Nicholas II

Question 1

What were the economic policies under NII?

Answer 1

• A continuation of the economic polices of Sergei Witte seen in AIII’s reign

Question 2

What industrial improvements were there under NII?

Answer 2

• Trans Siberian railway was completed
• Industrial production grew steadily until 1914 (6% per annum)

Question 3

Why did workers become more militant under NII?

Answer 3

• Urban workers became more militant as they resented the working and living conditions they had to endure (1896: 30,000 textile workers went on strike in St Petersburg)
• A more educated workforce (58% literacy rate in 1997) were able to read political literature and articulate views

Question 4

What changes were made to combat working-class militancy?

Answer 4

• Head of the Moscow Okhrana, Sergei Zubatov set up trade unions in Moscow (1901) to try to get workers to recognise they could make changes within the existing system

Question 5

What issues did peasants face under NII?

Answer 5

• Many still felt betrayed by the emancipation act and were subject to restrictions of the mir
• Huge discrepancies in agricultural development (south and west was doing better then the north and east)

Question 6

What issues did urban workers face under NII?

Answer 6

• Long hours (11 hours a day) with very low wages
• Disciplined and fined for small accidents

Question 7

What were the motives for Stolypin’s land reforms?

Answer 7

1) Negative effect of the mir on economic development

2) Ineffective land usage in the village leading to inefficient agriculture

3) The ever-present ‘land hunger’ among peasants

Question 8

What were Stolypin’s land reforms?

Answer 8

1) Peasants could withdraw from their commune (mir) and set up on their own​

2) End to land redistribution (land passed automatically to head of family​) giving peasants more incentive to improve their land & output​

3) State & Crown lands made available to Peasants Land Bank for sale to peasants (kulaks), 3 million received government aid to establish farms in Siberia

Question 9

What were some failures of Stolypin’s land reforms?

Answer 9

• Land reforms took time: Stolypin spoke of needing 20 years, but was killed after 5​
• Ministry of Agriculture lost confidence in reforms​

Question 10

What other reforms were introduced under Stolypin?

Answer 10

• Primary schools doubled (1905-14)
• Spending on health, poor relief, aid for farmers doubled (1906-12)