Russia Pre-1917

Question 1

Difficulty to Govern

Answer 1

Russia took up 1/6th of the world
Had a population 125million, with over 20 different spoken languages

Question 2

No opposition to the tsar

Answer 2

Opposition parties had been banned

Question 3

Noble and middle class

Answer 3

A
Nobles formed 0.1% of the population but owned 25% of the land

Middle class (Bourgeoisie) began to emerge and they wanted a say

Question 4

Peasants and Workers

Answer 4

80% of the population Primitive farming methods and poor crops = famine and poor working conditions
Workers: long hours and low wages
Trade was banned, strikes banned

Question 5

Church

Answer 5

Russian orthodox, loyal supporters of royal family
Highly conservative

Question 6

Economic Developments

Answer 6

Slow pace of industrialisation compared with Europe
Infra-structure underdeveloped
Emancipation Decree 1861 - allowed peasants to buy land but too expensive

Question 7

1905 Revolution

Answer 7

Political reasons:
Lack of national assemblies and opposition to autocracy
Political groups lacked organisation.
Military Reasons: Russo-Japanese war. Massive losses - 25/30 warships lost.
Cossacks brutally put it down killing 200 people who were marching on the Palace