Political authority, government and Tsar Flashcards
How did Nicholas see himself as a ruler
Inadequate: “I know nothing of the business of ruling”
How did Nicholas Promise to Rule?
“As his father had done”
pledge - ‘maintain the principle of autocracy’
What evidence is there to suggest Nicholas ruled as his father had done?
1903- appointed reactionary ministers
What humiliating defeat did Russia suffer in 1905?
Russo-Japanese War
What was the effect of losing the 1905 Russo Japanese War?
- International humiliation
- Stirred up opposition to the Tsar
What were the Years of the Red Cockerel?
increased the hardship of peasants (Political and economic compounded by famine) 1903-1904 peasants
=> seized land in the countryside (not enough food being transported into cities) and Committed Arson
What happened in the events of bloody Sunday in 1905?
- Peaceful workers strike at Pulitov Works -> 200,000 Marchers Winter palace.
- Marching for better living and social conditions
- (Fearing revolution) Niki ordered Troops to fire on crowd–> 100 deaths
- ->More opposition to Tsar
What was significant about the petemkin?
-Naval Mutiny (due to poor living and working conditions)–> death of around 2000 people
What was the 1905 revolution?
wave of mass political and social unrest directed at the Tsar and ruling class
What were the causes of the 1905 revolution?
- defeat in Russo Japanese War
- Economic discontent: No income tax–> indirect taxation, redemption payments, low wages
- Social conditions: Famine & food shortages ie red cockerel , poor working and living conditions
- Bloody Sunday massacre
What was the effect of the 1905 revolution?
- August 6th- Forced Niki to Promise creation of state Duma
- >(Appeasement to negate Risk of revolution)
Did the Promise of a Duma satisfy the peasantry?
-No. E.g Printers strike in September
What was signed in October 1905
-The October manifesto
Why did Nicholas sign the October manifesto
-As a from of appeasement to stay popular
What were the clauses of the October Manifesto?
- Civil Liberties for All
- Creation of state Duma ( created new laws and elected by the people
- Redemption payments ended- no longer tied to land economically.
How can the October manifesto be viewed as a success?
- led to a temporary reduction in unrest
- Accommodated Liberals
How can the October manifesto be viewed a failure?
- Didn’t satisfy revolutionaries ( wanted socialist gov)
- uprisings still continued
- Only certain people could vote ( land amount) -> Not representative democracy
- Constituency bias to nobles
What did the fundamental Laws of April 1906 do?
-Niki gave himself new powers -> veto Duma Powers (Backtrack)
-
What happened just before the Fundamental Laws?
-Political parties were legislated for election
what were the terms of the Fundamental Laws (1906)?
- Reinstated Autocratic Power (rule by decree)
- Dismiss ministers
- Could dissolve Duma
What did the Fundamental laws show?
- Nicholas wanted to rule as a classical Monarch
- Duma had no real power
Why was the first Duma dismissed by Nicholas?
- Dominated by Radicals –> Demanded radical constitutional change
- Passed Two ‘votes of no confidence’ in gov and Niki
Why was the second Duma dissolved?
- PM (Stolypin) wanted to increase the number of Octoberists.(opposing Tsarists policies)
- leading radicals were exiled
What was the failure of the third Duma?
- Stolypin emergency Law: reduce representation of peasants
- Still disputed Tsar (wanted no peasant representation) –> dissolved
Why was the 4th Duma a failure?
-Suspended in 1915 for demanding more power
