Autocracy and modernisation

Question 1

Outline economic change that occurred between the years 1880-1914.

Answer 1

1. After the 1880s peasants buying and renting land from nobles and some nobles becoming more commercial farmers.
2. Agricultural production rising with new crops and products produced for market, particularly near urban areas, ports, or where access to transport.
3. Stoylpin’s reforms - land consolidation, obtrubs and khutors - limited success: only 10% of households by 1914.
4. Commune not so conservative as supposed. New crops, rotations, methods being introduced in some areas.
5. Livestock not so successful and did not keep pace with population growth.
6. Production in central areas remained weak with smaller landholdings and backward methods. Poor subsistence farming.

Question 2

Outline social change that occurred between the years 1880-1914.

Answer 2

1. Nobles selling land. Many moving to cities and towns.
2. Class of more prosperous peasants developing: some buying and renting extra land, some as khutors after Stolypin reforms: others moving into property and business.
3. Some peasants better off - higher consumption of grain and consumer goods. Majority still poor because of population increase, taxes, and redemption payments.
4. Commune remained strong. Basic style of peasant life not altered much for majority. Division between older and younger peasants growing.
5. Growth of immigrant labour working as agricultural labourers and in winter in towns and cities.
6. Millions of peasants forced off land by poverty or debt, or seeking social betterment, flooding to cities and towns.

Question 3

Outline industrial change that occurred between the years 1880-1914.

Answer 3

1. Industrial spurt in 1890s. Significant growth in heavy industries and railways. Picked up again after 1908.
2. Industrial strategy based on: heavy industry and railways, foreign loans and investment, high tarrifs, strong rouble, taxation, and grain exports.
3. Industry driven by military needs and this led to unbalanced economy with certain sectors remaining weak.
4. Significant amount of industry in large-scale plants using modern methods of mass production. At same time, most workers in small workshops, less productive.
5. By 1914, Russia is a leading industrial nation - fourth or fifth in the world but significantly behind international competitors in per capita income and output.

Question 4

Outline working and middle class social change between the years 1880-1914.

Answer 4

1. Cities and towns growing rapidly. Peasants becoming workers, but keeping link to home village.
2. Workers employed in large factories of thousands. but majority still working in small workshops outside factory legislation.
3. Working conditions very poor, wages low, and hours long. Living conditions - in barracks or tenements - generally appalling, overcrowding, insanitary. Demands to improve conditions led to labour militancy and strikes.
4. Middle classes growing, but still small proportion of population: different groups:

• Old merchant class diversifying into banking and commerical ventures.
• New class of industrialists and Russian businessmen emerging.
  Professionals developing associations.