Ethnic Minority Threat

Question 1

What was Russification?

Answer 1

A policy implemented by Pobedonostev:
- Was the idea that everything Russian should be emphasised as superior
- Russian was declared the official language, all legal proceedings had to be done in Russian
- State interference with education, religion, and culture
- Discrimination against non-Russians became more common

Question 2

How were The Poles a threat?

Answer 2

• Historically passionate about breaking away from Russian influence e.g. Polish Revolt of 1863
• Organised: Polish Socialist Party (1892) and Democratic Party (1893)

Question 3

How were The Poles not a threat?

Answer 3

Had never actually succeeded in their attempts to oppose Russian rule

Question 4

How were the Ukrainians a threat?

Answer 4

• Russification was limited to cities and industrial centres were the higher strata lived
• Some members of the higher strata kept their traditions
• The peasantry (most Ukrainians) were not deeply affected by Russification of education and church life

Question 5

How were the Ukrainians not a threat?

Answer 5

• Nationalist violence was rare there
• The Valuev circular 1863 and Ems Ukase 1876 blocked development of Ukrainian literature

Question 6

How were The Caucasians a threat?

Answer 6

Populist movements:
- The Dashnaks organise self-defence military units to combat Russian intrusion
- The Georgian Mensheviks provoked a rise of nationalism and campaigned for Georgia to ally with Germany

Question 7

How were The Caucasians not a threat?

Answer 7

The internal division between the Armenian Christians and Muslim Chechens made Russification easier

Question 8

How were The Finns a threat?

Answer 8

When the governor general tried to integrate the Finnish parliament and constitution into the Russian Empire, opposition was so strong that the governor general was assassinated in 1904 and Finland was promised full autonomy in 1905

Question 9

How were The Finns not a threat?

Answer 9

They weren’t actually given full autonomy until 1917 when they gained full independence. There is no indication of uprising between before then.

Question 10

How were the Baltic Provinces a threat?

Answer 10

Following the 1905 revolution they declared desire for full autonomy

Question 11

How were the Baltic Provinces not a threat?

Answer 11

• These areas were relatively stable and prosperous
• E.g. Riga in Latvia was a very important commercial centre
• Due to this there was a large amount of immigration from Russians to this area
• Therefore Russification happened naturally and there was little opposition

Question 12

How was the Jewish population treated?

Answer 12

• 600 new measures were introduced against the Jews including a requirement to live in ghettoes
• There were many pogroms against them e.g the 1905 in Pale Settlement
• In 1902 the Okhrana released the ‘Protocols of the Elders of Zion’ - propaganda that the Jews were trying to take over the world
• Between 1905-1916 14million copies of 3,000 different antisemitic books were printed
• In 1903 pogrom in Kishinev 47 Jews were murdered 400 wounded and 1300 properties destroyed in 2 days