imperial russia Flashcards
before alexander ll
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.
emancipation of teh serfs
- need for inductrial developemnt, freedom, temporray obligation and redemption operation.
mirs
a self-governing community where serfs lived
volost
collection of mirs, given administrative and judical powers.
cultural and educational reforms
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.
military reforms
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.
legal reforms
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
local govt reforms
volosts organized into provisonal and district elected councils (zemstvas). members chosen by three seperate electoral colleges; local landowners, peasants, and town dwellers.
zemstva
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.
dumas
similar to the zemstvas, but in towns and cities. set up in 1870. they coudl raise taxes and levy labour to support their activities
financial and economic developements
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)
alexander lll
russification (autocracy, orthodoxy and nationality), antisemitism, censorship, universities deprived of independence, educational class differences, russian language in ukranian and belorussian schools
position of serfs under alexander lll and nicholas ll
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
motivation factors for economic modernization
lagging the rest of Europe, landowners had limited capital for investment in industry, no sizeable middle class, poor infrastructure.
vyshnegradsky
grain export increased by 18+ - “we ourselves shall not eat, but we shall export”
witte
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
growth of opposition
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.
bloody sunday
180 killed and 450 wounded on the ‘Bloody Sunday’. A peaceful march led by Father Gapon to present a petition to the tsar.
1905 revolution long term causes
economic hardship, political opposition, emancipation edict, grievances of peasants
1905 revolution short term causes
bloody sunday, russo-japanee war, nicholas ll, witte’s economic policies
1905 revolution consequences
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.
WW1 - military issues
equipment shortages, lack of experienced officers, new recruits did not recieve training, bad morale, heavy casulties, desertions
WW1 economic and social problems
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
march/feb revolution
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
oct/nov revolution
cause: provisonal govt unpopular, WW1, July days,
nature: mostly non-violent
consequence: bolshevik victory, lenin
role of lenin
leadership, war communism, NEP
role of trotsky
mastermind, november revolution, treaty of brest litovsk, terror, NEP,
treaty of brest litovsk
ended russia’s fighting in the war
red vs whites civil war
bolshevik vs menshevik, war communism
new economic policy
- liberalization, privatisation and globalization. introduced a free market under state control, while socialized stae enterprises would operate on a profit bases
“Nicholas had no knowledge of the world or of (____) orgovernment”
Hans Rogger: “Nicholas had no knowledge of the world or of men, of politics orgovernment”
“The (__) revolution did more than anything else during Nicholas II’s reign (___) for the regime.”
Charques: “The 1905 revolution did more than anything else during Nicholas II’sreign to undermine support for the regime.”
