2. Stolypin's policies of repression

Question 1

Why, between 1905 and 07, did few parts of countryside of European Russia escape serious disorder?

Answer 1

• Land hunger - motivated peasants to go on rampage
• Disorder not confined to rent strikes, land seizures and attacks on manor houses

Regime faced with uncoordinated peasant revolt

Question 2

Physical violence during disorder in Russia?

Answer 2

Good deal of it:
- 1906 - over 1,000 people, many govt officials, died in terrorist attacks

Rose to over 3,000 in 1907

Question 3

What did the disorder in Russia from 1905-07 mean for the govt?

Answer 3

• Great need to pacify rural Russia - was the most rural, urgent task facing the regime

Question 4

P.N. Durnovo

Answer 4

Late 1905 - Interior Minister:

• Sent army units into areas of unrest - orders to show no mercy

Question 5

Actions of the army to suppress disorder?

Answer 5

• Over next 6 months after late 1905: killings and beatings by army left estimated 15,000 dead + 20,000 wounded

+ 45,000 exiled to Siberia

Whole villages burned to ground, in some cases.

Question 6

Aim of Durnovo’s suppression policies?

Answer 6

• Not only to punish wrongdoers - but terrorise the mass of rural pop. into submission

Question 7

In what ways did Durnovo’s suppression restore order?

Answer 7

• Made Trans-Siberian railway safe

- Restored order in turbulent Baltic region

Question 8

How were Durnovo’s repression policies limited?

Answer 8

• Problems continued elsewhere - army expeditions couldn’t be sent into all areas experiencing unrest - not enough troops to go round
• Government’s bid to quell rural disorder in 1905 - didn’t involve use of force

Question 9

Durnovo - concession to peasants

Answer 9

Late 1905 - he announced that peasant redemption payments would be cut by 1/2 in 1906 - and abolished in 1907

Modest concession - they were due to end in 1910 anyway - had little or no effect in reducing levels of unrest in countryside

Question 10

When did Stolypin replace Durnovo?

Answer 10

• May 1906

Appointed Chairman of the Council of Ministers in July 1906

Held both posts until death in 1911

Question 11

P.A. Stolypin

Answer 11

• Member of old-established noble family -
• Owed rapid political ascent to record as forceful and effective provincial governor in unruly ‘Black Earth’ region in south of European Russia

Question 12

August 1906 - state of emergency proclaimed by Stolypin

Answer 12

• Covered virtually whole of European Russia
• Gave govt officials the power to imprison without trial for up to 6 months + exile troublemakers

Measures proved insufficient - introduced arrangements allowing courts composed of 5 army officers - to impose punishments on peasants accused of disorder outside ordinary framework of law:
- Field courts-martial

Question 13

Features of field courts-martial

Answer 13

• Cases heated within 24 hours of offence
• Trials held in secret
• Accused had no right to lawyer representation
• Trials lasted for maximum of 2 days
• Death sentences (by hanging) carried out within 24 hours of decision reached
• No appeals against verdicts or sentences allowed

Question 14

Result of field-courts martial

Answer 14

• 1906-07 - over 1,000 sentenced to death
• Thousands more exiled to Siberia

Stolypin called them ‘exceptional measures to fit exceptional times’

Question 15

Did peasant disturbance completely subside in 1906-07?

Answer 15

No - some unrest continued to 1908

Eventually: violence unleashed by state did its work - regime succeeded in reasserting authority in countryside