Roots of Russian Revolution The Russian revolution was caused by the continual breakdown of the governments in Russia and the incompetency and authoritarian views of it's czars. Their failures as leaders included policies that neither pleased nor benefitted the people. By the end of the nineteenth century, Russia's economy, government, military, and social organization was at an extreme decline. Russia had become the least advanced of the major European nations in terms of political and social development. There was no parliament, and no middle class. The Church, officers, and other important people and institutions were firmly against social progress. The disastrous d