos created by war, famine, and demoralized troops made it relatively easy for a small, well-organized, and committed group to seize power (Lenin’s Bolsheviks)
