Russian History

Double Whammy : Women 's Oppression

Marxist Feminists have often argued that women are twice subjected to oppression . Gender inequality is seen as a result of the capitalists modes of production . First , with labor becoming mere products and lower wages . Second , with feudalism . This aims to prove that women 's problems not fully alleviated during Lenin 's time . Thus , the Soviet people did not become wholly new

The last years of the tsarist rule witnessed massive political upheavals . Reforms that Pyotr Stolypin (then Chairman of the Council of Ministers ) initiated , brought discontent

to peasants and urban workers Many peasants had fled the countrysides in hopes of finding jobs in St Petersburg . But these hopes seemed futile as living conditions and working hours did not improve . These conditions were perfect for the revival of revolutionary movements , the strongest of which were the Bolsheviks . The many strikes from 1912 to 1914 were maximized Bolsheviks . They began a series of aggressive political propaganda and organizing amongst the workers . An example of this was the open publication of the Bolshevik news Pravda in 1912 . In addition to this , women were generally disenfranchised in Tsarist Russia . The had no access to education , welfare and political rights . Marriage laws made sure that wives were tied to their husbands under any circumstances Women were already part of the working class although they received much lower wages

Along with mass discontent , many scandals hounded the royal family at this time . There were rumors of unaccounted wealth , extravagance and immorality in the Tsar 's court . One of the most damaging of these scandals was their relationship to Grigori Rasputin . Rasputin was the Siberian holy man whom aided the Empress Alexandra . But contrary to his claims as a holy man , he was rumored to be a lecherous womanizer and drunkard . When many demanded for Rasputin 's removal Tsar Nicholas refused and created further distrust

On October 1917 , the Bolsheviks seized power . The catalyst for these seizure were the women and workers of Petrograd . After a series of strikes in the different urban centers , Tsar Nicholas ed an intensification in the military presence in Petrograd . This was a grave error on his part . He had underestimated the strength of the workers in Petrograd . Soldiers being sent there were stopped because the workers had dismantled the train tracks . On November 7 , 1917 the Petrograd Military Revolutionary Committee declared victory . All offices for communication (such as post , telephone and telegraph ) had been taken over

Despite successful strikes , the Bolsheviks did not control all of Russia immediately . There was no armed uprising , a provisional government was established . This provisional government was composed of the Tsar 's ministers and members of the Bolshevik party . But the provisional government proved unsuccessful . Again , it was the underestimation of the Bolsheviks that was its downfall . Originally , it had two members from the Bolshevik party . But these two members then openly declared their dissent . Even after that , the provisional government did not take decisive action against the Bolsheviks . Amidst...