russian revolution exam questions

Past paper questions- Russia in Revolution 1881-1924 From Autocracy to Dictatorship and Stalin’s Russia 1924-53

January 2009
How far were divisions among its opponents responsible for the survival of the Tsarist rule in the years 1881-1905? (30 marks)
OR
How far was the Provisional Government responsible for its own downfall? (30 marks)

How far were economic problems responsible for Stalin’s decision to replace the New Economic Policy in 1928 with the first Five-Year Plan? (30 marks)
OR
How far was the dramatic development of a war economy responsible for the USSR’s victory in the Second World War? (30 marks)

June 2009
How far do you agree that the economy of Tsarist Russia was transformed in the years to 1914? (30 marks)
OR
To what extent were the weaknesses of their opponents responsible for the survival of the Bolshevik government in the years 1917–24? (30 marks)

How far do you agree that the collectivisation of agriculture made an essential contribution to Stalin’s transformation of the Russian economy? (30 marks)

OR

To what extent did Stalin establish a personal dictatorship in the years 1929–39? (30 marks)

January 2010
To what extent did Russia undergo economic and political reform in the years 1906-14? (30 marks)
OR
How far was Lenin responsible for the Bolsheviks’ growing hold on power in the years 1917-24? (30 marks)

How significant were the personalities of the contenders to succeed Lenin in accounting for Stalin’s defeat of his opponents in the years 1924-29? (30 marks)
OR
How far did Stalin’s social policies change the lives of children and women in the years to 1945? (30 marks)

May 2010
How far do you agree that the use of repression was the main reason for the weakness of opposition to Tsarism in the years 1881-1914? (30 marks)
OR
To what extent does the impact of the First World War explain the outbreak of two revolutions in Russia in 1917? (30 marks)

How successful were the Five-Year Plans in transforming Russian industry in the years to 1941? (30 marks)
OR
To what extent did Soviet culture perform a political role in the USSR in the years 1924-53? (30 marks)

January 2011
Why did Tsarism survive the revolution of 1905 but not that of March 1917? (30 marks)
OR
How far do you agree that the brutality of the Bolsheviks was the main reason why they remained in power in the years 1917-24? (30 marks)

How far were divisions over the continuation of the New Economic Policy responsible for the contest to succeed Lenin in the years 1924-28? (30 marks)
OR
How far do you agree that the most important result of the repression of 1934-38 was the strengthening of Stalin’s political dominance? (30 marks)

May 2011
To what extent was the Tsarist system of government modified in the years 1881-1914? (30 marks)
OR
How accurate is to say that Lenin’s leadership was the most important reason for the Bolsheviks’ success in the revolution of November 1917? (30 marks)

How accurate is to say that the most important result of the collectivisation of agriculture was that it imposed Communist control on the countryside? (30 marks)
OR
Why, despite the disasters of 1941, was the USSR able to defeat Germany by 1945? (30 marks)

January 2012
How accurate is it to say that the growth of reformist groups in the years from 1881 was the main cause of the 1905 Revolution? (30 marks)
OR
Why was the Provisional Government so short- lived? (30 marks)

How far did the aims and key features of the Five-Year Plans change in the years 1928-41? (30 marks)
OR
How accurate is it to say that the lend-lease programme was the most important reason for the USSR’s victory in the Second World War? (30 marks)

May 2012
How far was Nicholas II responsible for the fall of the Romanovs in 1917? (30 marks)
OR
How far do you agree that Trotsky’s leadership of the Red Army was responsible for the survival of the Bolshevik government? (30 marks)

Why were Stalin’s opponents unable to prevent him from becoming the leader of the USSR by 1929?
OR
To what extent did collectivisation improve Soviet agriculture in the years 1928-41? (30 marks)