Revolutions of 1917–1923

A long time ago, many people wanted change.

A big war had just ended. This made many lands feel messy and sad. People held big strikes to show they were unhappy. In Russia, a new group took power. This led to a long fight in that land. In other places, big empires fell apart. New groups of people fought for their own lands. These changes helped make the world we know today.

Between 1917 and 1923, many parts of the world changed.

A big war had just ended. This war caused much trouble for many people. Some people wanted new ways to rule. They wanted more power for workers. In Russia, a group called the Bolsheviks took power. This led to a long civil war. Many different groups fought to control the land. Eventually, the Soviet Union was formed in 1922.

Other big empires also fell apart. The German Empire ended after a revolution. The Austria-Hungary empire also broke up. In Italy, many workers went on strike. This was a time of great social conflict. In Finland, a war broke out between two groups. One group was called the Red Guards. The other group was the White Army. The White Army won the fight in 1918.

These big changes helped shape the new map of Europe.

Between 1917 and 1923, a huge wave of change swept across the globe.

This period was filled with political unrest and armed revolts. Many of these uprisings were driven by socialist ideas or anti-colonial goals. The chaos was partly caused by the end of World War I. This massive war had moved millions of troops and changed many powers. It also created deep social trouble for people everywhere. Because of this, many people began to demand new ways to live and rule.

In Russia, the changes happened in several steps. First, the February Revolution caused Tsar Nicholas II to step down. A short-lived group called the Provisional Government took over. Later, in the October Revolution, a radical group called the Bolsheviks seized power. This led to the Russian Civil War. Many different groups fought for control. These included the White movement, peasant Green armies, and various nationalist groups. Eventually, the Red Army defeated these rivals. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or USSR, was officially formed in 1922.

Finland also went through a very difficult time during these years. Following the Russian changes, the Finnish Social Democratic Party organized the Red Guards. Tensions grew because of food shortages and high prices. In late 1917, the Finnish parliament declared independence from Russia. However, this led to a civil war between the Red Guards and the White Army.

The White Army, led by figures like Carl Mannerheim, fought to take control. German forces even landed in parts of Finland to help. By May 1918, the war ended with a victory for the Whites.

Other large empires in Europe also fell apart during this era. The German Revolution led to the end of the German Empire and the Kaiser. In Austria-Hungary, the monarchy collapsed completely. Italy also faced a period of intense conflict called the Biennio Rosso. During these two years, the cost of living rose very quickly. By 1921, the cost of living was 560% higher than in 1914. This caused many mass strikes and social unrest. These events helped change the political map of Europe forever.

These revolutions show how much one event can change the world. The success of the Russian Revolution inspired people in many other places. It led to the creation of the Comintern to help spread socialist ideas. Even though many socialist revolts did not create lasting states, they changed how countries worked. For example, Vladimir Lenin introduced the New Economic Policy in 1921. This allowed people to own small businesses to help the economy. These big shifts moved the world from old empires to new types of governments.

The revolutions of 1917–1923 were a global wave of political unrest and armed revolts.

These uprisings were primarily driven by socialist ideas or anti-colonial movements. The chaos was largely fueled by the aftermath of World War I. This massive conflict had mobilized millions of troops and reshaped political powers. It also drove intense social turmoil across many different nations. These revolutions fundamentally changed the political landscape of Europe and the world.

In Russia, the process began with the February Revolution. This event caused Tsar Nicholas II to abdicate his throne. A short-lived liberal group called the Provisional Government took control next. However, the Bolsheviks—a radical faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party—seized power during the October Revolution. This shift triggered a violent Russian Civil War. The Bolsheviks fought many different groups to maintain their control. These included the counter-revolutionary White movement and various peasant Green armies.

During the Russian Civil War, the Bolsheviks faced many different challenges. They fought nationalist movements in Ukraine and other new states. They also faced the anarchist-inspired Third Russian Revolution. By 1921, even the Red Army faced internal revolts like the Kronstadt rebellion. This happened because of starvation and the collapse of transportation and markets. Despite this, the Red Army defeated their rivals one at a time. In 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was officially created. To help the economy, Vladimir Lenin introduced the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1921. This policy allowed individuals to own small and medium enterprises.

Finland also experienced intense conflict during this revolutionary period. Following the Russian Revolution, the Finnish Social Democratic Party organized the Red Guards. Finland faced severe inflation and serious food shortages in 1917. In December 1917, the Finnish parliament ratified a declaration of independence. This led to a civil war between the Red Guards and the White Army. The White Army was led by General-Lieutenant Carl Mannerheim.

German forces even landed in Finland to support the White side. The war ended in May 1918 with a victory for the Whites.

Other major European empires also collapsed during these years. In Germany, the November Revolution led to the end of the German Empire. This forced the Kaiser to abdicate his position. In Austria-Hungary, the Habsburg monarchy collapsed entirely. These changes reshaped the borders and governments of many nations. The success of the Bolsheviks also inspired other socialist uprisings. These included the Bavarian Soviet Republic and the Hungarian Revolution. Many of these smaller revolts were abortive, meaning they did not succeed in the long term.

Italy faced its own period of extreme social conflict. This era was known as the Biennio Rosso, or the Two Red Years. Italy suffered from high unemployment and a major economic crisis. By the end of 1920, the Italian lira was worth only one-quarter of its 1914 value. In the first half of 1921, the cost of living for working families was 560% higher than in 1914. These economic pressures led to massive strikes and rising support for the Italian Socialist Party. The party's membership grew rapidly to 250,000 people during this time.

These revolutions had deep and lasting connections to global politics. The Bolsheviks formed the Comintern to coordinate socialist revolutions worldwide. However, the focus eventually shifted toward "socialism in one country" under Joseph Stalin. This shift changed how the Soviet state interacted with the rest of the world. The political maps of Europe were permanently altered by these events.

The era marked a transition from old imperial systems to new, often conflicting, political structures.