question_answer

Describe the immediate consequences of the October Revolution on Russia's participation in the First World War, the ownership of land, and position of the non-Russian nationalities of the Russian empire.

Answer:

Ans.     (a) Lenin's first act was to withdraw Russia from the First World War. The treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed with Germany allowed Russia to withdraw from the war, but in turn Russia had to pay I high indemnity and had to cede the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia to Germany. (b) A decree on land was passed whereby the land of the clergy and nobility were confiscated and given to peasant societies. (c) The non-Russian nationalities had been greatly discontented by the policy of 'Russification pursued by the Tsars, whereby their language and culture was sought to be exterminated and the Russian language was forcibly imposed on them. They were treated as inferior. But after the October Revolution, the non-Russian nationalities became a part of USSR in the form of legislature they were given equal status in the constitutions of 1923 and 1925. Equal representation WI assured to the nationalities in one of the two chambers of the USSR legislature. The non-Russian nationalities were given autonomy to develop their languages and cultures.