Discuss the reasons for the final crisis of autocracy in Feb/March 1917

Question 1

Long term social divisions

Answer 1

• Made Russia fractured society –> Nationalities + Peasantry
• Peasants bulk of populaion –> felt cheated –> land + liberty from Emancipation (1861) –> had not been materialised
• Serfs tied to the Mir + Hvy red pay
• Klks –> becoming literate –> Turn to Marxism
• ‘03-‘04 –> witnessed mass peasant uprisings –> red cockerel years –> LT dissatisfaction in the countryside
• Witte’s industrialisation urban dwellers were now living closer together which promoted the spread of revolution
• Russia was industrialising too quickly for its own good and this went hand in hand with long hours + poor conditions
• Waldron makes clear the importance of this point when he argues that Russia was westernizing industrially but not in other ways
• Growth rate slowing down
• The seeds of urban unrest were also planted –> Etty throws into this societal mix the nationalities issue –> Failurees of Russification –> Jews turned against the state
• Contributed LT to rising dissatisfaction which laid the bedrock for FB

Question 2

Political Mistakes

Question 3

WW1

Answer 3

• Hobsbawm –> war = “mother of revolution”
• Lockhart –> revolution “would never have broken out” had it not been for WW1
• Russia fought a dreadful war and had not learnt from their mistakes –> major defeats –> Tannenberg Aug 1914 + Masurian Lakes Feb 1915
• 1916: Despite a heroic effort in the Brusilov Offensive
• They were poorly equipped –> 36 million Russians had been conscripted + training was inept
• 34 k desertions occured monthly + 17,000,000 roubles spent on the war
• Grand Chief Nikolaevich (his cousin) had been given job cos he was the Tsar’s cousin

Question 4

Perspectives WW1

Answer 4

Lieven - does not believe WW1 was the primary reason for the Feb rev

• Indeed, he reminds historians that the Russian army had not yet been defeated
• Even though they were weaker than the Ger army –> This could also be said of Br + France
• Germany had not penetrated Russia significantly –> “military explanations do not get you far in understanding why the Feb Rev happened”

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