Pillars of Autocracy Essay Flashcards
Background Sentences
When Tsar Nicolas II came into power in 1894, he was unsuited to leadership, as he was untrained, unprepared and was deeply devoted to his family.
Whilst the Empire was an autocracy before 1905 and the Tsar was given so much power and responsibility within the Empire, he still continued to put his family’s needs before the Empire.
Factors
The Army, the Okhrana and the Russian Orthodox Church
The Army
How many men were a part of the army?
The Russian army was very large in numbers, it was made up of over one million men.
The Army
Who was in control of the army?
The Army was controlled by officers who were mainly upper class and therefore conservative and loyal to the Tsar.
The Army
Who was in the army?
Most of the soldiers within the army were peasants themselves, but had been taught to be loyal to the Tsar.
The Army - Analysis
The peasants who had become soldiers could set an example for the rest of the peasants on how to act within Russia and how if they were to support the Tsar, they could improve their position within society and could no longer be a part of the lower class.
The Army - Analysis +
The army had become corrupt as the men at the top came from the upper class and weren’t trained or had earned their place within the army as they used their background and wealth to get them ahead within the army in hopes of gaining more power.
The Okhrana
What was one of the powers that came with being in the Okhrana?
The Okhrana had the power to arrest and torture anyone they suspected without trial.
The Okhrana
What would the Okhrana do with revolutionary groups?
The Okhrana would work undercover, infiltrating revolutionary groups.
The Okhrana
What did the Okhrana do to show their hatred towards Jews?
The Okhrana even produced materials such as Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, an anti-semitic book.
The Okhrana - Analysis
They had no legal limit to their power so did whatever it took to keep the Tsar safe which caused people to fear being arrested so they decided that they wouldn’t challenge the Tsar’s authority and would withhold any opinions they had on the Tsar in fear of being hurt or worse, murdered.
The Okhrana - Analysis +
The Okhrana only had about 10,000 members to control 125 million people. This meant that it was nearly impossible for the Okhrana to have complete control over Russia, as there was so much more of the population that weren’t a part of the Okhrana and could potentially be against the Tsar and his rulings.
The Russian Orthodox Church
What was the Tsar role within the Church?
The Tsar was the head of the Orthodox Church. Official Church doctrine stated that the Tsar was appointed by God and referred to the Tsar as ‘Little Father’.
The Russian Orthodox Church
Who did the illiterate rely on for information about the Tsar and God?
Most of the Russian population was illiterate and had to rely on what they were told by the Church. It was their only source of education and they tended to believe the teachings of the priests.
The Russian Orthodox Church
How did the Church help support the Tsar?
The Church was very influential among the largely peasant population. Priests explained to their followers that Russia was God’s land and that he intended for life to be as the peasants found it.
