NCERT Solutions for Class 9 History Chapter 2 Socialism in Europe and the Russian Revolution
NCERT Solutions for Class 9 History Chapter 2 covers the Age of Social Change, Coming of Socialism to Europe, The Russian Empire in 1914, The February Revolution in Petrograd, The October Revolution of 1917, Civil War, Making a Socialist Society, and Stalinism and Collectivisation.
Overview of Topics & Subtopics (Click to Jump)
1. Age of Social Change & Ideologies
Short Note:
• Political Currents in 19th Century Europe:
1. Liberals: Wanted a nation tolerating all religions and safeguarding individual rights, but opposed universal adult franchise (favored voting rights only for property-owning men).
2. Radicals: Wanted a government based on the majority of a country's population and supported women's suffragette movements.
3. Conservatives: Initially opposed change, but accepted gradual transformation preserving respect for past traditions.
• Karl Marx & Socialism: Marx argued that industrial society was capitalist, where profits were created by workers. He advocated creating a communist society where all property was socially controlled.
2. The February and October Revolutions (1917)
Short Note:
• 1905 Revolution & Bloody Sunday: Workers led by Father Gapon marching to Winter Palace were fired upon by police, sparking nationwide strikes. Tsar Nicolas II created the Duma (consultative parliament).
• February Revolution (1917): Food shortages and WWI losses led to widespread strikes in Petrograd. Tsar Nicholas II abdicated, ending Romanov rule. A Provisional Government was formed.
• Lenin’s April Theses: Vladimir Lenin demanded three things: War to be closed, Land to be transferred to peasants, and Banks to be nationalised.
• October Revolution (1917): Bolsheviks under Lenin seized key government institutions in Petrograd, establishing socialist rule.
3. Civil War, Stalinism & Collectivisation
Short Note:
• Civil War (1918–1920): Conflict broke out between Bolsheviks ('Reds'), Socialist Revolutionaries ('Greens'), and Pro-Tsarists ('Whites' supported by foreign troops). The 'Reds' emerged victorious.
• Stalinism & Collectivisation: Joseph Stalin introduced the Collectivisation Programme to address grain shortages. Peasants were forced to cultivate collective farms (Kolkhoz). Well-to-do peasants (Kulaks) were eliminated and punished.
Intext & Conceptual Questions
| Ideology | Views on Government & Voting | Views on Property & Social Change |
|---|---|---|
| Liberals | Wanted an elected parliamentary government; opposed universal adult franchise (preferred property owners to vote). | Respected private property; wanted individual liberty and economic growth. |
| Radicals | Supported government chosen by majority of population; supported women's voting rights. | Opposed concentration of property in hands of a few individuals. |
| Conservatives | Accepted political change gradually after the French Revolution. | Insisted that the past must be respected and changes should be brought through a slow process. |
In April 1917, Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin returned to Russia from exile and proposed three key demands known as the 'April Theses':
1. Russia must withdraw immediately from World War I.
2. Land must be confiscated from landlords and redistributed to peasants.
3. All banks must be nationalised under state control.
Textbook Chapter End Exercise Questions
1. Social Conditions: About 85% of Russia's population depended on agriculture. Workers were divided by skill and origin. Peasants had no respect for nobility and frequently demanded noble lands.
2. Economic Conditions: Rapid industrialisation occurred in pocket areas like St. Petersburg and Moscow. Workers faced long working hours (up to 15 hours) and low wages. Grain production was high, but peasants suffered during bad harvests.
3. Political Conditions: Russia was an autocracy ruled by Tsar Nicholas II. Political parties were illegal. Dissatisfaction among workers, peasants, and intellectuals led to underground socialist organizations.
The working population in Russia differed from European counterparts in several ways:
1. Peasant Agricultural Base: Nearly 85% of Russians were engaged in agriculture, compared to 40%–50% in France and Germany.
2. Peasant Ownership Norms: Russian peasants periodically pooled their land together (Mir) and divided it according to family needs, showing natural socialist tendencies.
3. Hostility to Nobility: Unlike French peasants who fought alongside nobles, Russian peasants wanted noble lands confiscated and refused to pay rent.
4. Worker Division: Factory workers retained strong ties with their native villages and were strictly segregated by skill levels (e.g., metalworkers considered themselves aristocrats among workers).
Immediately after gaining power in November 1917, the Bolsheviks implemented major changes:
1. Nationalisation: Most industries and banks were nationalised by November 1917.
2. Land Redistribution: Land was declared public property, and peasants were permitted to seize noble estates.
3. Abolition of Titles: Old aristocratic titles were banned to establish social equality.
4. New Uniforms: New uniforms were designed for the army and officials (such as the Budeonovka hat).
5. Renaming the Party: The Bolshevik Party was renamed the Russian Communist Party (Bolshevik).
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