Russia Topic 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Long term cause of revolution: police state 5

A

Police were given a lot of power to protect the tsar and government
Courts and police all served the tsarist autocracy not the people of Russia
Censorship to prevent the publication of radical ideas
Political opponents sent to Siberia or imprisoned
Secret police - Okhrana: infiltrated underground groups; kept watch on suspects and execute terrorists

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2
Q

Long term cause of revolution: 3

A

Nicholas did not know how to command others and had very few strong ideas
But strongly believed that he had divine power and that this must be handed onto his son- any attempt to take initiative by ministers was seen as an attempt to usurp his power.
Devoted to family particularly son Alexei who suffered from haemophilia - reliant on Rasputin which undermined his power

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3
Q

Long term cause of revolution: political 3

A

Nicholas ruled as an autocrat which meant there was no legal limit to his power
No parliament instead Nicholas was advised by hand-picked advisors (usually aristocrats or senior church leaders
Tsar controlled the army and the navy
If things went badly it was assumed the ministers had given bad advice

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4
Q

Grievances of the various social groups: Industrial workers

A

Industrialisation had only really begun in Russia in 1890s so had relatively few workers
Conditions in the factories were dangerous; working hours were long; pay was very low and the rules were harshly enforced
Housing shortage meant workers were forced to live in overcrowded, dirty barracks rife with diseases
The sudden growth of heavy industry had not allowed enough time to build appropriate infrastructure

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5
Q

Grievances of the various social groups: peasants

A

85% of population comprised of peasants
Population growth had led to more peasants who needed land but all were too poor to buy it
Famines in the 1890s killed 100,000s
People were shocked by how badly the famine was handled by the government - word famine was banned in newspapers
Overtaxed; desperate poverty; huge wealth divide

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6
Q

Grievances of the various social groups: middle class

A

Mostly liberals: wanted to have a constitution which guaranteed rights under a fair legal system and wanted a parliament
Feared the radicals who wanted to distribute wealth among the poor and violence that comes with great change

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7
Q

Grievances of the various social groups: Non-Russians

A

Of the 125 million people living in the Russian empire only 44% was of Russian nationality
Some other nationalities wanted independence as the empire always put Russia first
Policy of ‘Russification’- attempted to enforce Russian culture and language
Pogroms

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8
Q

Cause and effect of the Russo-Japanese War

A

Russia wanted control of a part of northern China called Manchuria as it had valuable resources such as coal and silver and (most importantly) an ice free port. However the Japanese also wanted Manchuria for similar reasons.

The Japanese easily defeated the Russians. This seemed very embarrassing for the Tsarist government who has hoped that this easy victory would stem the tide of revolution. Also the war was not very good for the economy.

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9
Q

Cause and effect of the Battle of Tsushima

A

The Battle of Tsushima ( 14-15 May 1905): Russians sent a Baltic fleet to East Asia to fight Japan after Manchuria.

3000 km of journey which took 7 weeks (starting in October 1904) they were attacked by the Japanese when sailing through the Tsushima strait.

As the Russian ships were older and less manoeuvrable and in bad conditions after the journey they were defeated by the Japanese a second time.
The Russians lost all their battleships and 5000 men were killed and 5000 men were captured.

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10
Q

Demands of the people on Bloody Sunday

A

factory workers and their families wanting 8h working days
the right to organise trade unions
a constitution guaranteeing these rights and other freedoms by law.

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11
Q

Who played a major role in Bloody Sunday

A

This was a massacre of unarmed protestors. The crowd, led by father Gapon and carrying icons of the Tsar, was brining a petition to the Tsar signed by 150000 people.

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12
Q

How did the Tsar and the soldiers respond to Bloody Sunday

A

It was a peaceful march but the protestors path was blocked by soldiers. The demonstrators started shouting abuse at the soldiers about military failure in Manchuria. In response the soldiers fired two warning shots and mounted Cossacks charged into the crowd attacking them with whips and swords. 100 men were killed and 100s wounded.

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13
Q

Consequence of Bloody Sunday

A

united people everywhere in anger and disgust at the Tsar, element of trust towards Tsar broken, caused huge resentment especially as the Tsar did not even read the petition at the Winter Palace and it was a peaceful protest
—> trigger for revolution

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14
Q

Events of the 1905 revolution: how did the workers and the peasants react?

A

1- From Bloody Sunday onwards there were strikes in the cities and riots in the countryside
Peasants rooted against landlords burning 3000 manor houses and sometimes killing landlords
Peasants created communes
The police found it hard to control and army could not deal with it as they were spread out too widely
Industrial workers used strikes to achieve aims, more than 400 000 workers went on strike in January 1905
From sept 20 - 2 Oct 1905 there was a general strike as workers from important industry e.g. railways went on strike
No railway = no transport resources = russia cannot function
Strikes liked workers together with liberals who wanted political reform so they united in a atonal strike supported by the middle class

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15
Q

What happened during the Potemkin Mutiny: Causes, events and the effects

A

Sailors face tough discipline and poor conditions + learn about socialism, also the majority of the officers were of the upper class and had complete control of the life of the sailors
Quartermaster Matyushenko organised a mutiny of the Black Sea fleet that would link up with the peasant families of russia to bring down the Tsar
The sailors refused to est maggot meat and an officer shot a leading mutineer which spark the Potemkin mutiny. What happened:
Officers were grabbed and thrown in the sea
They killed and attacked officers
They took control of the ship
They then sailed to Odessa where they were various demonstrations in favour of the mutiny and riots spread through the city, 1000 citizens were killed.

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16
Q

What was the significance of the St Petersburg Soviet in the 1905?

A

3 -The St. Petersburg Soviet workers’ council they lasted from September to December when the government shut them down
They were not responsible for the general strike as they were formed after
Important development as the idea of workers organising themselves into resistance and revolution suits was new
The chairperson was Trotsky

17
Q

What were the three main laws laid out by the October Manifesto?

A

The October Manifesto:
Fundamental civil freedoms: freedom of speech, conscience and personal inviolability
No law can come into force without approval from the State Duma and the representatives
All citizens will be guaranteed voting powers

18
Q

To what extent was the October Manifesto successful in reducing resentment among the population

A

Annoyed the workers as it did not improve their working conditions but the middle class stopped supporting their cause as they were satisfied by the political concessions made.

19
Q

What was the purpose of the Duma, the State Council and the Council of Ministers?

A

Duma: (elected lower chamber) the Tsar had the authority to disband the Duma, which he did in 190,1907 and 1917. The ‘electoral college’ system was designed in a way that favoured those with property and discriminated against workers and peasants.

The State Council: (the nominated and elected upper chamber): this checked the activity of the Dumas. The Duma had to seek approval of the State council over reforms before they could be considered by the Tsar.

The Council of Ministers: Main law-making and administrative body- with a Prime Minister (Witte). It provided the material for the upper and lower houses to debate. The Fundamental Laws allowed ministers to report directly to the /tsar when the two houses were in recess. - the Tsar could bypass the State Council and the Duma.

20
Q

Why did the Dumas not improve the levels of discontentment in Russia? 5

A

Heavy levels of police repression, forcing revolutionary parties underground or abroad
Heavy repression of factory workers e.g striking workers could be sacked
Stolypin’s repression in the countryside +actions of landlords kept peasants repressed
Rigged elections for 3rd/4th Duma angered Kadets + other left wing parties
All this keeps a lid on dissatisfaction but also increases it under the surface

21
Q

What was the impacts of the Fundamental Laws? 7

A

State council could block anything passed by the duma ½ of the state council members were chosen by the tsar and would vote how he wanted them to

Only Tsar could change the fundamental laws

Tsar had authority over important powers
Armed services
Foreign policies
Chose all government ministers

Could veto all Duma ministers

Could dissolve duma at any time but had to say when new duma would be elected

Under article 87 of fundamental laws, when duma not in operation h could pass any laws he thought necessary

This reduced almost all power the duma had to create change

22
Q

What were the 4 main reasons that the Tsar held on to power after the 1905 revolution?

A

The October Manifesto
Divided Opposition
Loyal Military
Harsh Repression

23
Q

How did the Divided Opposition keep the Tsar in power?

A
The October Manifesto split the alliance between groups that had formed during 1905 (workers and the middle class). The demands of the Middle Class had been fulfilled but it had done little to appease the workers or peasants. Without the middle class opposition was much weaker. 
Social Democrats- thought this showed that the peasants were not educated enough to carry out their own revolution and would need leadership from a strong revolutionary party- the Bolsheviks esp Lenin.
24
Q

How did the Loyalty of the Military keep the Tsar in power?

A

The majority of the armed forces stay loyal in 1905. These were used to deal with peasant and worker unrest. Nicholas got a large loan from France to help strengthen military at this point.

25
Q

How did Harsh Repression keep the Tsar in power?

A

In December 1905: leaders of Soviet St Petersburg were arrested after calling for more strikes and arguing that workers should defend themselves. In Moscow, Social Democrats attempted to organise an armed working-class revolution - more than 1000 people were killed by Tsarist troops.
Stolypin- prime minister and minister of interior gave army complete control of law and order everywhere in Russia
Newspapers shut down; trade unions closed; suspected revolutionaries were put in prison; army courts tried suspected with no lawyers to defend accursed
Over 1000 people have been executed in the courts 1906-07
In May, 1000s more were exiled to Siberia
Repression difficult in the countryside with 1000s of isolated settlements. Stolypin ordered troops to use extreme force to stop unrest. Bust peasant unrest continued until 1907

26
Q

What was the situation of the peasants prior to Stolypin’s Land Reforms?

A

Peasants and farmers in Russia had been organised in mirs (peasant communes) they elected their own officials and controlled local land distribution according to size of household and made taxes imposed on their members fairer.

27
Q

What did the ‘Wager on the Strong’ Solution propose?

A

If the peasants were supported by their own success, they would use new, more productive farming techniques to improve their profit.
This would increase food in circulation.
If the peasants were successful then they would stop rioting and support the government.
Encourage peasants to migrate to Siberia

28
Q

To what extent was Stolypin successful in his ‘Wager on the Strong’

A

May 1915: 14% of peasants working in enclosed farms
3.5 million peasants moved to Siberia from 1905-17

In reality many remained in the communes, working together as the land was not properly sectioned off

Aim to increase support failed as communes organised more unrest in 1917

29
Q

What changes did Stolypin make to the court system (1) and the electoral law(4)?

A

New court system:
Easier to arrest and convict political revolutionaries

Electoral Law Changes: (after 2nd Duma)
Excluded minorities and reduced the number of people who could vote in Poland, Siberia, the Caucasus and C. Asia.
Greater representation and power to nobility and landowners to the detriment of peasants.
In towns, those owning their own homes elected half the urban deputies.
In 1907, Stolypin introduced new electoral law - by passing the constitution and ensuring a right wing majority in the Duma.

30
Q

Extent of success: Stolypin’s ‘necktie’

A

From Ministry of the Interior: 288 killed and 383 wounded
October 1906: 3611 government officials of all ranks killed or wounded.
In the first six months: 1042 death sentences passed
3000 suspects convicted by special courts

31
Q

What were the consequences of the Lena Goldfield Strike (4)

A
  1. Massacre kick started a storm of protests throughout Russia. However strikes declined (1905 1000s - 1911 100s) due to repression.
  2. After massacre there were nearly 2000 strikes and 1000s of meetings in protest
  3. Duma organised an investigation into the massacre led by Alexander Kerensky
  4. The massacre showed that the reasons for discontent in Russia were still there as instead of better conditions and more freedom the Tsar and his government still had autocratic power and could use the army and police to crush opposition.
32
Q

Causes and events of the Lena Goldfields Strike

A

Working conditions for gold miners were terrible so one mining gang, in protest against the horsemeat they were fed, went on strike. This lead to strikes organised by the Bolsheviks which spread across the country.
Protesting
List of demands
When protestors approached troops 200-500 workers were killed and 100 wounded