Key Vocabulary Flashcards
Tsar
Title given to leaders of Russia 1547-1917
Autocracy
System of Government by one person with absolute power
Constitutional Monarchy
system of government in which a monarch shares power with a government
Serfdom
a system which had existed in Russia since the 12th century where peasants were owned by a landowner
Liberal
A political philosophy that promotes individual rights , civil liberties and democracy
Reactionary
A political philosophy that favours policies which are backward looking to restore the past
Communist
Left wing ideology whose goal is the creation of a communist society
Political authority
Refers to the legitimate authority (the right) of the state or tsar to rule and ensure their citizens obey their rule
Ideology
Ideas which support a system or theory.
Dictatorship
A government ruled by a dictator- a ruler with total power over a country, typically one who has obtained control by force
Terror
The use of violence and intimidation , especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims
Communist society
A classless society in which the major means of production, such as mines, are owned and controlled by the public.
Emancipation
To free from bondage
Judiciary
Part of Government responsible for the legal system
Bureaucracy
A system of government where most decisions are taken by state officials rather than by elected representatives
Populist
A socialist movement who believed that propaganda among the peasantry would lead to the masses demanding change.
Revolutionary
Describes an individual, organisation or theory, which supports fundamental political change often removing the government.
Land and Liberty
A 19th Century socialist movement who continued the work of the Populists and pushed for constitual reform.
Peoples will
A socialist revolutionary organisation that regarded terrorism as the best means of forcing political reform.
Intelligentsia
More educated liberal leaning members of Russian society
Emancipation of Labour
The first Marxist group in Russia established by Georgi
Plekhanov- ‘the father of Russian Marxism’
Poll tax
A tax on the peasantry, nobles and clergy were exempt
Russification
The process of merging all subjects in the Russian Empire into a single nation with a shared cultural identity
Pogrom
an organised massacre of a particular ethnic group, in particular that of Jewish people in Russia
Land Captain
A state-appointed official with power to override elections to the local government and disregard their decisions.
Land Bank
Assisted those who wanted to buy land with low interest loans
Police State
All activities of the people are closely monitored and controlled for political reasons
Okhrana
Secret Police established in 1881
Orthodox
Church
The official state religion of tsarist Russia
Civil rights
Personal rights, for example freedom of speech and religion.
Council of ministers
13 ministers in charge of different areas – education, transport and finance
Imperial Council
50-60 nobles chosen by Tsar to advice personally.
Central Bureaucracy
Carry out wishes of Tsar- take orders to villages
Higher ranks- nobles
Lower ranks- Children of clergy, professionals
The Bureaucracy- Provincial Governors
Russian empire was divided into 50 provinces led by provincial governors
The Bureaucracy- Marshals of the Nobility
Each province was divided into 20 districts, led by marshals of the nobility
The Bureaucracy- local police
At the most local level, villages were overseen by a local police
