Chapter 9-Social development to 1914 Flashcards
What developments were there in working and living conditions in towns?
New factories increased the urban population. By 1913 there were six milion factory workers, tripling from in 1900. Bwteen 1867 and 1917 the urban population quadrupled. By 1914 3/4 people in St Petersburg were peasants at birth. Rent remained high whilst wages were low, making it hard to afford housing. Factory working hours were reduced to ten hours by 1914 and there was also sickness and accdent insurance for workers.
What were the Lena goldfields massacre?
The goldminers on the Lena riverbanks work long hours for low pay. In 1912 a group of miners went on strike over some inedible horsemeat. The ringleaders were arrested and several thousand miners met on one mine to present petitions. They were fires and around 500 were killed.
What developments were there in working and living conditions in the countryside?
Strip farming was happening on 90% of the land. The gap between the rich and poor was growing wider as the wealthier kulaks took advantage of peasant banks, The poorest found life getting harsher and mortality rates in Russia were higher than in any other European country. Teachers and doctors were in low supply and there was still around 60% illiteracy in 1914.
How did life for the nobility change?
The majority suffered from Emancipation as they lost their serfs. The lost some land due to redistribution to peasants nut they didn’t get more tax and still had their powerful status.
How did life for the middle class change?
The group grew as management and professional positions became more in demand. The growing middle class found their home in the zemstva and in the state dumas, where they exerted a lot of influence.
How did life for the workers and peasantry change?
Population growth affected the workers and there were more strikes due to the unfair land distributions and the failed harvests.
