Stability in Russia by 1914

Question 1

What criteria do we judge stability by?

Answer 1

• Long-term impact
• Widespread support/ positive impact
• Improvement from previous situation
• Impact on peasantry

Question 2

How was the Russian economy strong by 1914?

Answer 2

• Reforms saw massive growth (50%) in national income
• Russian industry experienced a growth rate of 8.5% from 1908-1913
• Wager on the Strong resulted in 134,500 independent farms by 1913
• By 1914 Russia was the fifth largest industrial power in the world

Question 3

How was the Russian economy weak by 1914?

Answer 3

• 4/5 of the population were still peasants
• Industrialisation still lagged behind western powers. Only 30% of Russian production was industrial in comparison to 75% in the UK

Counter Judgement: Russian economy had still undergone massive growth from where it was at the beginning of Nicholas’ reign. It only appears less impressive in comparison to foreign powers but incredible progress is undeniable

Question 4

How was the Russian social situation strong by 1914?

Answer 4

• Spending in schools rose from 1.8%-4.2% between 1907-1912
• There was a 77% growth rate in number of pupils in school
• This was reflected in the literacy rate rising from under 30% in 1900 to over 40% by 1914
• This shows that the education system was being invested into to produce an educated future workforce that could drive industrialisation helping Russia further modernise ( could not before due to diminutive middle class making up only 1.5% of the population)

Counter sk: Still less than half could read

Question 5

How was the Russian social situation weak by 1914?

Answer 5

Standard of living remained poor and arguably worsened due to increasing urbanisation as a result of industrialisation
- Workers lacked effective trade unions
- Inflation soared by 40% while wages only rose from 245-264 roubles a month
- Conditions in factories were grim, worker frustration culminated in the 1912 Lena Goldfields Massacre where 500 were killed for protesting the poor conditions in the gold mines
- Squalid living conditions - overcrowded, barrack like, inadequate sanitation reflected in 1910 St Petersburg cholera outbreak where over 10,000 died

Overall judgement: Only improved lives for a minority of the population and even then only in terms of education

Question 6

How was the Russian political situation strong by 1914?

Answer 6

• Duma of elected representatives provided forum for debate about legislation and policies whilst giving the ordinary people representation
• Zemstva were able to implement local policies and have wider impact on improving healthcare system
• Revolutionaries still lacked much support by this point, Lenin, the leader of the Bolsheviks still being exiled in Siberia
• Fundamental Laws 1906 asserted Tsar’s autocratic power but Duma were able to have some impact on legislation the 3rd Duma passing 2,200 out of 2,500 laws

Question 7

How was the Russian social situation weak by 1914?

Answer 7

• Zemstva and Duma were very unrepresentative. Zemstva made up of well-to-do intellectuals and the Duma consisting mostly of Octobrists and Gentry as elections were rigged by the 3rd Duma
• 1914 was 2 years into the 4th Duma which was widely considered useless by both left wing groups and government (Chief Minister Kokovstov saying “thank God we have no parliament”)
• Growing discontent due to lack of real representation

Counter Judgement: Still moderately stable as extremists lacked enough support for successful revolutionary action - wasn’t until the events of WW1 that the Russian political climate became seriously unstable