Tsarist Russia 1855-1917
Tsarist Russia 1855-1917
Tsarist Russia 1855-1917
1855 - 1917
Economic
Harsh winter affected farming Backwards farming methods Banking undeveloped No consumer demand for products Poor communications
Social
50 million serfs 82% of the population 800,000 industrial workers No demand to develop Social hierarchy Mostly of Russian Orthodox religion 3500 people in 6 universities
Other Factors
Climate frozen lakes, hard to import and trade on Size of Russia Extremely hard due to the poor communications
Alexander II 1855-1881
OVERVIEW o Tsar liberator o Failed to provide long term solutions o Emancipation of the serfs 1861 - peasants were allowed to but land from redemption payments to the state for 49years o Established the zemstva; elected council, 40% voted by peasants o Extended primary and secondary education o Universities became autonomous and reduced class bias o Increased criticism of Tsarism - peasants became indebted and led to rise of populist revolutionary movements such as the People's Will o Zemztva led to a desire for democracy o Increased number of educated people o Provided the potential for an organised party - not established till 20th century o Assassinated 1881 by People's Will
Alexander II 1855-1881
KEY DATES
1855 - Alexander II becomes Tsar 1861 Emancipation of serfs 1863 What is to be done? Published 1870-3 Railway Mania years 1877 Political trials of the populists who had gone to the people March 1881 Alexander II assassinated
RUSSIA NEEDED TO MODERNISE TO REMAIN A GREAT POWER AND BECOME MORE WESTERNISED THIS COULD ONLY HAPPEN THROUGH EMANCIPATION SERFDOM HAD LEAD TOoPrevention of labour market oNo need to modernise methods oCrimean war exposing Russia's backwardness oPeasant revolts (there had been 1467 before 1800) oBetter to abolish from above, than have it forced upon us from below. Alex FOR THIS TO CHANGE SERFDOM HAD TO BE ABOLISHED
Gains
A starting block for the peasants?
Peasants granted land and property Rights to marry, travel and set up businesses
Losses
In return from the peasants?
Peasants to pay redemption payments for 49 years These had a high - 6% interest Payments often grater than land value Had to stay within commune until all payments made.
Compensation?
To land owners that lost out Compensation often much higher than the land that was taken was actually worth
However?
Peasants had to wait two years State peasants 5 years
What was the impact of Alexander IIs other Military Education reforms?
Action Taken Lowered Judicial Local Gov. Development Economic conscription to Action Taken Action Taken 6years (was 25) Local courts set System of elected Tsar tried to modernise Russia by: up local councils Improved oEmancipation Made fairer Electoral collages training oRailways system Positives Humane oBanks Positives Zhemstva (filled discipline Equality voids from More efficient He acheieved: established more emancipation), had Positives chance of a fair a range of powers o13,000 line of railway Not forced to trial to make oBuilding blocks on the way to modernisation - juries join Less judges giving improvements e.g. Military into black mail To roads But failed at: advanced Negatives Negatives oModernising Russia as it still lagged behind western Russia Negatives Little chance of Votes so nobility oPeople not totally freed justice kept dominant Serfs unable to oTime scale too slow No questioning Democracy not get higher ranks Everyone achieved. Higher classes presumed guilty Short on money dominated Action Taken
Funded educational institutions
Positives
Schools open to all regardless of sex or class. Aimed to help catch up with western modernised countries Curriculum Inspectors More poor and women in unis
Negatives
Radical an militant thinkers increased/ revolutionary ideas
Economic Development Tsar tried to modernise Russia by: oEmancipation oRailways oBanks He acheieved: o13,000 line of railway oBuilding blocks on the way to modernisation But failed at: oModernising Russia as it still lagged behind western Russia oPeople not totally freed oTime scale too slow
Personal life Affair and death of son retreated from political life
Press
Used to attack critics of government
Sentencing
Harsher sentences in jail or exile Separate political trials
Violence and opposition still grew Alexander assassinated by the peoples will.
Marxism Populism made the government aware of the strong feelings loss of authority and direction
What type of radical opposition was there in the 1860s and 1870s?
Populism
Students Persuade peasants to revolt going to the people- dressed up 3000 went to the countryside Win over with socialists ideas But peasants were ignorant and ignored them Land and liberty emerged from this more radical and better organised -violence
Black partition
Tried to persuade peasants to revolt Propaganda without having to use violence
March 1881 Alexander III becomes Tsar 1885 Peasant land banks 1891-2 Russia's worst famine of the 19th century 1892 Witte takes over from Vyshnegradsky 1894 Nicholas becomes Tsar
Witte
Finance minister 1893 Highly influential extensive industrialisation Oversaw construction of railway Economic growth Foreign investments encouraged Gold standard Committed to industrialisation driving force Economic development only way to raise living standards If everyone prospered then no call for revolution Identified key problems insufficient capital, lack of expertise, no manpower
Industrial growth
For higher wages Employment Cheaper goods Would guard against social unrest Couldn't compete with other European countries who had experienced industrial revolution Had resources but couldn't use them efficiently because of a lack of industry
Emancipation
failed to stimulate agricultural development Russia still backwards Would create more jobs for freed serfs
Advice
Foreign experts and workers encouraged to advise on planning and techniques
Taxes raised
Classes
Urbanisation working classes reached aprox. 11 million
Church
Influence of Orthodox church weakened peasants moved to cities
Taxes raised so peasants sold more grain to survive Backwards methods remained
Land hunger mir still active Poor yields
Other
Improvements in healthcare able to do scheme 97 million Didn't deal with strain of growing population Unfit for military service IMR 57.4% LE 27 men 30 women England's 46 Peasants affected negatively
Land bank
Peasants purchased 1/3 of landlords estates Increased debt and taxes American farms 1.5 that of Russia and Britain 4 times greater
Marxism
Intellectuals support revolution from the workers not peasants Vision of economic and industrial growth Workers key to power
Intellectuals
Criticises Tsarism
Zemstva
Demanded more powers
Reactionary policies of Alexander III and chief minister Chief Minister Pobedonostsev
Famine 1891-92
Gov direct control over police Severe prison conditions Land captains appointed by Tsarist gov
Control courts, and local gov (Zemstva)
Factory inspections
Part I
Nicholas II 1894-1917
OVERVIEW o Did not want to be Tsar o Unprepared o Autocratic o Believed in the Divine Right from tutor Pobedonstev o Saw reform as a "senseless dream o Continued repression - extended Russification. o Could not maintain the regime o Zemstva grew in power and strikes increased o Peasant discontent grew from tax burden o Land hunger resulted from an increase in population o Loss of Russo-Japanese war o Disorganised 1905 revolution which was ended by the weakness of opposition and government concessions
Nicholas II 1894-1917
(Part I - 1894-1906)
KEY DATES
1894 Nicholas II becomes Tsar 1902-5 series of peasant uprisings 1903 Worst wave of anti Semitic pogroms 1904-5 Russo-Japanese war Jan 1905 Bloody Sunday October 1905 October manifesto
Japan attacks
Japanese attacked the Russian fleet of port Arthur
Under estimation
Russians believed they would win War would deflect attention from domestic problems
Military
Army defeat in 1904 and 05 Total destruction of Russia's main fleet in May 1905 added to the revolutionary process
Result to Russia
Humiliation Forced to negotiate a peace treaty (Treaty of Portsmouth) and lost influence in the far east
As a result...
General strikes swept across Russia, Jan-Feb 1905 400,000 strikers Union of unions formed demanded reform Sailors on the Potemkin Battleship mutinied Putilov Plant strikes All Russian Peasants union demanded land reform Railway Strike turned into general strike 2.7 million Constitutional democratic Party formed Kadets Soviet set up workers council Workers in Moscow set up baracades fighting with police and soldiers Peasant uprisings spread 3000. land lords houses property runined
TRIGGER
Bloody Sunday 9th/22nd Jan 1905
Social
Poor living conditions Poor working conditions Peasants discontent War left food shortage, high prices and unemployment
Economic
Economic Slump job loss Poor harvests starvation, disease, civil unrest Population expansion lead to pressure on resources Wittes reforms affected the least paid the most had to work in bad conditions, low wages and high tax Peasants tax and redemption payments
What reforms did Nicholas allow and promise in response to the revolution?
Government
Nicholas accepted cabinet government and appointed Witte as his first prime minister Had warned on verge of revolution
Redemption It Promised payments cancelled Elected State Duma Freedom of Assembly Freedom of press The Fundamental Freedom of speech
October Manifesto
Peasants
Laws
Legislative power with Duma and council of empire Tsar approves laws without, a law cannot exist Tsar can appoint and dismiss the president of the Duma Tsar can abolish Duma
Opposition
Arrests of opponents 200,000 political prisoners 1908 1912 Lena Goldfields massacre 200 strikers killed by soldiers Strike for working conditions and living conditions Caused widespread disgust but not revolution
Death penalty
Use of death penalty 5000 death sentences between 1907-09
Part II
Nicholas II 1905-1917
OVERVIEW
o Reforming concessions under the influence of Witte o End of peasant debt o October manifesto - creation of Duma (parliament) which pulled the Liberal movements suit o Fundamental laws 1906 - limited legislative power of the Duma o Stolypin's restrictions made the Duma supportive of the Tsar o The first agrarian reforms created by Stolypin - the Stolypin system
Nicholas II 1894-1917
(Part II 1906 - 1917)
KEY DATES
May 1906 Meeting of the First Duma 1907 Cancellation of redemption payments April 1912 Lena Goldfields massacre August 1914 Russia enters FWW 1915-16 ministerial leapfrogging changing ministers 18th Feb 3rd March February revolution
4th Duma
November 1912- August 1917 Rift between left and right Number of radicals increased Duma ignored Workers took initiative strike activity and direct action
Success
Immediate impact 15% of the peasantry took up new opportunities 1914 25% left communes 10% consolidated their holdings Land banks set up to help peasants become owners 1907 redemption payments abolished Nobility support revolution less likely
Limitations
Not total success After initial rush applications to leave and consolidate declined Stolypins peasants became more prosperous (ones who took advantage) 14% of communal land passed onto private ownership Strip farming carried on and wouldn't give up security of the mir Couldn't build large farms Poor and landless peasants - alienated
Negatives
Some increasingly prosperous peasants Rapidly growing industry Improving working and living conditions for some high inflation, no real improvement in their living standards 1905-14 Peasants became richer, gained freedom to buy land, travel and more independence (peasants) Health service, education, wages (workers) Professional job expansion, support conservative outlook (middle class) Stolypins necktie, 3,000 hung, military courts, repression okrana, Duma (less political opposition) Banks, oil (second to Texas) 100% increase in production, coal increase fourth largest (economic growth) Duma succeeds in land reform, autocrat evolution, loyalty (stability)
Industry still small and inefficient Agricultural production remained low Repression did not get rid of opposition opposition went underground 4/5 still peasants, 60% illiterate, Serbia land taken, increase gap between rich and poor gained little from boom (peasants) No trade unions, grim conditions, low education, 1912-14 3mill involved in strike, inflation, Lena goldfields(wk) Minority, growth in rev. Ideas Marxism, Bolsheviks etc. (M/class) inflation, unstable econ, communications not passed on(economic growth) Duma-lack of power + abollished, fundamental laws, unfair trials, Tsar threat (stability)
Undeveloped
Industry only employed 5% of population Population explosion crisis in agriculture and poor working/living conditions Regime still reliant on depression No trade unions or legal protection At mercy of employers Wages rose but so did inflation -40% Some areas better than others Conditions grim Low levels of education Lena goldfields 3 million workers invloved in strike activity 4/5 Russian pop. Still peasants lack of development
Royal Family
Unpopular blamed military failings on Nic -Dislike Tsarina- German spy? Final straw to let Rasputin and Tsarina take over lost support and nobility support
Liberal opposition
Unsuccessful Duma overruled and abolished Split, radical action and compromised
Armed forces
Poorly equipped Conscription
Early patriotism High deaths -food shortage -opposition
War
(similar to 1905 revolution but larger scale)
Tsar Abdication
Railway workers refused Tsar entrance to Petrograd Tsar abdicates and exiled -Siberia
Revolution begins
International woman's day- Tsar order to use force Putliov works strike in Petrograd 40,000
Loss of support
Middle classes wanted a greater say Resentment towards Tsarina and Rasputin Harsh winters of 1916
oSometimes known as the "Kerensky Government" after its leader. oIt lasted approximately eight months oLed by socialist Alexander Kerensky, a prominent member of the Duma and a leader of the movement to unseat the Tsar. oThe Provisional Government was unable to make decisive policy decisions oThis weakness left the government open to strong challenges from both the right and the left. oThe period of competition for authority ended in late October 1917 oBolsheviks routed the ministers of the Provisional Government in the events known as the October Revolution oThey then placed power in the hands of the soviets, or "workers councils," which they largely controlled.
27th Feb 1917 First meeting of Petrograd soviet (workers, sailors etc.) 27th Feb 1917 Provisional Government established 3rd April 1917 Lenins return 3rd-6th July 1917 the July Days August 1917 Kornilov revolt 24th Oct 1917 Members of the red guard seize key points in Petrograd
Losses
1.6 million deaths by 1917 3.9 million wounded 2.4 million taken prisoner Mass mutinies
Transport/Food
Disruption of rails caused massive food shortages By 1914 Russia had 44,000 miles of railway Huge pressures to transport troops and food to front line Food left to rot as the side of rail breakdowns Petrograd and Moscow got 1/3rd of the food it needed Hunger/famine reality of war Lack of resources for the population
Fuel Shortages
The lack of coal increase Hugely affect transport Moscow and Petrograd got 1/3rd of the fuel it needed
What were the problems faced by the Provisional Government, March-Oct 1917
The War Land Redistribution Continued losses and desertions Petrograd Soviet and Provisional Government Provisional gov delayed this and refused
July (1917) offensive failed Peasants began to seize land July 1917 1,100 illegal attacks by = formedLoyalty to allies oProvisional government from Kadet and Octoberist peasants on landlords property members of the Duma Food and Fuel shortages Deserters returned home to claim their Continued land
General Kornilov march into Between Pro gov and Petrograd soviet Petrograd1917 Soviets joined the Provisionalsoviets support to pass Needed Government oMay (wanted stricter discipline) Pro Gov armed workers anything Kerensky turned to Bolsheviks for support to help defend Continuingly growing opposition Exploited the weakness of the gov Bolsheviks grew peace, bread, land Had to rely on opposition to stay in Kornilov Affair key to this power SRs Bolsheviks and Mensheviks Inspired by Marxism
Especially in towns dominated oSoviets = Workers, soldiers 3000 members not and cities by one racial party Affair Kornilov Dual Power
oProvisional government = formed from Kadet and Octoberist members of the Duma
oSoviets = Workers, soldiers 3000 members not dominated by one racial party oMay 1917 Soviets joined the Provisional Government
What were the problems faced by the Provisional Government, March-Oct 1917 ....Kornilov Affair in Detail
July days series of demonstrations/strikes/protests Exploited the provisional government as weak having a lack of control over the Russian people Kornilov believed in stricter discipline of the Russian people to repress them Believed he could take over and do a better job For those who didn't comply harsher penalties or sent to front line General Kornilov march into Petrograd Pro Gov armed workers Kerensky turned to Bolsheviks for support to help defend Exploited the weakness of the gov Had to rely on opposition to stay in power Then what? Bolsheviks seized opportunity to organise workers red guards Kerensky supplied with arms Kerensky ordered Kornilov to surrender (was planning military dictatorship?) Sept 1st Kornilov and General arrested
Kerensky (pro gov leader) appealed for help but none came