Agenda: Determining the Future of Imperialistic Russia Amidst War and Revolution, 1917​

 

It is 1917, and the Russian Empire stands on the edge of collapse.

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for over 300 years, the House of Romanov has ruled Russia. But years of political tension, economic hardship, inequality and the devastating impact of the First World War have pushed the Empire to a breaking point. Food shortages are spreading, soldiers are exhausted, and faith in the Imperial Government is rapidly disappearing.

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In Petrograd, protests that began over bread and living conditions are becoming something far greater. Workers are striking, soldiers are refusing to fire on demonstrators, and Tsar Nicholas II’s authority is weakening by the day. Within the government, there are growing divisions between those demanding reform, those defending the autocracy, and those calling for an entirely new political system.

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The crisis is also giving revolutionary movements a stronger voice, Socialists, Mensheviks and Bolsheviks are gaining influence, with figures such as Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky and Alexander Kerensky representing very different visions for Russia’s future. While some seek gradual political reform, others believe the monarchy and existing social order must be completely overturned.

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At the same time, the Duma and the Petrograd Soviet are both claiming to represent the Russian people, creating a struggle over who truly holds political authority. The First World War continues to drain Russia’s soldiers, money and resources, making every decision more urgent.

In The House of Romanov, delegates will find themselves at the centre of this rapidly unfolding crisis. They must decide whether the monarchy can survive through reform, how Russia should continue or reconsider its involvement in the war, and how the growing influence of socialist and revolutionary movements should be addressed.

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The question is no longer simply whether Russia can survive the crisis.

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It is whether Russia can change without destroying the system that has ruled it for centuries, or whether 1917 will mark the final chapter of the Romanov dynasty.

 

Ira Chandran, Director

Amearah Dodia and Anarv Gupta, Assistant Directors