Does your view of Russian history under Tsarist rule come exclusively from Communist propaganda, or do you have independent verification? If Russians were in such misery under the old system, how can you explain the fact that there is NO mention of ANY Russian collaboration with the invading French army in 1812. Contrast that to WW II. The Germans were welcomed with open arms when they first arrived, and could have easily assembled several army corps of disaffected Russians, had the Wehrmacht not been hamstrung by Hitler's idiotic racial policies.
I recall reading recently, perhaps in one of Peter Drucker's books, that the economic position of Russia in 1913 was comparable to America's at the same time. Unfortunately, Soviet Agitprop has been functioning effectively in the U.S. for many decades. Even among conservatives.
Yours is the first commentary I've ever read that the Russian peasants were happy campers.