Nicky II Opposition 94-05

Question 1

Describe the role of Marxist parties in opposition 94 - 05

Answer 1

• 1898 First party congress, 9 delegates promptly broken up by okrana, 2 arrested
• 1903 - Second Congress, Party split into Bolshevik and Menshivik
• 1905 revolution, Lenin only returned on 8 November. 3rd Dec Trotsky (Chair of St. Petersburg soviet) arrested and exiled to siberia. Greatly weakened revolutionary movement

Question 3

Describe the role of workers in opposition 94 - 05

Answer 3

• Increase in strike action, 90,000 in 1904
• Economic and political greviences lead to a march to present petion, despite being loyal to Tsar (singing imperial anthem), the crowd lead by Fr. Gapon was fired upon and 200 killed, sparked empire wide revolution. 9th Jan 1905
• Desipite October Manifesto, Trepov ordered troops to fire on workers to ensure they retuned to work. St Petersburg soviet on 13 Oct. acted as organised opposition. Order restored 3rd December in St Petersburg. Moscow 17th Dec

Question 4

Describe the role of Peasants in opposition 94 - 05

Answer 4

• Famine in 1898/9
• Revolts in 1902 and 1903 due to landlords increasing rent to exploitative levels
• June/July 1905 began to sieze land, grain and animals, refused to pay rents and taxes. Units in the largly peasant army mutinied when ordered to put down revolt
• October manifesto promised sufferage and halved redemption payments, Order took longer to restore, unrest in rural areas contiued into 1906

Question 5

Describe the role of Liberals in opposition 94 - 05

Answer 5

• Liberal organsations set up “All Zemstvo Organisation” and quickly banned
• Union of Union creaded on 8/9th May 1905 by Milyukov, demanded full civil and political rights. Split into 2 factions, Octobrists and Kadets

Question 6

Describe the role of SR’s in opposition 94 - 05

Answer 6

• Were very prevelent by assasinating 2000 government officials including Plehve
• Were a loose collective, never well-coordinated or centrally controlled
• Terrorised autocracy in 1905, assasinating the Tsar’s uncle Sergi. Building on this momentum they developed a full politcal programme in November 1905