Alexander III's Policies

Question 1

Repression and the Police

Answer 1

August ‘81: Any part or house in Russia could be registered for fear of dissidence.

March ‘82: Statute on Police Surveillance

Question 2

Russification

Answer 2

Everyone in the Russia would coexist as Russians

(not Georgians, Ukrainians, or Polish)

Question 3

Persecution of religious groups in Russia

Answer 3

First Wave:
Pogroms beginning in 1880s in areas such as Ukraine;
Between 1882 and 1885, 200 Jewish communities were subject to the pogroms.

Second Wave:
From 1903 to 1906. Led to huge number of dissidents
(IE - Trotsky, Zinoviev, etc.)

Question 4

Discrimination of religious groups in Russia

Answer 4

1887 a quota was placed on number of places allotted to Jews in 2ary education

Only 5% of medical corps allowed to be Jewish

In 1892, Jews were forbidden from voting in zemstvas and dumas.

Question 5

Positive Economic Changes under Vishnegradsky

1888-1892

Answer 5

Believed in growing Russia’s economy by imposing tremendous tariffs on foreign goods

From 1892 on, grain production grew by 18%

Question 6

Policies of Industrialisation under Witte (1892-1905)

Answer 6

Believed in attracting large amounts of foreign investment to grow Russia. Russia would take from Europe’s innovation and spirit to grow herself.

He believed Russia should also undergo a process of Industrialization. He believed in increasing infrastructure and the productivity of the workforce, whilst keeping it cheap, so Russia would rapidly expand.

Question 7

Real Economic Changes under Vishnegradsky

1888-1892

Answer 7

Industry slaved to government; Grain did not get to peasants

Question 8

Positives of Industrialisation under Witte

Answer 8

Set rouble to gold standard

Amount of foreign capital in Russia rose from 26% to 51% from 1890 to 1915.

Coal production increased seven-fold

By 1900, Russia was entirely self-sufficient on petrol products.

Industrial workforce grew from 1 to 3 million between ‘87 and ‘97.

Number of railroad miles more than tripled from 1860 to 1900.

Question 9

Shortcomings of Witte

Answer 9

Only 12% of the population lived in urban centres
Only 30% of national production came from industry
Russia was hugely dependent on Ukraine for grain.
Peasants actually began to live in worst condition since they were forgotten in Witte’s plans whilst the population dramatically increased. This led to huge famines across country.

Question 10

Consequences of Witte’s Reforms

Answer 10

Life in Russia remained grim, with avg male life expectancy = 27.25 yrs for males and 19.38 for women (In England, avg life expectancy was 42.5yrs!)

Many famines and uprisings in the countryside, the latter esp in 1899, as peasants still lived horribly and the commune system became more and more oppressive.

Rapid rise of proletariat (urban workers) 4% in 1897 to 12% in 1914
Easy prey for agitators

Created small middle class (abut 500,000) who demanded political change