For centuries, Russia was governed by a centralized government which ruled with an iron fist. The tsars ruled with an eye on controlling the population and expanding the country. While much of Europe was industrializing and instituting more democratic forms of government in the 19th century, Russia remained comparatively authoritarian and undeveloped. At the turn of the century, nearly 90% of the Russian population was illiterate peasants. In 1914 Russia entered World War I, and soon the social unrest at home, the discontent on the front, and the inept decisions of Tsar Nicholas II led to the February Revolution of 1917. This revolution brought in a weak democratic government which was hamstrung by the unsuccessful war effort and questions of its legitimacy. By October, the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, took control of the capital city, and after a brutal civil war, secured control of the whole country.
