Fin de Siècle

Question 1

Russification

Answer 1

• The process of assimilating non-Russian communities Mikhail Katkov (an influence upon Tsar Alex II) thought that all tribes and parts of Russia should engage in its oneness and in union of state and the power of the tsar.

-Those who don’t want to consider a
nation of ‘Russianess’ are a threat.

• The empire began disintegrating instead of unifying, the opposite of the desired result.

Question 2

The National Questions

Answer 2

Finland and the Baltic States, Poland and Ukraine were particularly troublesome, particularly Poland. For example the Polish Uprising 1863.

Question 3

Reforms: Jews

Answer 3

• Children from mixed marriages considered orthodox.
• Jews who converted to orthodoxy could create a career

-Quotas for Jewish students. 10% for enrollment within the Pale of Settlement, 5% in other provinces, 3% in St P. and Moscow, 1891 Jews expelled on mass from Moscow,

• Banned from lawyers, medics, restricted admittance to schools, denied vote in the
  zemstvo
• 1881, the first pogroms
• 1882, prohibitions for Jews to settle outside towns or sell alcohol on liquor and holidays
• Mass emigration of Jews from Russia: American culture now has lots of origins from
  within the Russian empire.

Question 4

Economy: The Great Success

Answer 4

• Growth of econ as a result of reforms of Aleksandr II
• Skillful finance ministers Bunge and Witte, smart taxation, and development of capitalist market. Russia developing industrial and trading culture
• Building of railways across the country, built to link European Russia with the far
  east.
• Export of grain, 25% rise of income within 5 years.

Question 5

The Resurgence of Moscow

Answer 5

• Moscow resumes as center of business (move away from St. Petersburg); Rapid industrial growth and development of Moscow from increased capitalist market economy and the new railways.
• Growth of new merchant class. Now the 3rd class along with nobility and peasantry.
• These new wealthy families pioneer industrialization and contribute to the development of culture in Moscow,

Question 6

Imperial and National Order

Answer 6

-Expanded into Asia 1860s-1880s; Russian empire reached its top point of
territory, apparently about 1/6 of territory on the planet.

• Russia now competing with British Empire in Central Asia.
• Had to gradually change system of controlling territory as nationalism was an issue
  (Polish uprising) and its difficult to rule new areas.
• Property attained from local elites redistributed.
• Control of religious organisations: setting up traditional mosques
• Impact on Islam: the colonizers changed customs

Question 7

Literature, Music and Theatre

Answer 7

• Stanislavskiy, the Moscow Arts Theatre
• Tickets sold at affordable prices.
• Dostoevsky’s nationalism, the salvation of Russia will come from its people.
• Russians are god-bearing people. The Holy Rus concept.

-Tchaikovsky. Synthesized Russian and European styles, infused elements of Russian
folk into European music.