Nicholas II

Question 1

What political problems did Nicholas face in 1894?

Answer 1

• Priority was to preserve autocracy
• Tsarism lacked an overall vision of how to manage things
• Demands of industrialisation meant there would be challenges to autocracy
• Opposition to Tsarism because of the repressive measures taken by previous Tsars
• Nationalist groups were demanding independence
• By 1905 liberals and socialists were calling for reforms to the political system to allow greater representation

Question 2

What economic problems did Nicholas face in 1894?

Answer 2

•Productivity was low compared to international rivals
•Lack of free enterprise
-Tsar ans ministers directed production
•Reliance on foreign investment
-Russian government was never in total control of rate of industrialisation
-financial aid could seize
•Production of grain was slow
-contributed to the famine of 1891-92
•Concentration on larger scale enterprises
•Technology was behind

Question 3

What social problems did Nicholas face in 1894?

Answer 3

•1984, 80% of population were peasants
-large proportion, so social unrest may happen
•Peasants were angry about their poor living standards despite the formation of a Peasant’s Land Bank (1883) and the abolition of peasant poll tax (1886)
•Peasant’s Land Bank was designed to provide entrepreneurial peasants with funds at low interest rates to purchase more land
-redistribution resulted in reduction in size of plots
•Unemployment and underemployment
•Abandonment of peasant poll tax didn’t help make up for the shortfall of income compared to rising expenditure needed to keep farm plots
•1891 famine lead to deaths of over 350,000 people
•Industrial work force had grown to 2.9million by 1912
-class developed political awareness
-found a voice through organisations
•Industrialisation led to urbanisation and public health problems (poor housing, lack of sanitation and inadequate water supplies)

Question 4

Opposition to Nicholas II

Answer 4

There was a threat to Nicholas that reduced his autocratic powers but instead he tried to take back authority through the Fundamental Laws (1906) and physical force

Question 5

Liberal opposition to Nicholas II

Answer 5

•By 1894 liberals demanded that Russia was governed like countries in the West
-greater freedoms and justice for all Russians
•Wanted fairer land distribution for peasants, a representative constituent assembly and improved working conditions
-if these issues were addressed, Nicholas’ authority would diminish

Question 6

Kadets and Octobrists opposition to Nicholas II

Answer 6

•After 1905 revolution, the want for constitutional monarchy grew
-wanted changes to system of government
•Posed little threat
-small number of people, mainly middle class, no organised political party

Question 7

Populists opposition to Nicholas II

Answer 7

• Failed to mobilise large scale support

* Young intelligentsia

Question 8

Socialist Revolutionaries opposition to Nicholas II

Answer 8

•Focused on improving conditions of the poorest in society
•Split into radical left wing and moderate right wing in 1905
•Left employed direct action
-1901 to 1905 responsible for 2000 political killings
-appealed to industrial workers
•Right worked with other parties and group gathering support after 1905 revolution
-appealed to peasants

Question 9

Marxist opposition to Nicholas II

Answer 9

•Based ideology on Karl Marx, believing proletariat could be educated and overthrow autoracy by revolution

Question 10

Social Democrats opposition to Nicholas II

Answer 10

•Encouraged working class consciousness
•Improving pay and lowering working hours
•Lenin outlined ideas to completely overthrow autocracy
-caused divisions in Social Democrat movement (Mensheviks and Bolsheviks)
•Wasn’t much of a threat (in short term)
-in 1902 Nicholas created legal workers interest groups to improve working and living conditions

Question 11

National minorities opposition to Nicholas II

Answer 11

•Wanted to break away from Russian rule and gain independence
-because of Russification

Question 12

Russo-Japanese War

Answer 12

• Wanted to strengthen Russia’s standing, divert attention from economic and social conditions, food shortages
• Failure led to a sense of mistrust and lack of faith in Russian leadership, fuelling demands for reform

Question 13

Impact of Russo-Japanese War

Answer 13

•Russia lost land
•Russian military leaders had a lack of knowledge, understanding and skill
•Militarily incompetence associated with Tsar
-fuelled discontent

Question 14

Reforms as a result of Russo-Japanese War

Answer 14

•Investment in transport infrastructure and industry
-led to rapid urbanisation and more public health problems
•Reforms were meant to better living standards but did the opposite

Question 15

Build up to 1905 Revolution

Answer 15

•As a result of Nicholas’ repressive measures and his inability to deal with Russia’s issues
•Growing support for political groups
•Liberals wanted greater freedom
-free speech, worship and right to vote
•Violence in form of student unrest and assassination of minister of education
•Strikes
•Peasant protests liked to poor harvest (1902)
•Anti war protests
•Putilov Strike (1905)
•Bloody Sunday (January 1905)

Question 16

Putilov Strike

Answer 16

•12,000 workers from Putilov steelworks went on strike
•Over sacking of 4 workers for joining the Assembly
-workers came out in sympathy
•Intention not to overthrow the political system but to better conditions for them

Question 17

Bloody Sunday

Answer 17

•Marched to the tsar’s Winter Palace to present a petition for 8-hour day, freedom of speech and an elected assembly
•Group of 150,000 arrived and realised tsar wasn’t there, there was chaos
•Armed infantry were sent to control the crowd
-killed over 200 people and injured many more

Question 18

Events of February

Answer 18

•Assassination by members of the SR should have meant a massive clamp down on dissenters but instead it helped

• pushes tsar to promise political reform (Duma proposed)
• reduce anger of students
• restrictions lifted (on universities)

Question 19

Establishment of Unions

Answer 19

•Union is Unions formed
-group of leaders representing professionals, workers and the zemstva
-disillusioned by slow progress made by Nicholas over political reforms
-demanded setting up of democratically elected constituent assembly
•All-Russian Peasant Union
-peasants became politically organised
-aims similar to that if the Union of Unions
-demand for land reforms

Question 20

Military mutinies

Answer 20

•Without the support of the army and navy Nicholas would not have survived as a leader
•When sailors mutinied in Summer 1905 it alarmed the government
-feared further mutinies would occur

Question 21

Establishment of the St Petersburg Soviet

Answer 21

•Another wave of strikes
•Workers tried to coordinate activities more effectively by forming soviets
-focused on campaigning for improved wages, shorter working hours and better working conditions
•Very effective especially because radicals came in

Question 22

October Manifesto

Answer 22

• In response to opposition from liberals, peasant organisations and workers
• Attempt to clarify powers new legislative assembly might have
• Seemed to be abandoning autocracy and moving towards constitutional monarchy
• Workers and peasants weren’t very pleased as their more immediate concerns weren’t being addressed
• Elected representatives from 51 provinces of the empire

Question 23

Events of November and December

Answer 23

•November 1905, another strike occurred
-prompted and supported by the Soviet
•Merged into a general rebellion led by the Bolsheviks
•Riot put down by troops and the headquarters of the soviet closed
•Similar uprising in Moscow in December
-authorities used even more force, in form of artillery
-over 1000 people dead and soviet properties burnt to the ground

Question 24

Economic causes of 1905 events

Answer 24

•Industrialisation resulted in economic growth but workers were not reaping benefits
-suffering poor working conditions, low pay, long hours and poor living conditions
•Workers responded by challenging employers and government through strikes and later riots

Question 25

Social causes of 1905 events

Answer 25

•Increase in population size with a backward agricultural sector meant Russians were always on verge of starvation -worsened by a shortage of quality land for peasants to live and work on •Peasant unrest contributed to decision to make political reforms

Question 26

Political causes of 1905 events

Answer 26

* Formation if pressure groups created political challenges | * Forming Dumas was as a response to demands from opposition

Question 27

Military causes of 1905 events

Answer 27

•Poor performance in Russo-Japanese war added to discontent caused by worse economic and social conditions - sense of patriotism lost - many soldiers and sailors from lower classes became angry so they mutinied - threatened stability of government

Question 28

Consequences of 1905 Revolution

Answer 28

•Political reforms •Introduction of Dumas -hope that public would be convinced Tsar was willing to become more accountable •October Manifesto -satisfied concerns of liberals (temporarily) -Nicholas has full control of Duma (Fundamental Laws) •Introduction to franchise -vote given to all men above 25, but not to women or armed forces

Question 29

The four Dumas

Answer 29

•Nicholas disbanded the Dumas if he didn’t like what they were doing -claimed the first Duma was illegal because they wanted land distribution

Question 30

Improvement of the political situation in Russia in 1914

Answer 30

•Relatively stable •Creation of Dumas initially caused difficulties, as participants criticised tsarist policies •Tsar and Stolypin reduced the authority of the Dumas and the challenge it posed -liberal members were angry but didn’t feel it was correct to openly defy the Tsar •More radical groups lacked enough support to consider creating a revolution -many leaders were exiled

Question 31

Improvement of the economic situation in Russia in 1914

Answer 31

•From 1909 to 1914, the GNP has grown at an average annual rate of 3.5% •Still l’os levels of industrial productivity -a lot of labour employed to make up for lack of investment •Agricultural production increased •More peasants were moving to urbanised areas •Railway continued to develop, by 1914 70,160km of track existed •Trans-Siberian still not complete -Russia disconnected

Question 32

Improvement of the society situation in Russia in 1914

Answer 32

•Population increased to 166million -put pressure on those working on the land to increase food supply •Urbanisation happened rapidly •Out of 1000 towns, only 200 had piped water and 38 had a sewage system -disease continued to spread even after improvements •Rising inflation, static wage rates and poor working conditions fuelled discontent •Socio-economic changes resulted in rising working class awareness and potential to challenge the Tsar -Lena Goldfields stroke of 1912 (example)

Question 33

Military impact of the war

Answer 33

* Terrible defeats meant that morals was dented * Poor tactical decisions made * Lost twice as many troops as the enemy * Casualties were 8 million for the whole war * Communication and transport problems * Failure is Brusilov offensive shower the Tsar was not able to bring the ear to a satisfactory end

Question 34

Economic impact of the war

Answer 34

•Financial burden of war was huge •3 billion roubles -exceeded levels of government spending during peace •Cost is war was met through borrowing, increasing taxes and printing more money -worked to an extent -Russian workers were fully employed and received slightly higher income than usual -however, this created inflation •Prices rose by 400% by 1917 from 1914 -people on fixed incomes suffered greatly •Demand is a more representative form of government

Question 35

Social impact of the war

Answer 35

•Although there was an increase in income, peasants and workers could not even spend it on necessities as the war went on -especially after 1916 with food supplies •Rapidly growing population, food requisitioning by the army, fall in availability of fertilisers and transport problems created food shortages •Social unrest created

Question 36

Transport and communications impact of the war

Answer 36

* Placed severe pressures on the transport system * Lines became blocked, signalling mechanisms broke down, engines stranded * Had repercussions for supply of materials and goods for civilians and soldiers

Question 37

Growing opposition to Tsardom

Answer 37

•Leadership in war was poor •Ignored how war affected well being of Russian people on the home front •Decision to take control of armed forces backfired -views on strategy and tactics were unoriginal •Decision to act as chief of army had serious repercussions for he governance of Russia -people didn’t like the Tsarina

Question 38

Role of fourth Duma to Tsar’s downfall

Answer 38

•Dominated by far right politicians •Heightened ans brutal repression of civil disorder -state police killing striking miners at Lena Goldfields rebellion (1912) -members of Duma were outraged by this •Progressive Bloc formed to criticise Tsar’s management if the war •Changed from supporting war to being against •Put pressure on Tsar to abdicate and formed backbone of the Provisional Government