Chapter 1 - The Russian Autocracy in 1855 Flashcards
The Russian Autocracy in 1855
How large was the Russian Empire’s army?
1.5 million conscripted serfs (served for 25 years). It was the world’s largest army.
How much of government spending did the army and navy absorb?
45% of annual spending
Who/what were Cossacks?
Elite, mounted regiments provided with arms and supplies rode their own highly trained horses. Both personal bodyguards to the Tsar and police reinforcements.
What type of state was Russia to maintain autocracy?
Police state.
What was prevented due to the police state?
Mention censorship too
Prevented:
- freedom of speech
- freedom of the press
- travel abroad
- political meetings
- strikes
Censorship at every level of government and police made sure censorship exercised by the State and Church was enforced.
The Third Section…
Secret State security.
Kept a strict surveillance over the population.
Had unlimited power to carry out raids, and to arrest and imprison or send into exile anyone suspected of anti-tsarist behaviour.
They sometimes acted on the words on informants.
They were greatly feared.
Russia’s economic state
- Much further behind the West (not industrially advancing; remained agricultural)
- Inhospitable territory and poor climate which placed strains on economic development
- Lack of development primarily due to a serf-based economy (landowners, government and army were reliant on serfs)
However…
- in the mid-19th century, Russia was Europe’s biggest exporter of agricultural produce
- Russia also possessed vast reserves of timber, coal, oil, gold and other precious metals (untapped potential)
The ratio of village to town dwellers
11:1
In Britain, it was 2:1
This shows the lack of industrialisatoin in Russia in comparison to westen Europe
How many serfs were there?
51 million
Why did a serf-based economy hinder economic growth?
- Reliance on serfs limited the forces that drive change, e.g. wage earners, markets and entrepreneurs
- They survived on produce they made themselves: no incentive to work or contribute to the economy
- ‘Cottage industries’ (work done in the worker’s own home - usually spinning, weaving and small-scale wood and metal work) provided the little extra cash they needed for special purchases and tax
- Serfs often suffered from starvation in the winter
- Systems of land management within the mirs (serfs communes) meant that individual serf families worked scattered strips and were obliged to follow a communal pattern of farming
There was little incentive or opportunity, therefore, for serfs to develop into ‘wage-earners’
Markets in Russia
- Markets existed and were growing
- ‘Business’ was small-scale mostly
- common peasants purchases = vodka (celebrations), metal tools and salt (to preserve food)
- Most goods weren’t purchased, and in peasant markets, money wasn’t the usual form of payment. Instead, goods were exchanged
NO internal market demand
Money was irrelevant
The landowning elite’s contribution to Russia’s economy
- They were uninterested in how their estates operated
- Serf-owning provoked idleness
- No oppourtunity for capital accumulation (goods in western Europe were more competitive due to agricultral advances)
- Landowners forced into debt and had to take out mrotgages on estates
- Didn’t seek alternative ways of making money as money was of little use in Russia under-developed economy
Peasants…
- primitive living and working standards
- corn cut by hand with sickles
- shared their huts with animals
- illiterate
- deeply religious
- superstitious
- hostile to change
Society in Russia
- Huge differences between the land-owning elite and serfs (non-productive and productive classes)
- No coherent middle class, which was becoming increasingly dominant in western Europe
- Small number of professionals, some of whom comprised the intelligentsia (but these were often the sons of nobles)
Non-productive = clergy, nobility, civil and military officers, army and naval officers and the royal court
Taxes in Russia
Nobility and clergy were exempt from paying direct monetary taxes
- The main direct tax (paid by all except merchants) was the poll tax (introduced in 1719 to cover costs of maintaining the large army)
- It was levied, at the same rate, on every male peasant in Russia, no matter his circumstances
- This plus obrock (paid by state serfs as a form of land and service dues) made 25% of government income
- Indirect taxes included a tax on salt and vodka
- 30% of ordinary government income
- This had grown during the 19th century suggesting that a change was already underway towards a more ‘commercial’ source of government revenue
- Taxes hit peasants hard
- Peasants + tradesmen + urban workers provided 90% of Imperial finance
