'State of the Empire' report

Question 1

How did the rest of the world view Russia’s political system?

Answer 1

Absolute autocracy viewed as backwards.

Question 2

How bureaucratic was the Russian govt?

Answer 2

Tradition of immense bureaucracy since 1775, Catherine the Great.

Question 3

How many more officials were there in 1905 than 1861?

Answer 3

4 times more.

Question 4

What happened in the Russo-Japanese War?

Answer 4

Military disaster, proving the ineffectiveness of Russia Army.

Question 5

What did the 1905 October manifesto promise?

Answer 5

Creation of elected Duma, ended the crisis as govt decisive and in control.

Question 6

What power did the Duma have?

Answer 6

None really, it could be overriden by the Tsar and only had power to reject parts of the state budget.

Question 7

Who was Stolypin?

Answer 7

Prime Minister 1906-11, was assassinated, led reforms trying to build support of the elites and peasants but ended up dissatisfying both.

Question 8

Who supported the govt from 1911?

Answer 8

Only the far right, govt lost support of new elite and many traditional supporters.

Question 9

Who were the People’s Will and what did they do?

Answer 9

They were a terrorist group who assassinated Nicholas II’s predecessor, Alexander II in 1881. This led to systematic discrimination of non-Russian nationalities, particularly Jews, harsher censorship, stronger nationalist groups.

Question 10

What social movements began in opposition to govt?

Answer 10

Most significantly liberalism, nationalism, and socialism. As illegal underground parties.

Question 11

What did liberals want?

Answer 11

Basic civil and political rights for everyone - favoured democracy (with constitutional monarchy), 4-tail suffrage.

Question 12

What did socialists want?

Answer 12

Championed the demands of the working class - mostly economic wants, shorter working day, higher wages, improved working conditions.

Question 13

What did nationalists want?

Answer 13

Defended the rights of the non-Russian inhabitants - Russians only 45% of population, end systematic Russification, movements grouped together.

Question 14

What was the Socialist Revolutionary Party?

Answer 14

Formed in 1900, attempted to imitate the People’s Will in policy and terrorism.

Question 15

What were the results of heavy censorship?

Answer 15

Reformists have to act underground, driving activism to extremism.

Question 16

What did the 1905 revolution show?

Answer 16

An increase in resistance from below, and decrease in power from above.

Question 17

What happened in the 1905 revolution?

Answer 17

Bloody Sunday breaks the typical belief of Tsar as people’s protector, wave of strikes, largest in Russian history, not radical or anti-autocratic.

Question 18

How did the population change from 1815 to 1914?

Answer 18

Quadrupled from 40 million to 165 million.

Question 19

What was Russian diversity like?

Answer 19

Wide variety of peoples, languages, religion, races - multinational empire with 194 ethnic groups, issues with ruling a disperse and diverse people.

Question 20

What percentage of the population were peasants in 1913?

Answer 20

82%, small proletariat and bourgeoisie.

Question 21

What percentage of the population were peasants in 1859?

Answer 21

94%, very low life expectancy.

Question 22

When were there judicial reforms and what did they do?

Answer 22

1864 - open courts, jury trials, but still limited authority.

Question 23

What was surplus agriculture used for?

Answer 23

Initially to pay feudal dues and taxes, later placed on the open market.

Question 24

What was the importance of the commune?

Answer 24

Monument of working class democracy, core of populism ideology.

Question 25

What did the Emancipation Act do?

Answer 25

Changed the legal and economic relationship between serfs, nobility, and govt. Serfs legally free, 3 stages, had to overpay for their land.

Question 26

Why did the peasants have demands for more land?

Answer 26

Their average allotment declined by nearly half.

Question 27

What social effect did urbanisation have on towns?

Answer 27

Increased industrial workforce and number of wage-earners, slow growth of working class, merchantry and intelligentsia.

Question 28

What class were the leaders of the revolutionary movements from?

Answer 28

Mostly the dissident members of the intelligentsia.

Question 29

What war highlighted Russia’s industrial backwardness?

Answer 29

Crimean War 1853-656.

Question 30

How did most of Russia live?

Answer 30

In extreme poverty, holding very conservative views.

Question 31

What percentage of govt revenue did the Army take up in 1850?

Answer 31

40-50%, remaining in full strength even during peace time.

Question 32

Who led the modernisation process?

Answer 32

Sergei Witte, mostly focused on production of Trans-Siberian railway.

Question 33

What was their industrial growth relative to other countries?

Answer 33

It wasn’t any better than the major industrial powers.

Question 34

Why did living standards decrease?

Answer 34

Modernisation process included high taxes to fund military/industry.

Question 35

What industry did the government focus on?

Answer 35

Heavy. Leaving a lack of consumer and domestic industry goods.

Question 36

What happened to the importance of cash over time?

Answer 36

Became more important, with more wage-earning.

Question 37

How was government revenue mostly raised?

Answer 37

High tariffs, taxes, borrowing, and grain export.

Question 38

What also increased as foreign capital investment increased?

Answer 38

Debt.

Question 39

What rates did industry grow at?

Answer 39

Over 6% p.a. 1885-1913 except 1900-06 stagnation.

Question 40

Did agricultural productivity increase?

Answer 40

There were nominal and real increase in productivity, with more being placed on the internal market and external export market.

Question 41

What is some political advice for Nicholas II?

Answer 41

Give more power to the Duma, reduce size of bureaucracy, reduce censorship, disband strikes without violence, end systematic Russification, transition to constitutional monarchy, beware of SRs and Soviets, introduce labour laws (minimum wage/working conditions)

Question 42

What is some advice for Nicholas II for social policy?

Answer 42

Continue urbanisation, will help increase working class, deal with emancipation act failures, work with intelligentsia.

Question 43

What are some economic policy suggestions for Nicholas II?

Answer 43

Continue modernisation, decrease taxes and spending, focus less on heavy industry and more on consumer goods and domestic industry, increase international trade and incentives.