6. Nicholas II's response to the 1905 Revolution Flashcards
What was the August Manifesto?
Nicholas began to show signs of compromise with the August Manifesto which promised to establish an elected Duma and set out a complex electoral system which would allow all Russian men the right to vote but ensured that the votes of the rich were worth more than those of the poor.
Why did the August Manifesto fail?
It did not divide opposition as Witte had hoped because it failed to appease the Liberals. They rejected it because:
. The proposed Duma was to be consultative not legislative.
. The electoral system excluded national minorities and didn’t include equal voting.
. The Manifesto did not guarantee individual rights or press freedom.
. The Manifesto set up no date for the first election.
How did the Tsar respond to the opposition to his rule that had grown over the summer of 1905?
He issued the October Manifesto which promised:
. Greater freedom - The promise that the Gov would respect individual rights, freedom of expression, assembly and of the press.
. Elected representation - The promise of almost universal suffrage for all men which equal voting rights for the rich and the poor.
. The legalisation of political parties.
. An elected Duma with the power to approve or veto new laws.
How was the October Manifesto successful for the Tsar and the Government?
Most of the Liberals welcomed the October Manifesto as a major step towards a constitutional monarchy and a liberal democratic regime. Socialists and radical liberals rejected the Manifesto as the liberals believed it didn’t give enough power to the Duma and the Socialists believed it failed to address the peasant’s desire for land and the worker’s desire for better conditions. The St. Petersburg Soviet called a general strike in response. This reaction was positive for the Tsar as it divided his opponents, decreasing their threat level.
How did renewed violence aid the Tsar?
The Union of Russian people was founded in November 1905 and fought for ‘Orthodoxy, Autocracy and Nationality’. They began pogroms and attacked Jewish people and striking workers as did the Black Hundreds group. This appeal to racist nationalism through violence helped turn the tide of the Revolution as Tsarism and Patriotism were very much interconnected.
