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19 th century Russia. Red: 1800 Pink: Additions to 1900. Red: 1800 Pink: Additions to 1900. Ethnicities of Russian Empire. Great Russians Ukrainians Poles White Russians Jews Kirghiz Tartars Finns Germans Latvians Bashkirs Lithuanians Armenians Roumanians Estonians
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Red: 1800 Pink: Additions to 1900 Red: 1800 Pink: Additions to 1900
Ethnicities of Russian Empire Great Russians Ukrainians Poles White Russians Jews Kirghiz Tartars Finns Germans Latvians Bashkirs Lithuanians Armenians Roumanians Estonians Mordvinians Georgians Tadzhiks Turkmens And many other smaller groups • Ethnic Russians made up less than HALF of the total population!
How was Russia Ruled? • Unlimited or absolute monarchy • Nobility served the crown • Nobility also ran central government
Orthodox Church Most deeply religious ‘Red corner’ at home Priests paid by state Blind obedience to God = Blind obedience to Tsar
Alexander I (19th Century) • “Savior of Europe” in 1812
Russian Society: ~1% ~2-3% Tsar Royal Family Nobles/Landlords/ (Gentry) Middle Class WORKERS Freed Peasants (Controlled) Semi-Free Peasants (Indentured Servants) Serfs (Slaves) ~5-6% 6-8% ~80%
Russian Society: ~90% serfs/ ~5% Middle Class/~5% Gentry • In 1855, 5/6 of European Russians are peasant serfs • 1/2 private • 1/2 state-owned • Owners supply means to live • Serfs treated like slaves • Physically punish • Send to army • Sale, trade, mortgage • Diet • Cabbage soup • Rye bread • Gruel • Permission to: • Marry • Travel
Nobility/Landowners • Upper classes supported serfdom • Mortgaged land & peasants • Fabulous wealth for some • “Best police force” for the Tsar
Middle Class • Very Few • Professionals • Enlightenment ideals • Critical of ‘backward Russia’
Nicholas I • Autocracy • Orthodoxy • Nationality -est. Third Section (Secret Police) to enforce
Growing Problems in Russian Society • Serfdom becoming outdated • Failure to join the Industrial Revolution • Weak systems • Banking • Transport • Government
Two Distinct Views Emerge Liberal • More critical of Russia • More education led to questioning of Russia’s ways • Believed Russia was backward • Believed Russia was out of step w/modern world • Disagreed over what to do about it -Limit tsar -Overthrow tsar Conservative • Suspicious of the west • Suspicious of Enlightenment ideas • Believed Russians naturally superior • Believed in own traditional view of the world • Supported the tsar
Alexander II “Tsar Liberator” • Enacted radical reforms over: • Serfs • “It is better to abolish serfdom from above than to wait for the time when it will begin to abolish itself from below.” • Local Government • Education • Law • Army • Despite well-intentioned reforms • Assassins threatened constantly • Forced to travel w/armed guard
Growth of Opposition • Despite reforms, political climate grew more threatening • Reform allowed dissent to grow • Demands never granted -Constitution -National Assembly • Student movement Study abroad
Assassination(s) of Alexander II • 1866 Student shot & missed • 1867 Polish man failed attempt in Paris • 1879 3 bombs on trains from Crimea • 1st Tsar took another route • 2nd Bomb failed to explode • 3rd Exploded under wrong train • 1880 bomb in Winter Palace • Carpenter infiltrated • Killed 40 Finnish soldiers in dining room but not the tsar • 1881 bomb thrown • Killed Cossack guard • Alexander stepped out to help • 2nd bomb thrown kills tsar • Blew his legs off
Aftermath Alex III Alexander Ulyanov ‘Savior of the Spilt Blood’ Built on site of assassination
Alexander III and Nicholas II • REACTIONary!!! • Abandonment of Alexander II’s liberal reform policies • Series of repressive measures • Censorship • Russification • Implemented by son Alexander III & grandson Nicholas II • In “reaction” to terrorist movement
Industrialization Continues • Trans Siberian Railway • Working Class expands -see article in Stearns on p.
Reaction to “Bloody Sunday”(and the other problems to an extent)
