Point 2 - Urban Conditions and Inflation Made Town Workers Discontent Flashcards
What were living conditions like in the cities?
Very poor, with workers living in overcrowded barracks and slums.
Why were living conditions so poor in the cities?
Because many Russian cities had grown so quickly in the years before World War One. For example, Petrograd (now St. Petersburg) almost tripled in size between 1881 and 1917.
What happened to Moscow?
Moscow, which became the capital city in 1918, more than doubled in size during the same period from 1881 to 1917.
Why did the tsar’s police and the army make matters worse in the cities?
The police made it difficult for workers to form trade unions to campaign for better wages and working conditions. Soldiers were often sent to end strikes or put down unrest among the workers. Therefore, even strikes about pay and working conditions could easily turn into a confrontation between workers and the tsar’s government.
How did the war add to urban worker’s problems?
Inflation meant that prices went up faster than wages. Between 1914 and 1917, average wages went up by 200 per cent but the price of food and fuel went up by 400 per cent. In other words, the living standard for workers was cut in half. Also, there were food shortages so workers were hungry.
