Fundamentals of Tsarist Russia

Question 1

What was ‘The Reaction’?

Answer 1

The period of increased oppression under Tsar Alexander III, as a result of the assassination of Alexander II

Question 2

What was the population of Russia by 1914?

Answer 2

164 million

Question 3

What percentage of the population were peasant farmers?

Answer 3

Over 80%

Question 4

What was the Great Spurt?

Answer 4

A period of rapid industrial development, which included massive rural to urban migration

Question 5

What was a key problem caused by mass rural-urban migration?

Answer 5

This new lower urban workers class lived in inadequate conditions, which led to resentment of the Tsar

Question 6

Was Russia completely autocratic?

Answer 6

Yes, there was no parliament to block or control the actions of the Tsar, and any other bodies were purely advisory

Question 7

What are the 3 key principles of the Tsarist regime?

Answer 7

Autocracy, Orthodoxy and Nationality

Question 8

What does the principle of autocracy mean the Tsars reject?

Answer 8

They fundamentally rejected that their power relied on the consent of the people

Question 9

How was the key principle of Orthodoxy used to control the people?

Answer 9

The Russian Orthodox strongly believed in the Divine Right of Kings, therefore influenced and encouraged the Russian people to live under autocracy without complaint

Question 10

What was described as ‘the Opium of the People’ and why?

Answer 10

Karl Marx described religion as the Opium of the people as they ignored and forgot their terrible lives under the name of religion

Question 11

What is the proletariat?

Answer 11

The lower working classes and peasants

Question 12

What is the bourgeoisie?

Answer 12

The middle and upper classes

Question 13

What is the order of societies in Marxism?

Answer 13

Primitive communism
Feudalism
Capitalism
Socialism
Communism

Question 14

What were the main peaceful efforts of the populists and how successful was it?

Answer 14

To spread their socialist ideas to the peasantry- many populists, particularly students and young people, moved to the countryside to try and convince peasants of their revolutionary potential. They failed to gain any strong response

Question 15

Who made up the People’s Will?

Answer 15

Populists, who following the failure to bring about change through peaceful means, turned to violence

Question 16

What was the main accomplishments of the People’s Will?

Answer 16

• Assassination of Alexander II
• Birthed the SR party
• Helped create a revolutionary tradition

Question 17

Who primarily made up the liberals?

Answer 17

Middle class intelligentsia, primarily centred in major cities like Moscow

Question 18

What were the main methods of the liberals?

Answer 18

Peaceful- use of political channels (e.g. zemstva), newspapers, meetings etc

Question 19

What is the plural of zemstvo?

Answer 19

Zemstva

Question 20

What idea were the SDs mainly based around?

Answer 20

Marxism

Question 21

What did the Bolsheviks believe?

Answer 21

That the party operate under centralised leadership by a small group of professional intellectuals, and they would lead the workers to and through revolution

Question 22

What did the Mensheviks believe?

Answer 22

That the party should accept all those who wished to join, and allow all members to have a say in policy making. They wanted revolution to occur naturally, following the Marxist line

Question 23

Who were the SRs?

Answer 23

A loose organisation, encompassing a wide range of groups with varying beliefs. It was never well coordinated, and there was a divide between more radical and more moderate party members.