imperial russia

Question 1

before alexander ll

Answer 1

left with a politically, economically and socially backwards empire. At the end of his reign in 1881, 80% of the population was illiterate.

He started off his reign by dismissing some of his father’s ministers. This signified a change of attitude and a different leading style.

Question 2

emancipation of teh serfs

Answer 2

1861. need for inductrial developemnt, freedom, temporray obligation and redemption operation.

Question 3

mirs

Answer 3

a self-governing community where serfs lived

Question 4

volost

Answer 4

collection of mirs, given administrative and judical powers.

Question 5

cultural and educational reforms

Answer 5

1863-1865.
Men were caught how to read during military service

Daily newspapers and books over 160 pages and all academic books no longer needed to be sent in for approval. Russian newspapers could finally discuss both domestic and international politics.

Question 6

military reforms

Answer 6

1874-75.
Led by the Milyutin brothers. Military service was no longer considered as punishment, and the length of the service got reduced from 16 years to 10 years, and then finally to 6 years with 5 years in the reserves. All male subjects became eligible for service at the age of 20 except sole breadwinners and those ruled out because of health reasons. Men with formal education got shorter active service. All men were caught how to read during their service time.

Question 7

legal reforms

Answer 7

before teh emancipation: slow, inefficient, discriminatroy and corrupt - secret trials

1862, new legal code introduced, est began in 1964. mix of english and french practice, accused got lawyer and a jury. judges were educated and held teh position for life. most progressive legal systems in europe

Question 8

local govt reforms

Answer 8

volosts organized into provisonal and district elected councils (zemstvas). members chosen by three seperate electoral colleges; local landowners, peasants, and town dwellers.

Question 9

zemstva

Answer 9

proviosnal and district elected councils.

established permanent paid civil servants to administer policy. And for qualified employees (teachers, lawyers, experts…) to carry out day-to-day work on the behalf of the zemstva.

Staffing local schools, providing medical care, undertaking light engineering services, providing fire service, maintaining prisons, mental asylums and orphanages, administrating poor relief, and advising on industrial projects and agricultural problems.

Question 10

dumas

Answer 10

similar to the zemstvas, but in towns and cities. set up in 1870. they coudl raise taxes and levy labour to support their activities

Question 11

financial and economic developements

Answer 11

minister of finance formed teh treasury, establishing budgeting and auditing procedures for all govt departements. extended credit facilities and helped set up state bank in 1860. expanded teh russian railway network with teh help of foriegn investors (seven fold increase in amount of railword between 1862-1878)

Question 12

alexander lll

Answer 12

russification (autocracy, orthodoxy and nationality), antisemitism, censorship, universities deprived of independence, educational class differences, russian language in ukranian and belorussian schools

Question 13

position of serfs under alexander lll and nicholas ll

Answer 13

reduced payments and abolishment of SALT tax in 1881. peasants gained teh right to appeal in higher court and given the service of the peasants bank in 1883. obtained teh permit to leave the commune in 1903 - greater freedom and mobility

Question 14

motivation factors for economic modernization

Answer 14

lagging the rest of Europe, landowners had limited capital for investment in industry, no sizeable middle class, poor infrastructure.

Question 15

vyshnegradsky

Answer 15

grain export increased by 18+ - “we ourselves shall not eat, but we shall export”

Question 16

witte

Answer 16

raised capital through texation, loans, import tariff + foreign investment

attracted intellectuals from other european countries

rapid industrial expansion, coal =2x, iron and steel = 7x. russia had teh highest growth rate and oil and chemical industries were set up

60% of the railway network was state owned

agriculture still used traditional methods

Question 17

growth of opposition

Answer 17

1880s
Industrial growth introduced western ideas in terms of the economy and industry
The Marxist-socialist party wanted to bring a worker’s revolution
Liberals were seeking moderate reforms and moral regeneration flourished
Populism also grew

1890s and early 1900s
Lenin emerged as an early convert to the Marxist cause. He believed that a small group of fully committed revolutionaries were all that’s needed to drive the workers revolution.

Question 18

bloody sunday

Answer 18

180 killed and 450 wounded on the ‘Bloody Sunday’. A peaceful march led by Father Gapon to present a petition to the tsar.

Question 19

1905 revolution long term causes

Answer 19

economic hardship, political opposition, emancipation edict, grievances of peasants

Question 20

1905 revolution short term causes

Answer 20

bloody sunday, russo-japanee war, nicholas ll, witte’s economic policies

Question 21

1905 revolution consequences

Answer 21

The October manifestoes

The left-wing majority of the First Duma wished to pass mass radical legislation. It wished to divide up the large, landed estate among the peasants, and to ensure equal civil rights for all. The emperor did not agree to this, dismissed Witte and appointed Stolypin. Stolypin became prime minister in July of 1906. The tsar and Stolypin decided to hold elections for a second Duma instead of introducing a permanent dictatorial government. The second Duma was more radical than the first. A third and fourth Duma soon followed.

Question 22

WW1 - military issues

Answer 22

equipment shortages, lack of experienced officers, new recruits did not recieve training, bad morale, heavy casulties, desertions

Question 23

WW1 economic and social problems

Answer 23

government spending increased 4x, income from customs declined, prohibion of alshol sales = -30% of govt income. inflation, rise in cost of living, decrease in industril production, womena nd children had to work

Question 24

march/feb revolution

Answer 24

cause: WWI

nature: protest and marches evolved into mutiny, riot and violence. russian people, army and imperial guard against the tsar

consequence: ended tsarist regime, introduction of provisional government

Question 25

oct/nov revolution

Answer 25

cause: provisonal govt unpopular, WW1, July days,

nature: mostly non-violent

consequence: bolshevik victory, lenin

Question 26

role of lenin

Answer 26

leadership, war communism, NEP

Question 27

role of trotsky

Answer 27

mastermind, november revolution, treaty of brest litovsk, terror, NEP,

Question 28

treaty of brest litovsk

Answer 28

ended russia’s fighting in the war

Question 29

red vs whites civil war

Answer 29

bolshevik vs menshevik, war communism

Question 30

new economic policy

Answer 30

1921. liberalization, privatisation and globalization. introduced a free market under state control, while socialized stae enterprises would operate on a profit bases

Question 31

“Nicholas had no knowledge of the world or of (____) orgovernment”

Answer 31

Hans Rogger: “Nicholas had no knowledge of the world or of men, of politics orgovernment”

Question 32

“The (__) revolution did more than anything else during Nicholas II’s reign (___) for the regime.”

Answer 32

Charques: “The 1905 revolution did more than anything else during Nicholas II’sreign to undermine support for the regime.”