YEAR 12 RECAP - 1

1. YEAR 12 RECAP - 1

2. Main themes in Russian History Change from above • Russian politics not democratic for much of its existence… power in hands of rulers War • Change as a result of war eg Russian defeat in Crimean war (1856).. Led to Alex II’s reforms in 1860s…. Eg 1905 rev, PG Revolution • 1905 led to Dumas, Feb 1917 – no Tsar, Oct 1917 – creation of first communist state, great changes to social, econ, pol structure of Russia

3. Tsar Liberator: Alex II (1855-1881) • Serfdom – obstacle to modernisation • 1861 – Emancipation of the Serfs • Still not completely free, former serfs had to pay ‘redemption payments’ for 49 years, forced to live in ‘mirs’, had to get permission from elders to leave. • 1864 – intro first form of elective gov (although electorate limited) • 1870 – modernised Russian Judicial system, introduced trial by jury.

4. Alexander III (1881-1894) • Tsar Alex II assassinated by ‘People’s Will’ (on way to sign law for first national assembly in Russia) • Alex III – the repressor (not like his dad!) Problems facing Alex III • Keeping large multi ethnic empire together • Needed to maintain own supreme political power (hard as his dad had raised expectations of major change!) • Pressure to become more like west

5. Repression and reaction • Widespread support from upper levels of society (fear of ‘dark masses’!) • Moderates left office… replaced with more conservative • Pobedonostsev – Tsar’s chief minister • April 1881 – Alex III’s manifesto – declared absolute political power resided in the Tsar • Aimed to destroy terror organisations like People’s Will – gov could now arrest and put on trial political opponents, without jury.

6. Repression • Press freedom severely restricted (14 newspapers banned 1882-1889) • Foreign books censored • University fees increased to exclude all but the wealthy • 1884 – uni’s came under gov control (extremist groups not destroyed, continued underground, 1887 – tried to assassinate Alex III)

7. Many changes made by Alex II reversed by Alex III and Pobe • Wide ranging police powers to deal with all those who criticised tsarist authority • From 1890 – gov exercised the right to choose juries • By the time Alex III died – Pobedonostsev had turned the clock back in terms of social and political reform!

8. Russification • Policy of ‘Russification’ – insisting on use of Russian language • All documents in Russian, all other languages forbidden in schools • Jews suffered most – organised attacks increased during Alex III’s reign (thousands fled)

9. Financial reform • Finance minister Bunge – important economic and financial reforms • 1882 – introduced laws which reduced the tax burden on peasants, peasant land bank offered loans to peasants • 1889 – financial incentives to migrate to Siberia (pressure off demand for land) • Important: began to finance long term econ dev from foreign loans

10. Summary • Whole system underpinned by Okhrana – infiltrated extremist groups, ran its own prisons etc. • Tsar re-established control but at a cost, political freedom brutally suppressed, rights undermined • Many opponents arrested/exiled • Land issue still a time bomb…. Famines 1891, 1892 and 1893

11. Summary

12. Witte – economic/social change • Russia still economically backward • 1890s – ambitious programme of econ modernisation • Aim to industrialise but Russia lacked 3 main factors required to industrialise; • Russia had a small business class • Peasants did not have complete freedom • Economy did not have enough funds to invest in Industry

13. Witte’s plan (‘Witte system’) • Economic development sponsored and directed by the government (emphasis on goods like steel etc) • Much of econ development was financed from abroad (eg France, Britain etc) • Extra taxes levied on already over taxed peasantry • Vast construction – Trans Siberian railway to run 7000km across empire

14. Impact of the system • Impact was dramatic • Coal, Iron and Oil production all rose • By 1903, much of railway was completed • By 1900 – over ½ of ind workforce employed in factories of more than 1000 workers…. Eg pop of St Petersburg doubled from 1890 to 1914 • Russia could exploit vast resources in Siberia • Rapid growth in towns/cities – led to poor living and working conditions • Russia still lagged behind other Great Powers

15. Radical parties

16. SR Party – Russia’s future lay with the peasantry (important role in 1905 Rev) • SD Party – looked west to the radical ideas of marxism… industrial development was essential for Russia to succeed • Mensheviks – wanted the party to have a broad membership, admitting anyone who was in sympathy with party aims. • Bolsheviks – (led by Lenin) – wanted to limit membership to those dedicated revolutionaries who could lead a worker rev

17. Marx’s view of political/economic development Feudal Phase • This will change when society industrialises and the business classes gain more power Capitalist Phase • This will change when industrial workers are treated so badly under capitalism that they will start a rev and take control of production Socialist Phase • In this phase, equality and harmony will develop under the political guidance of the industrial working class Communism

18. The liberals • Octobrists - believed that the Oct Manifesto provided the best settlement for Russia’s constitutional development • Kadets– more radical liberal group, saw Oct Manifesto as beginning, not end of political reform. Hoped a truly parliamentary system of gov, based on democratic franchise would eb the best way to deal with Russia’s problems

19. 1905 Revolution • Jan 1905, 150,000 workers demonstrated outside Tsar’s winter palace (petitions for reform, expanded suffrage, 8 hr working day, higher pay etc) • Troops used to disperse demonstration… 1000 demonstrators killed!.... Known as ‘BLOODY SUNDAY’; • Sparked a revolution across Russia that lasted a year • ‘The 1905 revolution did more than anything else during Nicholas II’s reign to undermine support for the regime’ – Historian Richard Charques

20. Causes of 1905 Revolution • 1905 Rev was spontaneous, not planned • Long term resentment… both in Ind and Agr, Russian peasants faced poverty and poor living conditions • Demand for political reform – wanted Tsar to share power with a parliament • Russo-Japanese war – humiliating defeat undermined support • Bloody Sunday – damaged ‘Little Father’s popularity!!!

21. How did the Revolution develop? Took many forms; • Strikes by industrial workers (by end of 1905, 2.7 million workers had been on strike) • Peasant uprisings (poor harvests, high taxes!) • Mutinies (in some army/navy units) • St Petersburg Soviet (creation of an assembly of workers – leading figure, SD Trotsky).. Although closed down, its existence = significance = showed workers could organise themselves!!

22. OCTOBER MANIFESTO • Oct 1905 – Tsar issued October Manifesto – proposed freedom of speech, civil rights etc…. Liberals happy with it, more radical groups – wanted major social and econ reform……. Result = Oct Manifesto split the revolutionaries • Oct Manifesto – major turning point – Tsar regained control

23. Why did the Revolution end? • Loyalty of the armed forces – some mutinies, but stayed loyal to Tsar • Lack of unity among revolutionaries – lack of central co-ordination, spontaneity meant armed forces, police and Black Hundreds could suppress them. Revolutionaries had very different aims – fought among themselves • Splitting of the opposition – October manifesto split the opposition to the government OCTOBER MANIFESTO – turning point

24. Consequences of 1905 Revolution; • Fundamental Law 1906 – created a national parliament, with the lower house (duma being elected), upper house – partly elected – partly nominated by the Tsar. • Article 87 – gave Tsar right to govern by decree – ignoring parliament • Dumas – First one elected 1906

25. Stolypin (Tsar’s chief minister) – repression and reform • Severe and ruthless political repression • Creation of ‘Union of the Russian People’ – political party designed to defend Tsarist regime • Nov 1905 – St Petersburg Soviet closed down • 1907 – 1200 gov officials murdered in terrorist attacks by revs…. Stolypin met terror with terror – 1144 death sentences handed out • 1906-1912 – 1000 newspapers ceased publication, 600 trade unions, • 1908-1909 – convicted 16,500 people of political crimes (3600 sentenced to death)

26. Stolypin the reformer? Wanted to modernise agriculture • Nov 1906 – freed peasants from control of commune • Nov 1906 – land bank to give loans to peasants • 1907 – redemption payments abolished • Encouraged peasants to move to areas of siberia, incentive… cheap land! • Impact of reforms was considerable…. Agr production rose from 1906 – 45.9 mill tonnes…. 1913 – 61.7mill tonnes • World War One disrupted these developments! • Little done to improve living and working conditions

27. DUMAS • First Duma – broad franchise, Duma dissolved after 72 days – wanted further reforms • Second Duma – no. of kadets halfed (many banned), only lasted 3 months, criticised army which angered Tsar • Third and Fourth Duma – elections to duma restricted to the wealthy – more conservative Duma (Third served full term, fourth lasted till outbreak of WW1)… did bring in some successful reforms… example… • Gov introduced a plan to have universal primary education within ten years

28. The First World War • Began well, strong sense of patriotism • Successes short lived, lower popularity for war • 1915 proved to be the turning point in the fighting on the eastern • Defeats in 1915 led to Nicholas’ disastrous decision…. To make himself COMMANDER IN CHIEF of the army.

29. The First World War • Aug 1916 – Brusilov Offensive failed, poor command, poor communications, shortage of equipment • By Christmas 1916, 1.6 million Russian soldiers were dead, 3.9 million were wounded, 2.4 million had been taken prisoner

30. Impact of World War One on Russia • Enormous impact • Great strains on economy • National budget 1913-1916 – X8 • Gov printed money – led to inflation • Loss of life, military humiliations – undermined domestic support for the war • 1917 – Russian government in crisis! • Progressive Bloc created from Duma – wanted more control, denied by Tsar

31. Rasputin • 1915 – Tsarina in charge! Big mistake! • Only ultra conservative tsarists were appointed • Rasputin – monk and mystic • Alexei – heir to tsarist dynasty, haemophilia.. Called in to heal • Regular member of court, confidant of Tsarina • Constant ministerial changes – influenced by Rasputin… Royalists wanted to preserve Tsarist regime through removal of Rasputin • 1916 – murdered.

32. The February Revolution • Fall of Tsarism was due to a combination of factors, all associated with Russia’s involvement in the First World War • Jan 1917 – 140,000 workers on strike • Gov made matters worse saying bread rationing would start again 1st March… leading to panic buying • 23 Feb – key event – International Women’s day – tens of thousands of women took to the streets plus strikers = 100,000+ • 24 Feb – strikes and dems over food shortages • Gov shut down all newspapers and public transport ceased

33. The February Revolution • Defection of armed forces Turning point – 25 Feb – Cossack troops refused to fire on the demonstrators 28 Feb – Tsar calls Duma offering to share power – they refuse! • Tsar abdicates – 2 March! His brother refused the throne… end of Romanov Dynasty! • In 2 weeks – unplanned demonstration had resulted in political revolution