1.3 Economic Change: Sergei Withe & Development

Question 1

Who was Sergei Withe’s role?

Answer 1

• Finance Minister
• big role in driving Russia’s economic modernization (1891-1903)
• believed Russia needed to industrialize rapidly to compete with Western European powers
• many reforms, policies, laws

Question 2

Key policy: Expansion of Railways

Answer 2

• prioritized the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway
• completed in 1916, started in 1891
• connected western Russia to the Pacific Ocean
• improved trade, connected remote regions, facilitated movement of resources and people

Question 3

Key policy: Foreign Investment

Answer 3

• Withe encouraged loans & investments from countries like France or Britain by offering incentives (tax breaks, high returns)
• Foreign capital funded industrial projects: coal, iron, steel
• Introduced gold standard (1897), facilitated foreign exchange
• Stabilized roble
• Entrepreneurs & nobility benefited

Question 4

Key Policy: Liberation Movement (founded in 1902)

Answer 4

A liberal movement calling for a constitutional monarchy and liberties.

Question 5

Reasons for lack of success

Answer 5

Divisions among groups: the opposition was fragmented with different goals and methods
Repressions: the Okhroma effectively suppressed opposition through exile, surveillance, arrests, violence, execution

Question 6

What was the impact of the Liberation movement?

Answer 6

Despite growing unrest, opposition groups were unable to unite and pose a serious threat to Tsarist rule during this period.