Conditions of Russia 1905- 1917 Flashcards
How big was the Russian empire?
Occupied 1/6 of the world’s land surface and was seen as a great power
Why was most of the population concentrated in European Russia (west of Ural Mountains)?
Due to the difficult terrain and climate in many areas
What was Russia’s population at the beginning of the 20th century?
126 million people
What was the population known for and what was the governments response to this?
Diversity- each national group had it’s own language, religion, culture and traditions -
Governments original response = Russification (Russian official language)
What dominated in Russian society?
The dominance of the Orthodox church and the peasantry (80% of the population)
When were political parties legally permitted?
1906
Which parties were prominent by 1917?
Octobrists, Kadets, Social Revolutionaries, Bolsheviks and Mensheviks
Why was there an increasing number of strikes and give an example?
Russia’s urban workers became increasingly unionised
1914 Jan-July workers on strike = 1,450,000
How long had Tsar Nicholas II governed Russia for?
Since 1894 ( his family the Romanovs had ruled since 1613 in an autocratic fashion)
What was the Tsar like?
A family man who believed whole-heartedly in autocracy making his highly resistant to reform
He was rather shy, found intricate details of political life boring and tended to be over-cautious, struggling to make decisions but could also be stubborn, resenting advice which he viewed as criticism
Who assisted the Tsar?
The Cabinet, the Senate and the State Council (all merely advisory bodies and had no power independent of the Tsar)
What was Russia like after 1905?
1905 revolution didn’t bring radical changes many had hoped for
However Tsarism was forced to bring in some limited reform (October Manifesto = created Duma)
What was the problem with the Duma?
It’s limited powers didn’t fulfil the demands of the liberals as the elected lower house didn’t have ultimate law making power
Who was Pyotr Stolypin?
Between 1906-1911 he acted as the Tsar’s head of government
What did Stolypin attempt to do and how?
Restore order through a policy of cautious reforms and brutal repression
1906-1910 Stolypi’s courts found 37,620 people guilty of political crimes
What happened to the people Stolypin found guilty of political crimes?
8,640 sent to labour camps
1,858 resettled in Russia’s deserts or to frozen wastes of Siberia
Russia’s prison population rose from 98,000 in 1905 to over 250,000 by 1913
What did Stolypin’s name become associated with?
These brutal methods
Train that carried people into exile = Stolypin wagons
Hangman’s noose + Stolypin’s necktie
Who was Maksimilian Trusevich and what did he do?
Head of Russian police, instituted policy of surveillance and subversion - proved highly effective as by 1908 him and Stolypin were convinced their agents had won the battle against revolutionary parties
What was the problem with Trusevich’s agents?
Created an atmosphere of mistrust inside the revolutionary parties as revolutionaries didn’t know who was a double agent