pp 4 q5

Question 1

How important was Russification as an aspect of Tsarist rule in Russia up to 1914? 6

Answer 1

1. Over 200 different nationalities and ethnic groups in Russian Empire;
   -2. diversity in religion, language and culture;
2. forced policy of Russification brought
   widespread dissatisfaction;
3. Finland and Poland demanded regional
   independence;
4. growth of nationalism;
5. regions began to ignore Russification policies and form opposition groups,

Question 2

What was more important than Russification as an aspect of Tsarist rule in Russia
up to 1914? 11

Answer 2

1. 1904–05 Russo-Japanese War saw military defeats and socio-economic effects in cities and countryside;
   -2. sparked off Bloody Sunday incident;
2. land issue for peasants remained unsolved - peasants demanded more, better quality land to farm;
3. development of industry led to rapid urban
   growth – poor living and working conditions and low wages;
4. formation of trade unions and radical parties that represented workers; lack of middle-class representation;
5. failure of October Manifesto to deliver promised reforms;
6. Stolypin’s reforms targeted mainly agriculture; only kulaks benefitted;
7. demand for political reform and constitutionalism;
8. 1905 Revolution – widespread
   sporadic riots and uprisings;
9. use of terror and force to crush opponents –
   army and Okhrana unpopular;
   -11closure of Petrograd Soviet

Question 3

ow important was the 1905 Revolution in weakening the Tsarist system of government to 1914? 6

Answer 3

1.1905 Revolution saw mass riots, demonstrations and strikes across Russia after Bloody Sunday demonstrations;

2. popular revolution and spontaneous; contained peasants, workers, and middle-class liberals;
3. led to October Manifesto which brought limited democracy and representation to Russia;
4. parties and trade unions were legalised;
5. new Duma set up in 1906;
6. basic civil rights established which weakened autocracy

Question 4

How unimportant was the 1905 Revolution in weakening the Tsarist system of government to 1914? 4

Answer 4

1. 1905 Revolution did not have a united opposition;
   -2. some liberals were appeased by October Manifesto which split the opposition and allowed Tsar to restore control;
2. Duma’s powers effectively reduced to nothing by the 1906 Fundamental Laws;
3. Tsar used army returning from the Russo-Japanese War to crush riots in countryside and strikes in cities

Question 5

what was more important than the 1905 Revolution in weakening the Tsarist system of government to 1914? 3

Answer 5

1. Stolypin’s reforms did not help solve land issue for poorer peasants;
2. workers still had poor wages and living and working conditions did not improve

-3. leading to greater support for radical left-wing groups such as Bolsheviks, Mensheviks and SRs

Question 6

How important was Lenin in causing the downfall of the Provisional Government? 6.

Answer 6

1. Lenin led Bolsheviks in exile and was mastermind behind Marxist–Leninist ideology which formed backbone of the Party;
2. Lenin’s April Theses promised ‘peace, bread, land’ and ‘all power to the soviets’;
3. against Provisional Government and the war;
4. Bolshevik agitation – led to July Days
   demonstrations (though Lenin did not support this);
5. Lenin convinces other Bolshevik leaders to overthrow Provisional Government in November;
6. seizure of power

Question 7

How unimportant was Lenin in causing the downfall of the Provisional Government and what was more important? 9

Answer 7

1. Lenin forced into exile numerous times so had limited impact on Bolsheviks;

more significant –

1. First World War and continued socio-economic problems – food and fuel shortages and inflation;
2. land issue not solved by Provisional Government;
3. no Constituent Assembly until after the war;
4. June Offensive ordered by Kerensky a huge failure;
5. Bolshevik Red Guard used to stop Kornilov’s attempted coup;
6. Bolshevik control of Petrograd and Moscow Soviets by September 1917;
7. role of Trotsky as Chairman of Petrograd Soviet;
   -9. Soviet Order No.1 gave them control of Petrograd Garrison, army, communications and allowed
   soldiers’ and sailors’ representatives to be elected to the soviets,

Question 8

How important was the demand for political reform as a reason for the March 1917 Revolution? 7

Answer 8

1. Middle-class and liberals demanded greater representation and a constitutional monarchy;
2. Tsar limited the membership of the third Duma and then dissolved it during the war
   – 3. this led to many liberals supporting the March Revolution and the abdication of the Tsar;
3. many workers demanded a socialist style government and formed soviets;
4. SRs wanted a peasant based socialist society;
5. Marxists (Bolsheviks and Mensheviks) wanted a workers’ revolution and a communist style government;
6. united in their opposition to tsarist autocracy in the March Revolution of 1917

Question 9

what was more important than the demand for political reform as a reason for the March 1917 Revolution?

Answer 9

1. First World War had led to large casualties for Russia (at least 1.8 million soldiers killed on the front);
2. increased desertions and mutinies in the Russian army on the Eastern Front
   –3. many soldiers formed committees and refused to follow the orders of their officers;
3. peasants’ land issue unsolved – peasants demanded land reform;
4. war had caused massive shortages of food and fuel in cities;
5. peasants hoarded grain and this led to inflation;
6. bread rationing in big cities like Moscow and St Petersburg;
7. Tsar’s actions – 1915 assumed command of the army – he was now blamed for military defeats;
8. left Tsarina and Rasputin in charge, alienating the government ministers and the nobility

Question 10

How important was political reform to the survival of the Tsarist regime between 1905 and 1914? 3

Answer 10

1. October Manifesto guaranteed certain basic rights and freedoms;
2. allowed for the setting up of a Duma and the legalisation of political parties;
3. subdued the liberals and middle-class opposition and divided opponents after 1905 Revolution,

Question 11

How unimportant was political reform to the survival of the Tsarist regime between 1905 and 1914 and what was more important? 7

Answer 11

1. Autocracy still survived in the form of the Fundamental Laws in 1906;

more important:

2. Stolypin’s economic reforms; peasants’ land bank allowed kulaks to grow in number
   – 3. could purchase their own land;
3. industrial growth between 1908–11 appeased capitalist class;
4. repression more important – Stolypin’s neck tie;
   -6 use of army and Okhrana;
5. WWI

Question 12

How important was war as a reason for the collapse of the Tsarist regime in 1917?

Answer 12

1.The Russo-Japanese War weakened Tsarist autocracy;
-2. it led to the 1905 Revolution and the October Manifesto;

3.there were calls for reform;

4.WW1 and its massive losses;

5. the Tsar’s personal command of the army which
   was disastrous;
6. mutiny;

7.shortages,

Question 13

How unimportant was war as a reason for the collapse of the Tsarist regime in 1917 & wat was more important? 8

Answer 13

1. Autocracy was out of date;
2. living and working conditions in towns and cities;
3. the land issue for peasants;
4. the role of the Tsarina and Rasputin;
5. political opposition;
   -6. calls for a Duma;
   -7. workers’ councils;
   -8. liberal and radical opposition,

Question 14

How important were economic problems in causing disturbances in Russia up to 1917? 8

Answer 14

1.Peasant land issue – peasants demanded land from nobility
-2. leading to riots and land grabbing;

3. working conditions in factories and mills
   –4. low wages and long hours
   -5. led to growth in revolutionary parties like Bolsheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries;
4. shortages in wartime
   – 7 food and fuel;
   -8. inflation,

Question 15

What was more important than economic problems in causing disturbances in Russia up to 1917? 8

Answer 15

1. Tsarist autocracy and repression;
   -2. use of Okhrana;
   -3. Stolypin’s repression – necktie;
2. 1904–1905 Russo-Japanese War;
   -5. Bloody Sunday;
3. calls for constitutional reforms by liberals in 1905 Revolution;
4. World War I and military defeats;
5. Tsar’s personal command of army, 1915