Formation of the Soviet Union  

Background – Tsarist Rule 

• The Russian Revolution of 1917 ended the 300-year rule of the Romanov dynasty (1613–1917). 
• Under the Tsar, there was absolute control over governance, the army, and citizens. 
• Widespread inequality and economic distress led to growing public anger and calls for change.
  

February Revolution (1917) 

• Mass protests and strikes led to the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, ending monarchy in Russia. 
• A Provisional Government was formed but faced conflict with the Petrograd Soviet, led by socialist groups like the Bolsheviks and Mensheviks. 

October Revolution (1917) 

• The Bolsheviks, led by Lenin and Trotsky, overthrew the Provisional Government. 
• They declared "all power to the Soviets", beginning communist rule and nationalization of resources.
  

Russian Civil War (1918–1922) 

• A war broke out between the Red Army (Bolsheviks) and White Guards (anti-Bolsheviks). 
• The Red Army's victory helped the Bolsheviks consolidate power and unify the state. 

Formation of the USSR (1922) 

• On 30th December 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was officially formed. 
• It became the world’s first communist state, with centralized planning and communist governance under Lenin. 

Evolution of Soviet Leadership 

• From Lenin’s rule and Bolshevik consolidation to Stalin’s centralization and the Great Purge (1936). 
• Continued with victory over Nazi Germany, Khrushchev’s reforms, Brezhnev’s stability, and Gorbachev’s restructuring. 

Post-War Soviet Union 

• After World War II, the USSR emerged as a global superpower. 
• It led the socialist bloc under the Warsaw Pact and played a dominant role in Cold War geopolitics. 

Factors Leading to the Dissolution of the USSR 

Economic Stagnation 

• By the 1970s, the Soviet economy became inefficient and outdated in terms of productivity and technology. 
• Excessive spending on the military and support for satellite states strained resources. 
• People faced shortages of consumer goods, leading to growing public dissatisfaction, despite basic services being subsidized. 

Gorbachev’s Reforms 

• Reforms like glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) were introduced to improve governance. 
• These reforms weakened Communist Party control, allowing criticism and demands for change. 
• Multi-party elections (1990) and reduced censorship led to stronger nationalist movements, especially in republics like Lithuania and Ukraine. 

Cold War Pressures 

• The arms race with the US, defeat in Afghanistan, and the fall of the Berlin Wall (1989) shook Soviet influence. 
• The USSR’s inability to compete with Western economies highlighted internal economic and political failures. 

Rise of Nationalism and Secession 

• Russian nationalism, led by Boris Yeltsin, challenged central Soviet authority. 
• Republics like the Baltic States and Ukraine pushed for independence. 
• By December 1991, the Soviet Union formally dissolved, ending its existence and marking the fall of a bipolar world order. 

Map of USSR