1905 Revolution Flashcards
What were the long term causes of the 1905 Revolution?
- Economic Depression: due to global recession in early 1900s, caused fall in wages and increased unemployment
- Poor Conditions: partly due to depression, from legacy of rapid population growth and industrialisation, squalid living conditions, long hours, low wages, peasants in poverty (poor harvest led to 1901 peasants revolt)
- Alienated Middle Class: Growing middle class = more professionals to question government, believed they should play a role in running country
- Growing politicisation of the population: increased discontent, increasing urban strikes in 1890s and 1902-3, police trade unions (Zubatov’s programme) gave impetus to speak up
What were the short term causes of the 1905 Revolution?
- Russification: angered national minorities
- Autocracy of Nicholas II: made him clearest person to blame, made intellectuals question how government handled affairs
- Witte’s economic policies: focused on workers and ignored agriculture - the livelihood of 80-90% of the population
How was the Russo-Japanese War of 1904 a catalyst?
- Aggravated already struggling economy - put more focus on domestic issues
- Exposed Tsar Nicholas as incompetent, allowed revolutionaries to capitalise on situation and intellectuals greater cause to push for representative government
- Low moral amongst military - lost war they didn’t need to fight
What happened at Bloody Sunday?
Can link to impact of long term economic turmoil
- Strikes in St Petersburg 7th Jan 1905 of 100,000 workers
- 22 January 1905 150,000 peaceful protesters led by Gapon marched to Winter Palace.
- They campaigned for basic workers’ rights - 8hr working day and 1 rouble a day minimum wage
- Infantry opened fire on the crowd killing over 200 and injuring many more
- On the same day Calvary were used to stop 60,000 protesters on Palace Square
- Waves of protests erupted across country 400,000 people joined labour strike
- Unions united for first time forming the Union of Unions, revolution had begun
What role did national minorities play in the 1905 Revolution?
Role of Russification
- Took advantage of gov instability and made demands for autonomy e.g. Finns + Polish ask for full independence, Jews ask for civil rights
- Violent action took place in many places e.g. in Caucus peasants ignored authorities and attacked officials
- Increased nationalist feelings
- Almost civil war in some areas, troops had to be stationed is some areas when they were needed for Japan - worsened military situation
Counter sk: Wasn’t until collective action in Bloody Sunday that many minorities e.g. Jews, Ukranians began to speak up
What role did the army play in the 1905 Revolution?
Can be used for Russo-Japanese War or Long-term economic issues + conscription/nepotism in military
- Many soldiers were peasants and so weren’t happy about supressing peasant revolts in the countryside
- October-December 1905 there were 200+ mutinies in the army
Counter sk: Elite units and Cossaks never mutinied and actually supported bring the country back under gov control - most military especially those with more power still supported the Tsar after the Russo-Japanese War
What role did the revolutionaries play in the 1905 Revolution?
Growing politicisation of population
- Social Revolutionaires had lots of student support, got to the point the gov had to close down unis
- Social democrats had influence among urban workers
- Mensheviks played key role in St Petersburg Soviet in October
Counter sk: Both groups were unprepared for events of 1905 so their influence was very limited
Counter Judgement: Creation of Soviet was key in pushing N2 to call his ministers to create manifesto
What role did the liberal intelligentsia play in the 1905 Revolution?
Alienated middle class
- Pushed for reform not revolution
- Union of Unions was dominated by liberals
How did the government end the 1905 Revolution?
- October Manifesto promised freedom of speech, religion, and free press
- Additions in November promised to improve the peasants’ land bank and to abolish redemption payments within a year
- Manifesto worked and strikes were called off, St Petersburg Societ was dissolved as spontaneous displays in favour of the Tsar were held in St Petersburg
- In December Bolsheviks attempted to uprise but were easily crushed - revolution was over
Long term socio economic issues
Long term socioeconomic issues
SK1 = 82% of population - already most of population living in squalor aggravated by 1901 famine
SK2 = Rapid population growth (had quadrupled) and urbanisation led to poor living conditions for workers - many lived in shared accommodation and working day was
