Chapter 1: Context (Pre-1894 & overall) Flashcards
Russia in 1894
Size of Russia in 1891
1A)
8000km North-South
Growth of population 1891-1924
1A)
40 mil - 165 mil. Mostly in European Russia.
The Tsar’s rule was exercised through 3 official bodies:
1A)
- Imperial council- honorary advisers
- Cabinet of Ministers- ran govt. depts.
- Senate- oversaw operation of laws.
APPOINTED NOT ELECTED
Was Russia ahead or behind politically?
1A)
VERY MUCH BEHIND: All major Western European powers had some form of representational govt.
“Liberals” in 1892
What did this label mean?
1B)
Those who wanted political change in Russia but thought it could come about by reforming (not destroying) the Tsarist system.
What did heavy cencorship lead to?
Give 2 Examples
1B)
- EXTREMIST ACTIONS
eg assasination of Tsar Alexander II in 1881 by “The people’s will” group. - NO MODERATE POLITICAL GROUND FOR POLITICAL DEBATE.
Did the Othodox church support Tsarism?
YES or NO
1C)
YES- disconnected from the papacy so had a disctinct Russian character
Was the Orthodox church liberal in its views?
1C)
NOO. deeply against change, determined to preserve Tsarism in it’s reactionaryform
Reactionary = resistant to any form of progressive change.
Detachment from growing population + figure
1C)
Was detached from the growing population.
eg in a suburb in Moscow there was 40,000 ppl with only one church and one priest.
How did the Orthdox church promote the Tsar?
1C)
Used spiritual authority- taught the Russial pop. that it was their duty to be obedient to the Tsar as God’s Anointed.
Social Structure- proportions
Think Bridgerton
1D)
- 0.5% Ruling class
- 12% Nobility
- 82% Peasants
What did a difference in size between the working classes & rural peasants show?
1E)
Showed that economic development had been slow.
What did a small number of urban workers show??
🐔 < 🐔🐔 < 🐔🐔🐔
1E)
Showed that Russia had not achieved the major industrial growth that had taken place in Western countries
eg Germany, Britain, & USA.
What industry did Russia actually have?
And why did they not really have an impact?
1E)
- Urals produced iron
- Moscow & St Petersburg had textile factories
- Most villages had a smelting works
- Most peasant goods produced goods such as woolen or wooden items to supplement their income from farming
These industries relatively small-scale- Russia was BIG.
What discouraged entrepreneurialism?
1E)
NO EFFECTIVE BANKING SYSTEM
Oh, Russia didn’t have the concept of of investment sorted either.
Where were the arable areas of land
1F)
Black Earth region
European Russia
European Russia
1F)
Ukraine to Kazakhstan
What was (A part of) the Emancipation Degree of 1861
1F)
Where Ex-Serfs were entitled to buy land
BUT found the prices too high
Agriculture stat
1F)
Out of every 5km only ONE was viable
High prices for land caused by:::
1F)
- Shortage of suitable farming territory
- Govt. Taxation of tax sales.
What did peasants do to be able to buy land?
They took loans from the government, & this mean they had large mortgage repayments.
What did Empress alexandra say about the ‘dark masses’?
That they should be kept “under the whip”
“They could only be controlled by severe repression”
How large were the armed forces in the 19th century?
And what % did it take up of the annual expenditure?
1.5 MILLION man.
Only 4% was devoted to education!
45% (!) of the govts. annual expenditure
Was the bureaucracy corrupt?
YYYYYYEEEEESSSSSSS
YES
YES
Westerners V. Slavophiles
What were “Westerners”
Those who believed that:
1. If Russia wished to remain a great political nation
2. It would have to adopt the best features of
3. The political & economical systems of Western Europe.
Westerners & Slavophiles
What were “Slavophiles”
Those who regarded:
1. Western values as corrupting
2. Urged the nation to preserve itself as ‘Holy Russia’
3. By glorifying in its slavic culture & its seperate historical tradition.
Alexander II’s reform: 4 things (timeline)
- Tension between ‘Westerners’ and ‘Slavophiles’
- Conflict over character of imperial Russia
- Alexander II’s reforms: Zemstvos & Intelligentsia, but still autocratic.
- The People’s will & Assassination of Alexander II: Alexander III even harsher rule in ‘the reaction’.
Key Measures of ‘The Reaction’
The Statute of State Security
- Special Govt. controlled courts set up (operated outside of legal system)
- Judges & officials who were sympathetic liberals removed from office
- Powers of Okhrana extended
Remained in place until 1917
