The use of either physical (such as the aggressiveness shown by the Cheka, the Russian secret police) or political force (such as War Communism) was prevalent in both the French (Between May 1789 – 1795) and Russian (Between February 1917 – 1924) revolutions. To protect and reinforce the...

Many historians argue that when studying Russian history it is important to look closely at events to know what actually happened. Since Soviets claim that their government legitimacy comes from a historical process, their files were never opened or exposed to the public, therefore not enabling soci...

Acid Reign: The Rule of Nicholas I Nicholas I has been portrayed, and perhaps rightfully so, as a strict and reactionary tsar. Indeed, his internal policies were often repressive -- he sought to nip any liberalism in the bud, often brutally. His approach to solving problems in the Empire and kee...

Although Shukhov does not think or talk about religion for the bulk of the novel, his final conversation with Alyoshka, a devout Baptist, reveals that faith can be a means of survival in the oppresive camp system. Shukhov's interest in Alyoshka's discussion of God, faith, and prayer marks ...

Joseph Stalin When most people see or hear the name Joseph Stalin, they most commonly associate it with a violent and ruthless political leader of the Soviet Union who managed to send more Russians to their deaths than Hitler did Jews. Aside from this fact, most individuals know very little about...

In March 1917 Russia was an autocracy, a political system favouring unlimited authority by a single individual. It was the crucial events that took place during this period of history that would change many people's lives. It was the uniting of the peasants, workers, and middle class with the T...