Stolypin

Question 1

In what years was Stolypin Prime Minister?

Answer 1

1906-1911

Question 2

Which Russian province had Stolypin previously been governor of? Why is this significant?

Answer 2

Saratov. He was known for his efficient repression in one of Russia’s most unruly provinces.

Question 3

Identify 6 features of Stolypin’s court marshals.

Answer 3

1. The accused were tried by a panel of 5 army officers.
2. Cases were tried within 24 hours of the crime being committed.
3. Trials were held in secret
4. The accused was not permitted legal representation.
5. Trials lasted for a maximum of days.
6. No appeals were allowed.

Question 4

Why did Stolypin declare a sate of emergency in August 1906?

Answer 4

Widespread peasant unrest in rural Russia

Question 5

What did the hangman’s noose become known as under Stolypin?

Answer 5

Stolypin’s necktie.

Question 6

Why were ‘The Black Hundreds’ important?

Answer 6

They were a pro-autocracy political movement which were important in supporting the regime.
They often resorted to illegality and violence to protest against those they saw as ‘subersive’, mostly Poles, Jews and The Intelligentsia.
They believed that blaming Russia’s problems on these groups (particularly The Jews) would deflect attention from The Tsar.

Question 7

Give a statistic to illustrate the extent of censorship under Stolypin.

Answer 7

Between 1906-1912, 1,000 newspapers were forced to close.

Question 8

Identify 4 different elements of Stolypin’s agricultural reforms.

Answer 8

• In November 1906 he freed peasants from the control of the commune, meaning that they no longer needed permission in order to leave.
• In January 1907, redemption payments were abolished.
• The rules governing the peasants land bank, set up by Bunge in 1882, were relaxed to allow enterprising peasants to borrow money at favourable rates to buy more land.
• In June 1910, communes which had not distributed land since 1861 were shut down.

Question 9

Why did Stolypin implement agricultural reform?

Answer 9

He assumed that peasants who owned their own separate farms would be strongly attached to the Conservative principle of private property, and would therefore be hostile to socialist calls for communal land ownership.
*Increased agricultural production would enable grain surpluses to be exported and generate capital which could be invested in industry. It would also ensure that growing industrial towns were fed, and prevent outbreaks of unrest caused in the towns by high food prices.