Nature of Government Flashcards
Thematic essays
What ideologies were there under the Tsars?
Expected willing and total submission of his subjects, the system did not require the Tsar to be accountable to the people through elections (or Constitutional government). The Tsar had a paternalistic duty to protect his subjects and control their behaviour for the good of the Russian nation. Autocracy was viewed as a practical necessity.
All Tsars consistently promoted and justified autocracy, but there were changes in the way autocracy was implemented.
What were the changes in the way Tsars implemented autocracy?
Alex II- opted for a string of reforms which appeared to be a dilution of autocracy.
Alex III- reversed the liberal reforms of Alex II as he blamed the moves towards liberalism for his fathers assassination
Nic, I used the slogan “Orthodoxy Autocracy and Nationality”, despite his “liberal” concessions in 1905, he introduced another set of Fundamental Laws in 1906 that stated, “The All-Russian Emperor possesses the supreme autocratic power”.
Why was autocracy seen as practical under the Tsars?
As the Russian Empire was so large and Diversified autocracy was seen as straight-forward.
Advisors to the government such as Konstantin Pobedonostsev argued that liberal democracy would have led to too many people demanding too many things.
Also most of Russia population was made of illiterate peasants, it was believed that democracy would be in the hands of those who did not have “the ability to reason”
How can the differences in ideology be seen between the Communists and the Tsars?
The legitimacy and the justification.
Autocratic rule under the Tsars was justified by their divine right to rule and legitimised by the Orthodox Church.
Under the Communists the dictatorship was justified by the Marxist Theory. Religious justification was replaced by political philosophy and Lenin’s rule was justified by victory in the Civil War as well as support from the party
What was Marx’s “Labour Theory of Value”?
Workers would eventually be successful in overthrowing the capitalists.
In the short term intellectuals such as Lenin would be needed to help the workers govern
Once the proletariat became more politically educated then a dictatorship of the proletariat would occur.
What was Marxism-Leninism centred on?
The superstructure of institutions that formed the base for the old tsarist society had to be destroyed and replaced with bodies that would create an egalitarian society
Marx’s theory became a justification for Lenin to overthrow Tsarist rule especially as the tsars have started to move towards capitalism
Was there change or continuity in ideology between the Tsars and Communists?
Long-term continuation in the maintenance of autocracy however contradicting foundations and justifications suggest there was more change than continuity
What was the ideology of the government under Alexander III?
‘Autocracy, Orthodoxy, and Nationality’ - Pobedenovsky, Alex IIIs chief Minister - convert non-Russians to Orthodox religion, 35,000 ppl in Baltic states in 1880s / policy of Russification - language, culture, education
The Fundamental Laws of 1906 reiterated the supreme autocratic power of the Tsar, despite the introduction of the Duma
What was important to Lenin’s ideology?
His publication of “What is to be done” 1902 in which Lenin argued the need for revolutionaries to bypass the implementation of a democratically elected assembly and go straight to a government led by a Party Central Committee. The Committee would govern until the workers were ready to take over.
When was the greatest change in ideology under the Communists?
Khrushchev denounced Stalin after his death with his Secret Speech
How did differing ideologies lead to differences on views of representative government?
Tsars viewed it as a threat because of dilution of power
Communists viewed it as a threat because parliaments were bourgeois.
How does ideology influence repression methods?
Developments such as the NEP demonstrate that Lenin, just like the Tsars adjusted ideology and politics to stave off opposition. However ultimately the Communists ideology meant that the proletariat were seen as a class and just numbers to achieve industrialisation not as individuals.,
What significant changes were there in structure of government?
Zemstva
105 regional councils under Khrushchev ( but still followed a command structure e.g. highlighted with the creation of the supreme economic council in Moscow, suggesting decentralisation was limited)
Duma established
Dual authority under the Prov Gov
What similarities were there in the structure of government under the Tsars and Communists?
A tiny elite was able to exert full control over the government
What was the use of army like under the Communists?
Both Stalin and Lenin used the army to implement economic policies.
Khrushchev reduced the standing army from 3.6 million to 2.4 million
