Political Authority In Action Flashcards
What is the definition of Russification
Forcing Everyone within the Russian empire to think of themselves as Russian by enforcing the Russian language and culture
Define a pogrom
An old Russian word used which means “round up”. It gained the special connection of an attack on Jews
Why were there problems with the ethnic minorities
Russia was a multi nation empire inhabited by over 100 different ethnic groups.
This caused a challenge to the tsarist autocracy particularly in the development of national ideology ( a belief of strength on ones own country language and tradition) this provoked ethic groups to assert their distinctive identities.
How did the ethnic groups try to oppose Russia’s nation ideology
- polish nationalism brought rebellion in 1830
- 1840 a Finnish language pressure group
- in the Ukraine the secret ‘brotherhood of saints Cyril and Methodius’ provoked a national consciousness that sought to separate Ukrainian Slavs from Russian counterparts
- polish rebellion in 1863 where more than 20000 poles had joined in creating and underground national government for Poland
How did Alexander II deal with ethnic minority’s
Swiftly and strongly
He sent his brother Konstantin to deal with the Rebels of Poland in 63.
He did not engage in systematic persecution of racial minorities. He allowed the Latvians and Estonians to revert back to Lutheranism and maintained good relationships with Finnish people.
How was Russification under Alexander III imposed on different areas of Russia
And in general
-destruction of non Russian national cultures was particular marked in Poland and Finland
-IN FINLAND use of the Russian language was demanded and independence postal service was
abolished
-IN POLAND the polish national bank was closed in 1885. And in schools all subjects had to be tAught in Russia expect the polish language. Catholic monasteries were closed down and the influence of catholic priests were curbed.
- BALTIC GERMANS between the 1855 and 1889 measures were introduced to enforce the use of Russian in all state officers, elementary and secondary schools, the police force and the judiciary system. The German university of Dorpar was Russified
-UKRAINE laws limited the use of Ukraine langaye in 1883 and all the theatres in the Ukrainian provinces were closed. The army was all conducting in Russian.
-SIBERIA attempt at Russification
In general
- laws benefited those of orthodox faith. 37,000 Lutherans converted to the orthodoxy to take advantage of the special measures
- any attempt to convert someone of the Orthodox Church to another faith was made punishable by exile to Siberia.
How did ethnic minorities reject against Russification
-June 1888 police estimated 332 cases of mass disturbance in 61/92 provinces and districts.
- Russification also caused problems for the more educated and wealthy Finns poles and Baltic Germans in the west empire.
- some ethnic schools ( particularly in Poland) rebelled and survived
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Why did people support Russification
They genuinely believed it was for the greater good of Russia and was necessary to unite the country and to reassert Russian strength.
How many Jews were in the Russian empire and were did most of them confine
Five million
Confined in an area known as “pale of statement” Only a limited amount of Jews were allowed to live outside of the pale
What were the anti Jewish pogroms in 1991-84
The pale made the Jews readily targets for the anti Jew pogroms. They used the excuse that the Jews were involved in the assassination of Alexander II to stir up trouble and the governing authorities did little to curb the violence.
The riots spread causing many Jews to flee across the boarder into Western European.
16 major cities were effected with Jewish property burnt shops and businesses destroyed and many incidents of rape and murder.
What were the anti Semitic legalisation 1882-94
Why might this be
82- 14 Jews to shut down heir businesses
86- Jews can only sell alcohol in their own home or on personal property
87-Jews who graduated from uni outside of Russia’s qualification were only classed in the pale
87- the number of Jews admitted to schools and unis was regulated by quotas
89- any Jewish lawyer who wanted to become a barrister has to have consent of the minister of justice
92-Jews were banned from participating in local elections and from the right to be elected in town Dumas
93- illegal for Jews to adopt a Christian name
94- Jews are no longer allowed the license to sell alcohol
The Russia’s saw the Jews as a threat due to their wealth and money lending.
What did this lead the Jews into doing
Deporting from Russia and turn towards revolutionary groups and in particular Marxist social organisations.
What is the definition of anti Semitic
Being prejudiced against and persecuting Jews who were known as ‘semantic’ as they descended from people who spoke the “Semitic language”
