Russia in the late 19th and early 20th century was a massive empire, stretching from Poland to the Pacific, and home in 1914 to 165 million people of many languages, religions, and cultures. Ruling such a massive state was difficult, and the long-term problems within Russia were eroding the Romanov monarchy. In 1917, this decay finally produced a revolution<span>, which swept the old system away. Several key fault lines can be identified as long-term causes, while the short-term trigger is accepted as being </span>World War 1<span>.
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The aristocracy paid the least in taxes under the Old Regime.
I would argue that John Locke had the most direct influence. Locke believed all men were born a "blank slate" and were shaped by their experiences. The Declaration declares similarly that "All men are created equal".
The final commander was Ulysses S. Grant
