Socialism in Europe and the Russian Revolution-Class-9-Question Answer

 Socialism in Europe and the Russian Revolution

Class-9            Subject- History
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NCERT Solutions: 

Q1. What were the social, economic and political conditions in Russia before 1905?

Answer: 

1. Socially, Russian society was divided: the nobles, clergy, and Tsar had privileges, while peasants and workers suffered.

2. Peasants formed about 85% of the population, most of them poor and landless.

3. Industries were limited; working conditions were bad, with long hours and low wages.

4. Politically, Russia was an autocracy ruled by Tsar Nicholas II—no freedom, no parliament.

5. All political parties were banned; only the Tsar had absolute control.

Q2. In what ways was the working population in Russia different from other countries in Europe before 1917?

Answer: 

1. A majority (85%) of Russians were peasants, more than in France or Germany.

2. Industrial workers were fewer, mostly in St. Petersburg and Moscow.

3. Workers faced very poor conditions, long hours, and low pay.

4. Women workers made up about 31% of the workforce but were paid less.

5. Workers were not united and were divided by skill, origin, and income.

Q3. Why did the Tsarist autocracy collapse in 1917?

Answer:

1. World War I caused food shortages, unemployment, and army defeats.

2. The Tsar ignored advice from the Duma and people’s representatives.

3. Strikes and protests increased due to harsh life conditions in cities.

4. Soldiers refused orders to fire on protesters and joined the revolution.

5. Tsar Nicholas II abdicated on 2 March 1917 due to mass uprisings.

Q4. Make two lists: one with the main events and the effects of the February
Revolution and the other with the main events and effects of the October
Revolution. Write a paragraph on who was involved in each, who were the
leaders and what was the impact of each on Soviet history.

Answer: Main Events and Effects: February vs October Revolution

February Revolution

Main Events:

1. Workers and women protested in Petrograd.

2. Soldiers refused to fire and joined demonstrators.

3. Tsar abdicated on 2 March 1917.

Effects:

1. End of monarchy.

2. A Provisional Government was formed.

3. Soviets (workers' councils) were created across Russia.

October Revolution

Main Events:

1. Lenin called for seizure of power.

2. Bolsheviks took control of Petrograd on 24 October 1917.

3. The Winter Palace was captured and ministers arrested.

Effects:

1. Bolsheviks took full control.

2. Russia became a socialist state.

3. All land, banks, and factories were nationalised.

Paragraph Summary

• February Revolution was led by workers and soldiers in Petrograd and resulted in the end of Tsarist rule.

• October Revolution was led by Lenin and Trotsky and brought the Bolsheviks to power.

• The impact was huge: monarchy ended, Russia became the first socialist country, and a one-party Communist rule began.

Q5. What were the main changes brought about by the Bolsheviks immediately after the October Revolution?

Answer: 

1. Land was given to peasants; nobles lost their lands.

2. All banks and industries were nationalised (taken over by the government).

3. Private property was abolished; everything was owned by the state.

4. The old titles and ranks were removed; everyone was called ‘comrade’.

5. The Bolshevik Party became the only ruling party, and the Duma was dissolved.

Write a few lines to show what you know about: 

✅ Kulaks

• Kulaks were wealthy peasants in Russia who owned larger farms.

• They were seen as enemies of socialism by the Bolsheviks.

• Under Stalin’s rule, many kulaks were arrested, exiled, or killed during the collectivisation programme.

✅ The Duma

• The Duma was the Russian Parliament formed after the 1905 revolution.

• It was supposed to represent the people but had very limited power.

• Tsar Nicholas II often dissolved the Duma when it opposed his decisions.

✅ Women Workers between 1900 and 1930

• Women made up a large part of the factory workforce in Russia.

• They worked in textile and chemical industries, often with lower wages.

• They played an active role in protests, especially during the February Revolution in 1917.

✅ The Liberals

• Liberals were political thinkers who wanted a constitution and elected government.

• They believed in individual rights, religious freedom, and free markets.

• However, they were not in favour of giving voting rights to all people.

✅ Stalin’s Collectivisation Programme

• Stalin introduced collectivisation in 1929 to combine small farms into large state-controlled farms.

• Private farming was banned, and all produce went to the state.

• This led to resistance by peasants, especially the kulaks, and a severe famine in some areas.

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Other Important Question Answers:

Q1. Who were liberals? What were their political and social views?
                                                                 Or
 What were the views of liberals about the transformation of society in the 18th century?

Ans.  Views of liberals over society in 18 century:-

1. Liberals wanted a nation which tolerated all religious.
2.  They also opposed the uncontrolled power of dynastic rulers.
3.  They wanted to safeguard the rights of individuals against governments.
4. However, they were not democrates.
5.  They did not believe in Universal adult franchise, they felt man who own property mainly should have the right to vote.
6.  They also did not want the vote for women. 

Q2. What social changes can be seen in society after industrialisation?
                                                          Or
What was the impact of Industrial society on the social life of the people after industrialisation?

Ans.  Following changes were seen in society:-

1.  The industrialization brought men, women and children to factories.

2.  Working hours were often long and wages were poor.

3.  Unemployment was common,  particularly during times of low demand of industrial goods.

4.  Housing and sanitation problems were growing rapidly.

5.  Almost all industries were properties of individuals.

6.  Liberals and Radicals searched for solution for these issues.

7.  When new cities came up and new industrial regions developed,  Railways expanded and the industrial revolution happened.

Q3. Mention five features of socialism.

Answer:
1. Socialists were against private property.

2. Under socialism, the means of production are under the control of the government.

3. Socialists regarded the private property as the root cause of all social evils.

4. Socialism encourages cooperatives.

Q4. Explain the views of different socialists and philosophers regarding the vision of the future or to transform the society.

Answer:
1. Robert Owen, a leading English manufacturer and a socialist sought to build a cooperative community called the New Harmony, in Indiana (USA).

2. Louis Blanc of France wanted the government to encourage cooperatives and replace the capitalists.

3. Karl Marx believed that to free themselves from capitalist exploitation, workers had to construct a radically socialist society, where all the properties were socially controlled.

4. Friedrich Engels was also against capitalism.

Q 5. Who ruled Russia in 1914? How did he manage his empire? Explain.

Answer:
Tsar Nicholas II was ruling over Russia, during the revolution.

1. He was an autocrat.

2. Though he created ‘Duma’ after the Revolution, but never cared for it.

3. He was carrying the war against the wishes of the people.

4. He worked under a monk called Rasputin.

Q6. Mention any four features of the Russian economy at the beginning of the 20th century.
                                                               Or
Describe the economic condition of Russia before 1905.

Answer:
1. The vast majority of Russia’s people were agriculturists. About 85 per cent of the Russian empire’s population earned their living from agriculture.

2. Industry was found in pockets. Prominent industrial areas were St. Petersburg and Moscow. 

3. Many factories were set up in the 1890s, when Russia’s railway network was extended, and foreign investment in industry increased. 

4. Coal production doubled and iron and steel output quadrupled.

5. In the countiyside, peasants cultivated most of the land. But the nobility, the crown and the Orthodox Church owned large properties.

Q7. Explain the economic condition of the workers before the Russian Revolution.

Answer:

1. Most of the industries were the private property of the industrialists.

2. Most of the workers were working for about 10 to 12 hours a day.

3. They were paid very low wages.

4. The working conditions were also very poor.

5. Women workers made up about 31% of the factory labour, but they were paid less than men.

Q.8. What was the difference between Bolsheviks and Mensheviks?

Ans.  Bolsheviks:-

1.  Meant a member of the majority.
2. Believed in a highly centralised party of professional revolutionaries.
3.  Not willing to work with middle class for their Revolutionary aims.
4.  Drew less public attention than mensheviks.
5.  They scorned other ideologies.
6.  They believe that Russia could directly go from an absolute monarcy to a communist society.

Mensheviks:-

1. Meant a member of the minority.
2.  Believed in a more democratic party structure that allowed disagreements.
3.  Willing to work with middle class for their Revolutionary ends.
4.  Drew more public support because of their inclusive ideas.
5.  Inclusive in their approach to other political parties.
6.  They believed in going ahead step by step to make the country communist.

Q9. Describe the events that led to 1905 Revolution of Russia.
                                                    Or
Write A note on the Bloody Sunday incident.
                                                   Or
Which incident came to be known as Bloody Sunday? What were its consequences? 

Answer:

1. The year 1904 was a particularly bad one for Russian workers. Prices of essential goods rose so quickly that the real wages declined by 20%.

2. When four members of the Assembly of Russian workers were dismissed, the workers became agitated.

3. In January 1905, a large number of peaceful workers led by Father Gapon reached the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg to present a petition to the Tsar.

4. The workers were attacked by the police. Over 100 workers were killed, and about 300 wounded. Since the incident took place on Sunday, it is known as the ‘Bloody Sunday

5. Consequences: Tsar under pressure from the masses was forced to announce his manifesto which led to the formation of Duma.

Q 10. Explain the major events that were responsible for the Russian Revolution of 1905.
                                                                    Or
Why were there revolutionary disturbances iii Russia in 1905?

                                                                    Or
What were the demands of the revolutionaries?

Answer:
1. Autocratic Rule: 

Russia was under the autocratic rule of the Tsars. The Tsar Nicholas II was an inefficient and corrupt ruler.

2. Role of Liberals and Socialists: 

Both Liberals and Socialists were against the dynastic rule. They worked with peasants and workers to demand a constitution. They were being supported by Jadidists.

3. Strike of the Workers: 

The year 1904 was a bad year for the Russian workers. Prices of essential goods rose so quickly that real wages declined by 20%. So there was a strike by the workers. They demanded reduction in working hours, an increase in wages and improvement in the working conditions.

4. Bloody Sunday : 

The incident of Bloody Sunday in which more than 100 workers were killed became the turning point. It led to an all Russia strike. Lawyers, doctors, engineers and others demanded constituent assembly.

Q11. How did Russia’s participation in the World War cause the fall of the Tsar ?

Answer:

(a) The war was initially popular, and people rallied around Tsar Nicholas II.

(b) As the war continued, support became thin and Tsar’s popularity declined. Anti-German sentiments became high.

(c) The Tsarina Alexandra’s German origins and poor advisers, especially a monk called Rasputin, made the autocracy unpopular.

(d) Defeats were shocking and demoralising. Russia’s armies lost badly in Germany and Austria between 1914 and 1916. There were over 7 million casualties by 1917.

(e) The destruction of crops and buildings led to over 3 million refugees in Russia. The situation discredited the government and the Tsar. Soldiers did not wish to fight such a war.

Q12. What was Lenin’s ’April Theses’?

Answer:
In 1917, Lenin declared that 

1. The war be brought to an end,
2.  Land be transferred to the peasants, 
3.  Banks be nationalized. 

These three demands were Lenin’s ‘April Theses’.

Q14. Explain the collectivisation policy of Stalin.
                                                      Or
What were the major changes Introduced in agriculture by Stalin? Explain.

Answer:(Stalin’s Collectivisation Programme)

1. Stalin introduced collectivisation in 1929 to modernise agriculture.

2. All small private farms were combined into large collective farms called kolkhoz.

3. Peasants had to give up their land and livestock to join the collective farms.

4. Kulaks (rich peasants) were labelled enemies and either exiled or executed.

5. The policy led to resistance, destruction of crops, and a great famine that killed millions.

Q15. Highlight any five changes brought by Lenin in Russia after October Revolution of 1917. 

Answer:

1. Lenin withdrew Russia from World War I by signing the Brest-Litovsk Treaty.

2. A Council of People’s Commissars was formed to govern the country.

3. Lenin promoted equal rights and removed titles of nobles and ranks.

4. Education and health care were made more accessible to ordinary people.

5. Lenin allowed peasants to own land and encouraged them to support the revolution.

Q16. What were the main causes of the Russian Revolution?

Answer: Main Causes of the Russian Revolution :

1. Autocratic Rule of the Tsar

   • Tsar Nicholas II ruled with absolute power, ignoring the needs of the people.

   • There was no democracy or basic rights for citizens.

2. Social Inequality

   • Russian society was divided: nobles and clergy had privileges, while peasants and workers lived in poverty.

   • 85% of people were peasants, many of whom were landless and poor.

3. Poor Working Conditions

   • Industrial workers faced long hours, low wages, and unsafe conditions in factories.

   • They had no rights to form unions or strike legally.

4. Impact of World War I

   • Russia suffered huge losses in war and faced food and fuel shortages.

   • The economy collapsed, and soldiers and civilians were frustrated.

5. Weak Leadership

   • Tsar Nicholas II was indecisive and ignored advice from the Duma (parliament).

   • His poor handling of the war and internal issues led to loss of public support.

6. Influence of Revolutionary Ideas

   • Ideas of equality, socialism, and democracy spread among people.

   • Groups like Bolsheviks encouraged people to fight for change.

Q17. What were the main changes brought about by the Bolsheviks immediately after the October Revolution?
Answer:

1. Land was distributed among poor peasants by seizing estates of the nobles and church.

2. All banks and industries were nationalised—taken over by the government.

3. Private property was abolished; all property belonged to the state.

4. The Bolshevik Party became the only ruling party—other parties were banned.

5. Workers’ committees controlled factories, and peasants’ committees controlled land.

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For More Questions Click Below:

Class 9-History

Chapter 1- The French Revolution

Chapter 2- Socialism in Europe and the Russian Revolution

Chapter 3- Nazism and the Rise of Hitler

Chapter 4- Forest Society and Colonialism

Chapter 5- Pastoralists in the Modern World

Class 9- Civics

Cahpter 1- What is Democracy? Why Democracy?

Chapter 2- Constitutional Design

Chapter 3- Electoral Politics

Chapter 4- Working of Institutions

Class 9- Economics

Chapter 1- The Story of Village Palampur

Chapter 2- People as Resource

Chapter 3- Poverty as a Challenge

Chapter 4- Food Security in India

Class 9- Geography

Chapter 1- India: Size and Location

Chapter 2- Physical Features of India

Chapter 3- Drainage

Chapter 4- Climate

Chapter 5- Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

Chapter 6- Population