The February Revolution in Russia - Professor Dominic Lieven

To mark the anniversary of the Russian Revolution. www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-an...
The dilemmas of modern empire and monarchy will be discussed, firstly in general terms and then specifically in terms of Russia. What were the key challenges facing Nicholas II and why was he unable to meet them, both in the domestic and international contexts. The lecture will explain how the effects of Russia's involvement in the First World War firstly undermined all support for the monarchy and led to its sudden collapse in February 1917, and subsequently allowed the Bolsheviks to overthrow the Provisional Government so easily eight months later.
The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-an...
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[@WildBillCox13]

Another high quality lecture from Gresham. Thank you, Professor Lieven, for this informative and elucidating placing of events and movements into larger context.

[@gerryjamesedwards1227]

It's remarkable how many points in this fascinating lecture resonate with the Russia of today, with the difficulties faced by Russia in Ukraine on full display.

[@whitepanties2751]

It is remarkable how since Ivan the Terrible in the 16th Century, Russia has always seemed to have the potential to catch up with the West, but, unlike Japan, never did so.

[@sementefteliys3750]

Умный мужик. Наверное один из лучших историков современности

[@giveussomevodka]

Great stuff at the end, the little talk after the lecture itself was the best part of the video.

[@shalansharma443]

Goes to show you don't need a powerpoint if you're an engaging person.

[@francislarv3012]

Interesting. Thanks.

[@pedrocavalcante5822]

Where are the subtitles?

[@alix6145]

I’d like to watch this video as I’m deeply interested in the topic, but the audio is garbage. Poster, can you upload a version loud enough to hear? Thank you

[@rosiehawtrey]

Very interesting to find out that the peasants had 70% of the land and a clever command and control system for distribution - absolutely no relation to what I was taught.

[@sirhumphreyappleby8399]

Taught by whom...

[@kidmohair8151]

Q: what do all empires do best? A: fall

[@dukedematteo1995]

Timothy Snyder posits that WW1 ended the land empires but not the maritime empires. He also posits that WW2 lead to the end of the maritime European empires due to the fact the metropoles of the empires were financially and militarily devastated, European prestige in Asia was shattered by the Japanese occupation, and due to the fact the post WW2 superpowers, America and the Soviets, were anti colonial, and as a result Europe was forced to unite for economic reasons, and for security reasons (ie the American led alliance system united Europe under their security umbrella to face down the Soviets. The British, the French and the Dutch all tried to maintain their empires post WW2 but couldn't do so for various reasons. They were broke, colonized nations caught up technologically, and American hegemony dissuaded the continuation of European colonialism.

[@hazelwray4184]

"the security threat is becoming more and more acute, and a Russian government has no other option but to respond"

[@davidwilkie9551]

The best observation is "meaningless money", and/or Dark Money, is a "misplaced valuation", contracts that must implode at some point in economic cycles because they are unsupported by legitimate business. And the observation that a military victory is relatively easy, has been proved often, because it's the element of surprise that anyone would do such a thing. "Nobody wins a War," but madmen think they are entitled to power over others. South America is the unsettled example. So why has the truth about the ridiculousness of Nuclear Weapons as legitimate investment been neglected in the discussions about civil societies, and the required actions of democratic citizens to use Diplomacy before anything else in deciding whether or not they are worth having at all? Time for a conscience vote globally, in favour of the proper use of the related technologies to produce Carbon free Energy, urgently. Who decides, all our other problems seem to be way down the list.., so Know your Self.

[@jennifercole6045]

Too bad Kerensky couldn’t hold onto power.

[@robertfeinberg748]

But he had a long career at the Hoover Institution and had a long life, so he was personally better off.

[@oneleaf7539]

Instead, he ran to France and lived his remaining life

[@tortuedelanuit2299]

His assertion that the Germans would have won without American intervention is patently false. The Americans were the icing on the cake of the primarily British Hundred Days offensive that broke the Hindenburg Line. And the blockade was literally starving Germany by 1918, while it was impossible for Germany to exploit the Eastern conquests to resupply herself.

[@thebestofallworlds187]

do you have a source for that claim?

[@davidjadunath1262]

I agree. America showed up in time to put on the handcuffs. Germany had already been exhausted, apprehended and subdued.

[@markvolker1145]

Ever done your research on Lend-Lease? The British and Russians would had fallen quick had the US not been sending tanks, guns, ammo, truck, planes and food. It wasn't until supplies started flowing through Iran and into Russia that the Red Army was able to turn the Moscow offensive around! Do some research on Spam and the Red Army! “Without Spam, we wouldn’t have been able to feed our army.” Nikita Khrushchevs autobiography. Do some research on how the US military ships had to guard British supply ships crossing the Atlantic so they would have supplies to fight. If the British and Russians had the Germans beat, then why didnt the British get on mainland Europe until the US joined?

[@frederickthegreatpodcast382]

Mark Volker He’s talking about the First World War not the second

[@DJ-toblerone]

@@markvolker1145 "Do some research" You should probably do some research to find out what conversation you've butted into before you trot out that canard. You're talking about the completely wrong war. Not only did you not apparently not watch the video, but the post you just failed to reply to clearly references the Hundred Days offensive/Hindenburg Line and 1918. So either you don't know what those things are (and need to do your research before you ever butt in to convos about war ever again) or clearly don't read posts before you high horse "do some research!" over them.

[@charlescawley9923]

Much better than the fellow with a black scarf around his neck or the lady who seemed to deny the robotic nature of ideology. Perhaps he fails also for lack of reference to the key part ideology plays in its futile and inhuman project to make the intersubjective of society consistent and to crush disagreement as immoral. He appears less of an ideologue and might well be easier for his students- if he still lectures to undergraduates. He appears more humane.

[@hazelwray4184]

'Perhaps he fails also' - you omit to mention his preceding failure. He fails, 'for lack of reference to the key part ideology plays' / 'He appears less of an idealogue; he appears more humane'

[@thedj67]

After WWI, Germany should have been divided into small states (Bavaria, East Prussia, Rhineland, etc...) all banned to ever again form a united state.

[@user-rg9yz5ou4y]

I agree. Strange that none of the suriving great powers got this idea in 19i7-1919.

[@robertfeinberg748]

He makes a good case for autocracy, and we are making a poor case for so-called Democracy, which amounts to rule by the DNC.

[@jazz4asahel]

Understood. We'll see if the RNC does anything against a Neo-Bolshevik DNC in November 2022.

[@robertfeinberg748]

@@jazz4asahel We see that Trump is already intervening and threatening to urge Republicans not to vote, which could cost Republicans the Senate again. Trump is a lifelong Dem and a Wrecker in this context. As you know, in Bolshevik parlance, a wrecker is someone who prevent the workers from fulfilling the five-year plan, in this case the four-year plan. The only Republican to run for president in my lifetime was Goldwater, and the last Republican president was Coolidge.

[@jazz4asahel]

@@robertfeinberg748 Not sure there were any real wreckers; Stalin liked to think so, and to sign them out with a colored pencil. Nice touch seeing Trump as a wrecker. Painful to see him persevere ad infinitum when so much is at stake and the man has so much negative baggage despite his accomplishments. Likely we will not have a Trump, or anyone like him. He could be the path to a Democrat victory in 2024.

[@robertfeinberg748]

@@jazz4asahel I agree, and I've been warning that the DNC cabal/Plantation could still turn it around with the support of MSM and the ability to steal elections with impunity. Now they have their winning issue, but another weapon is Trump, who has threatened to again urge Republicans to stay home, which cost them the Senate. Something I know is that Trump has always been a Dem, which I know because I did all the things on campus that he didn't, including serve as an officer in Young Republicans, a member of YAF, and a Conservative member of a student govt committee. I doubt he was ever on campus at all. I will be urging Republicans to Ignore Trump and for Trump to run against Bidenin the Dem primary if there is one.

[@hazelwray4184]

... which amounts to the two party corporate duopoly.