3. Issues That Led To The 1905 Revolution Flashcards
Who ruled Russia at the beginning of the 20th century?
Ruled by a tsar, or emperor who had absolute power over a population of about 175 million people.
Who was the last tsar?
Nicholas the 2nd (1894-1917) who made the laws himself and appointed all the ministers.
What did the Nicholas the 2nd failed to see?
That the whole system needed to be reformed and modernized.
How did most Russians live?
Lived a life of poverty and hardship,working on the land. Few owned their land, and so they depended on the landowning nobles for shelter and food.
How was farming during this period?
Farming methods were backward, so levels of production were low and food shortages were common.
What was a result of the food shortages?
Frequent peasant uprisings, usually as a result of famine, and these were brutally crushed.
There was an urgent need for _____ reform but the tsarist government did not do anything about it.
Land
What was Russia lagging behind in?
In industry, in 1900 only 16% of the population worked in factories. They were unhappy about low wages and poor working and living conditions.
What percentage of the population was educated?
4%. Some of the educated like doctors and lawyers became the leaders of revolutionary political movements which criticized the injustices and inequalities in Russia.
What happened to revolutionary movements?
They were ruthlessly crushed by the Okrhana (secret police)
What happened to revolutionary leaders?
They were executed, imprisoned or sent into exile in Siberia.(frozen northern and eastern regions of Russia)
Who were the most important of the opposition groups?
Socialist Revolutionaries and Social Democrats who both followed the theories Of Karl Marx.
What did the Mensheviks (the minority) believe in?
Building the organization slowly and once they had mass support, they would take power;
What did the radical Bolsheviks (the majority) want?
They wanted a direct and immediate revolution to overthrow the tsarist government.
Who led the Bolsheviks?
Vladimir Lenin
