The World between Wars 1900-1950 Part-II

Key Points:
1. Tsarist Russia was a vast land mass spread over two continents and making it a EuroAsian power. It had the third largest population in the world.
2. Tsar Nicholas II ruled over this vast Russian empire like any autocrat
with the help of the army and bureaucracy.
3. On March 8th 1917 around 10,000 women of the capital, St. Petersburg took out a
procession demanding peace and bread. It was called March Revolution.
4. The Bolsheviks were led by Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924). The soviets under the Bolsheviks
leadership seized power in November 1917. Full peace could not return to Russian because
there started a civil war led by pro- Tsar white armies.
5. In 1924, Stalin emerged as the leader of the communist party. US
9. The first half of the 20th century ended with the nightmare of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and
with the hopes generated by the funding of the UNO.
10. Two new super powers emerged on the world scene, the USSR and the USA. Key words:
Key words:
1. Socialism: A Political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the
means of production, distribution and exchange should be owned or regulated by the
community as a whole.
2. Communism: A system of social organization in which all property is owned by the community
and each person contributes and receives according to their ability and needs
. 3. Revolution: It is a violent attempt by citizens to end the rule of the government and start a
new government which liked by the people.
4. Centralization of power: It is one in which power or legal authority is exerted or Coordinated itself only is called centralization of power.
5. Bolshevik: A group of Russian communist party lead by Vladimir Lenin.
6. Collectivization: Consolidate individual land and labour into collective farms so that new
techniques and machines could be used. It is a policy adopted by the soviet government,
pursued most intensively between 1929 and 1933 to transform traditional agriculture in the
USSR and to reduce the economic power of the Kulaks, the landlords of Russia.
7. ReliefReform-Recovery: Former President of US Roosevelts Policy based on Keynesian
economics, what became to known as the three Rs of relief reform and recovery. This
programme generated Jobs.
Fr8.

Indoctrination: The Process of inculcating ideas, attitudes, cognitive, strategies or a

professional methodology.
9. Welfare state: The state plays a key role in promotion of the economic and social well-being
of its citizens.
10. Propaganda: A biased information used to promote a political cause.
11. Racial Supremacy: The belief that a particular race is superior to others. Discrimination
based on race.

ESSAY ANSWER QUESTIONS ESSAY ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. Russian revolution brought in many changes in their society. What were they? And what 1.
Russian revolution brought in many changes in their society. What were they? And what
challenges did they face? challenges did they face? I. Russian revolution Social Changes:
A. USSR under the leadership of Stalin tried to end small peasant production by forcing all small
and large farmers to surrender their lands and Join Collective Farms. The idea was to shift
from small holding farming to large scale farming.
B. All industries were owned by the state which did not allow free market and sold the industrial
products to the consumers directly.
C. Russia achieved full employment for all its citizens. Literacy and primary education was
universalized.
II. Challenges faced by Russia:
A. Russia was at World War-I in 1917 with Germany.
B. The Russia economy was in shambles.
C. The British, French and US refused to recognize their government
D. Cheap public health care, low standards of living, resistances were some of the challenges
faced by Russia.
2. Compare different points of view about Great Depression which one would you agree
with? Why? Why?
1. Marxist economists felt that this kind of crises is an essential nature of Capitalism and can be
got rid of only with the establishment of socialism.
2. JM Keynes argued that the state has a crucial role to play in keeping the economy going and
it can lead to situations of depression.
3. Keynes argued during time of economic decline that the state should invest funds and to
generate employment which will help people to earn many and in turn demand for goods in the
market. This generation of demand through state action will help the economy revive.
4. Austrian economists argued that the great depression was the inevitable outcome of the
monetary policies of the federal revenue during the 1920.
5. Milton Friedman and Anna Schwartz laid out their cause for great depression as by the fall of
the money supply in their book A Monetary History of the United States 1867-1960.
6. Neo-classical macro economists have argued that various labour market policies imposed
at the start caused the length and severity of the great depression.
7. Among all points of view about the great depression, I agree with the demand driven theory
of Keynes.
8. There was no state control over the market forces i.e., demand and supply. The
governments of capitalist countries in 1920s and 1930s were reluctant to intervene in the
economy and this intensified the crises.
3. In what ways were Jews persecuted during the Nazi Germany? Do you think in every country
some people are differentiated because of their identity? some people are differentiated
because of their identity?
1. Nazi ideology depended on majoritarian principles. To build the racial supremacy of Germans
they committed mass extermination of minority communities.

2. Jews, who numbered about 5,25,000 in Germany were the main target of Nazi Germany.
Hitler blamed that Jews were the main cause of all problems. He also said communism and
capitalism were conspiracies of Jews.
3. The ways Jews were persecuted:
A. In 1933, New Germany laws forced Jews out of their civil service jobs, universities and law
court positions and other areas of public life.
B. In April 1933, laws proclaimed at Nuremberg made Jews second class citizens.
C. Between 1937 and 1939, new anti-Jewish regulations segregated Jews further and made
daily life very difficult for them. Jews could not attend public schools go to theatres, cinema,
vacation resorts, among other acts.
D. AntiNazi Jews sent to the death camps and they were killed by gassing in gas chambers or
shooting with rifles in gas chambers or shooting with rifles on a large scale in prisons or forests.
About 6 million Jews were killed during holocaust.
4. List the measures taken under idea of welfare state under Great Depression and explain how
similar or different they are from that of the reforms that emerged under the USSR?
A. Roosevelt introduced the much needed social security system in the US. It established a
permanent system of universal retirement pensions, unemployment Insurance, and welfare
benefits for the handicapped and needy children in families without father present. It also
established the frame work for the US welfare system.
B. Britain basically announced unemployment insurance and old age pension schemes. It
adopted extensive social security measures like unemployment doles, sickness coverage,
health schemes, child care etc, All this went on to make the idea of welfare slate in which the
state ensured a certain basic minimum dignified life for all citizens and took care of their basic
needs.
C. The USSR, socialist economy also followed same measures of welfare.
4. What challenges were faced by Germany during Great Depression and how Nazi rulers And
Hitler make use of it? make use of it?
1. Germanys Weimar republic was hit hard by the depression.
2. Unemployment so are, especially in larger cities. It reached 30% in 1932.
3. Industries, Mills, Production units were shut down in a large scale.
4. Aggregate demand and production of goods had sharply come down because lack of capital.
5. Unemployed youth desperately queued up at the local employment exchange. As jobs
disappeared, the youth took into criminal activities and total despair became common place.
6. The economic crisis created deep anxieties and fears in people. The middle classes,
especially salaried employees and pensioners, saw their savings diminish when the currency
lost its value.
7. Small business the self employed and retailers suffered as their business got ruined.
8. The large mass of peasantry was affected by a sharp fall in agriculture prices.
9. The great depression helped Hitler to come in to power in Germany. Hitler was a powerful
speaker. His passion and his words moved people. He promised to built a strong nation, undo
the in justice of the Versailles Treaty and restore the dignity of the German people.
10. He promised employment for those looking for work and a secure future for the youth. He
appealed specially to the middle class which felt threatened by capitalism and the Great

depression. So that in 1932, Hitler got 37% voters in the Reichstag and his Nazi Party became
the largest party in the parliament.
5. What were the political changes brought under the Nazi rule? Often people argue that a
single 5. What were the political changes brought under the Nazi rule? Often people argue that
a single powerful leader can resolve the problems of a country. Based on the experiences
narrated in the powerful leader can resolve the problems of a country. Based on the
experiences narrated in the context of Nazi Germany how do you respond to this vision? context
of Nazi Germany how do you respond to this vision?
1. Hitler came to power and immediately took steps to establish an undemocratic and autocratic
rule and dismantle all democratic institutions.
2. The country was turned in to as a dictatorship government Hitler introduced conscription in
Germany.
3. On 3 March 1933, the famous Enabling Act was passed. It gave Hitler all powers to sideline
parliament and rule by decree.
4. All political parties and trade unions were banned except for the Nazi party and its affiliates.
5. The state established complete control over the economy, media, army and Judiciary.
6. Hitler apposed and refused the conditions in the Versailles treaty and with drew the country
from the league of Nations.
7. Hitler established racial supremacy of Aryan Germans, security forces to control over the
society. Only one decade Nazi party had controlled Germany. But only democratic government
can resolve the problems in a peaceful manner.
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