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A-Level History - Tsarist and Communist Russia > The collapse of autocracy, 1894–1917 - Revision guide > Flashcards

The collapse of autocracy, 1894–1917 - Revision guide Flashcards

1
Q

What did Nicolas II admit when he came to the throne in September 1894

A

“What is going to happen to me and all of Russia? I am not prepared to be a Tsar. I never wanted to become one. I know nothing of the business of ruling.”

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2
Q

How was Nicolas II determined to rule

A

‘As his father had done’

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3
Q

Why was Nicolas II an unsuitable King

A

He was indecisive and incapable of making firm decisions or providing direction.

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4
Q

What did Nicolas II rely on to deal with challenges to his authority

A

The Okhrana and the army

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5
Q

Why did unrest in Russia increase in during the start of Nicolas II’s reign

A

The government appeared to offer no prospect of change.

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6
Q

What mistake did the Tsar make in 1903

A

Fired Witte, his most accomplished minister, leaving him surrounded with reactionary ministers.

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7
Q

How did peasants react to the lack of change and suffering of land hunger

A

Increase in unrest, burned down landowners barns and seized woodland and pasture

‘Years of the red cockerel’

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8
Q

How did industrial workers react to the lack of prospect change

A

Created illegal unions and became involved in strikes

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9
Q

When and by who was the first official union formed, and why was it allowed

A

Father Gapon created a union in St Petersburg, 1904, and it was created to prevent workers joining the radical socialists.

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10
Q

How did the Russo-Japanese War begin

A

Japanese attacked the Russian naval base at Port Arthur

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11
Q

Who was Plehve and what did he call for after the Japanese attack

A

Minister for Internal Affairs, called for a ‘short, swift, victorious war to stem the tide of revolution’

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12
Q

What were some significant losses for the Russians during the Russo-Japanese War

A

Battle of Mukden in March 1905, 90,000 dead

Battle of Tsushima in May 1905, 24/27 of the ships in the Russian fleet were sank

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13
Q

Describe the strikes at the Putilov works in St Petersburg

A

3rd Jan 1905, soon involved 150,000 workers

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14
Q

Describe Bloody Sunday

A

9th January 1905
Father Gapon led a peaceful march of 20,000 to the Winter Palace with a list of demands for the Tsar, who instead opened fire on the crowd, killing 200
Symptom of conditions not a cause of them

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15
Q

Who was assassinated on the 4th February 1905

A

Tsar’s Uncle and Grand Duke of Moscow, Sergei Alexandrovich

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16
Q

Describe the mutiny on the battleship Potemkin

A

June 1905, naval mutiny on the battleship. In Odessa, the authorities tried to disperse the crowds, killing 2000

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17
Q

What union was created in March 1905 and why was it significant?

A

All Russian Union of Railway Workers was established and soviets of elected factory workers were formed to coordinate strikes

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18
Q

What evidences increasing opposition from the peasants in 1905

A

Peasants rioted and created a ‘Peasants Union’ in August 1905

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19
Q

What events occurred in September and October increasing tensions in Russia to unseen highs

A

On the 23rd September a printers strike in Moscow spread around St Petersburg and other cities , and a general strike was created in October

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20
Q

What evidence demonstrates Russia being near to collapse in October 1905

A

Strikes in the cities and peasant uprisings in the country

Workers set up the St Petersburg Soviet to organise a general strike, which began in October

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21
Q

What was the October Manifesto and what did it promise

A

October 17th 1905
Promised civil liberties such as freedom of speech, and a State Duma elected by universal suffrage.

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22
Q

What was the impact of the October Manifesto

A

Split the opposition
Liberals such as the Kadets and Octobrists accepted the manifesto, radicals such as the SR’s and Bolsheviks rejected it.
SRs and SDs continued to get support in the cities and peasant uprisings continued in the country.

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23
Q

How did the Tsar recover his authority by the end of 1905

A

November and December raided the headquarters of the soviets in St Pete and Moscow. Leaders were arrested.

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24
Q

Peter Struve, (a liberal) , quote

A

‘Thank god for the Tsar for he has saved us from the people’

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25
Q

Describe the Fundamental Laws

A

April 1906, asserted Tsars role has an autocratic monarch, demonstrating that he had no desire to become a constitutional monarch.

E.g. claimed his right to ‘exercise supreme autocratic power’

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26
Q

Describe the First Duma

A

May-June 1906
Dominated by kadets and radicals seeking constitutional change.
Passed a vote of no confidence in the government and was dissolved.

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27
Q

Describe the Second Duma

A

Feb-June 1907
Stolypin (new pm) engineered elections to increase number of octobrists
Bolshevik and SD participation increased amount of radicals
Opposed most of the Tsarist proposals.
Dissolved after Stolypin spread a story about an SD plot to assassinate the Tsar and leading radicals were exiled.

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28
Q

Describe the Third Duma

A

November 1907-June 1912
Stolypin introduced an emergency law to reduce worker and peasant representation
Octobrists and rightists won majority of seats and Duma was more compliant (but was still suspended twice)
Completed its full term had no clear control over government or proposals.

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29
Q

Describe the Fourth Duma

A

November 1912-1917
Right and left wings could not cooperate and the Duma was increasingly ignored.
Voted for war credits in 1914 but was suspended in 1915 after demanding more power.

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30
Q

Who was Minister of Finance between 1862-1878

AL2 DONT BOTHER

A

Mikhail Von Reutern

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31
Q

What were some of Von Reutern’s key reforms

AL2 DONT BOTHER

A

Believed the government must direct economic change due to a lack of a middle class in Russia
E.G. Credit facilities made available through the establishment of banks
Guaranteed minimum dividends for foreign direct investment

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32
Q

Strengths of Von Reutern’s reforms

AL2 DONT BOTHER

A

Increase in FDI e.g. Hughesovka, producing 74% of Russian iron in 1913
Expansion of industry e.g. cotton and mining

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33
Q

Weaknesses of Von Reutern’s reforms

AL2 DONT BOTHER

A
  • Majority of profits went to debt repayment
  • Currency was unstable
  • Labour was still largely immobile
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34
Q

Describe briefly the term of Nikolai Bunge as Finance Minister

A

1881-87, attempted to modernise the Russian economy
Founded the peasants land bank and the Nobles Land Bank
Introduced first Russian labour laws
Forced out by conservatives

35
Q

Describe the term of Ivan Vyshnegradsky as Finance Minister

A

1887-92, ‘we ourselves shall not eat but we shall export’
Aimed to rapidly build up industry
E.g. increased import tariffs by as much as 30% to promote home production.

36
Q

What was the result of Vyshnegradsky’s reforms

A

1881-1891 exports increased by 18% (as a percentage of total exports)
Contributed to the famine of 1891-92, 400,000 dead

37
Q

Describe Sergei Witte’s term as Finance Minister

A

1892-1903
Interest rates raised to encourage foreign loans
Achieved expansion of the railway network (62,000km in 1914, 2nd most itw)
New rouble backed by the value of gold was issued in 1897, increasing business confidence

38
Q

Describe ‘the great spurt’

A

By 1900, Russia’s industrial economy had progressed more in the last decade than the previous century
Moscow grew from 1m to 2m 1890-1914

39
Q

What was the growth rate of the Russian economy between 1892 and 1914

A

8% - Witte believed industrialisation was key to curbing revolutionary unrest so pushed for growth.

40
Q

Describe how the development of railway enhanced growth

A

21,000km,1881 - 62,000km, 1914
Trans-Siberian railway (1891-1916) linked European Russia with the East Asia
Stimulated heavy industry, reduced transport costs for manufacturers and provided government revenue

41
Q

Describe industrial growth during the period 1880-1914

A

Dependent on foreign investment which increased tenfold between 1880 and 1900
By 1914, Russia was the 5th largest industrial power

42
Q

Describe agricultural policy under Stolypin and pm and minister for the interior 1906 -1911

A

Believed radical reform was necessary to prevent further peasant unrest
Wanted to increase individual peasant ownership to create a kulak class loyal to the Tsar.
Collective ownership abolished 1906
Redemption payments abolished in 1907, as promised in 1905
New peasant land bank created

43
Q

Describe the successes of agricultural policy under Stolypin and pm and minister for the interior 1906-1911

A

Peasant ownership of land increased from 20% in 1905 to 50% in 1915
By 1909 Russia was the world’s’ largest cereal exporter
End of redemption payments meant increased labour mobility and boosting industrial labour supply

44
Q

Describe the failures of agricultural policy under Stolypin, pm and minister for the interior 1906-1911

A

Stolypin’s reforms didn’t address the key issue - the redistribution of land held by the nobility who retained 50% of land, and land hunger remained
Kulaks meant many peasants left landless
In 1914, 90% of peasant farms were still based on scattered strips. They were still reluctant to change their methods

45
Q

How did industrialisation change Russia

A

Strengthened economy but brought social change which proved detrimental to the Tsarist regime. A new middle class and working class emerged.

46
Q

Why were the new emerging middle class likely to be opponenets of the regime

A

Lack of an elected national assembly until 1906 (and the minor role the Duma had on the governing of Russia from this point)

47
Q

How did the urban population of Russia change between 1867 and 1917

A

Quadrupled from 7m to 28m

By 1914, factory workers made up nearly 10% of the population

Women made up 1/5 of the workforce by 1914

48
Q

Describe the living conditions for the urban working class of Russia

A

Least fortunate slept alongside their machines in the factories
Around 40% of rented housing in StPt had no running water and sewage was collected in buckets

49
Q

Describe conditions in the workplace in Russia

A

Limited regulation, allowing poor conditions and minimal wages

Unions and strikes officially banned before Father Gapon (although some illegal strikes took place)

50
Q

What was the issue with the Tsar making progressive social changes

A

Every change led to demands for more

51
Q

List a couple of examples of improvements in working conditions before 1914

A

1885 - nighttime work for women and children banned

1897 - working hours reduced to 11.5 hours per day (10h in 1914)

1905 - TU’s legalised

52
Q

Why did industrial militancy increase between 1910 and 1914

A

Fall in real wages due to inflation and a squeeze on wages caused by growing international competition. This caused numerous strikes

53
Q

Describe the Lena Goldfields massacre

A

Lena Goldfields Strike in Siberia, 1912, demanding better pay and living conditions. Army intervened and around 500 were killed.

54
Q

Describe the increase in strikes from 1912-1914

A

1912 - 2000
1913 - 24,000
1914 - 1,000,000
July 1914, a general strike broke out in StPt but ended before the war began on 1st Aug

55
Q

Why did peasants continue to live at subsistence level

A

Subject to recurrent famine (e.g. 1891-92, 1898 and 1901)

56
Q

Why did living and working conditions in the countryside continue to worsen up to 1914

A
  • Grain output per acre was 1/3 of that of Britain and Germany but farmers were still pushed to produce a surplus for export
  • The gulf between the Kulaks and landless peasants widened and too few moved to cities to ease the pressure on resources
  • Peasant mortality rate was high and few had access to doctors
57
Q

How did life for the nobility and the middle classes change up to 1914

A

Despite transferring 1/3 of their land to peasants, the majority of nobles retained their land and wealth and were relied upon for top positions in government

As industrialisation gained pace, the emerging middle class grew in size. A minority of nobles sons and enterprising peasants also joined the middle class

58
Q

List a few cultural changes which came about up to 1914

A
  • The influence of the Orthodox Church reduced, especially for the w/c in cities for whom socialist ideas had more appeal. However it still had significant sway in the countryside
  • By 1914, an increasing number of books were being published after censorship was ended in 1905, and the newly literate read Tolstoy and Dostoevsky
  • By 1914, 45% of children aged 8-11 were in primary school
59
Q

Describe the Romanov Tercentenary celebrations

A

1913 - millions came out onto the streets of Moscow, StPt and other cities to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty.

60
Q

What did the Romanov Tercentenary celebrations demonstrate about Russian society

A

Demonstrated widespread support for the tsarist regime still existed throughout Russia

61
Q

Why did liberal opposition increase due to their strong representation in the Zemstva

A

1889 AL3 brought in Land Captains to reduce the influence and overrule decisions of the Zemstva, who were often highly critical of autocracy

62
Q

According to liberals, what instance demonstrated Tsarist incompetence at the beginning of the 1890s

A

The inability of the government to coordinate famine relief, which the Zemstva were left to provide.

63
Q

What efforts did the Zemstva make to increase their influence

A
  • Petitioned for a national Duma in 1895, but the Tsar dismissed it as a ‘senseless dream’
  • An attempted ‘All-Zemsta Organisation’ (1896) was also banned
64
Q

How did an improvement in literacy rate increase liberal ideas

A

Literacy rates increased from 24% in 1897 to 40% in 1914. This meant more people could consume liberal media, such as the author Leo Tolstoy

65
Q

List some examples of early liberal opposition

A
  • 1899 ‘Beseda’ was formed, and merged with the Union of Liberation (founded by Peter Struve) in 1903. 50 banquets, attended by the liberal elite, were held over Winter 1904 to spread their message
66
Q

What won over the majority of the liberals in 1905

A

The October Manifesto (17th Oct)

67
Q

Why did liberal opposition increase in the lead up to 1914

A

A number of Kadet leaders were arrested after the dissolution of the first Duma in 1906, and Stolypin engineering the election reduced liberal involvement in the 3rd and 4th Duma. The Tsar increasingly ignored and overruled the Dumas.

By 1914 there was little semblance of a constitutional monarchy

68
Q

Describe the Socialist Revolutionary party (SR’s)

A
  • Established in 1901, combined Marxism and Populism
  • Party journal edited by Viktor Chernov ‘Revolutionary Russia’, and called on both peasants and urban workers to challenge autocracy
  • SR’s carried out over 2000 political assassinations 1901-1905 but over 2300 were executed.
69
Q

Describe the growth of communism in Russia

A
  • As industrialisation boomed, the urban workforce increased in size and Marxist ideas gained more support
  • 1883, the first Russian Marxist Association ‘Emancipation of Labour’ established by Plekhanov. It smuggled Marxist lit into Russia
  • Attracted a dedicated, educated following including Vladimir Ulyanov
70
Q

Describe the Social Democrat Party (SD’s)

A
  • Founded in 1898
  • Lenin wrote for the party paper ‘Iskra’ and wrote a pamphlet ‘What is to be done’
  • In 1903, disagreements between Lenin and Martov caused a split
71
Q

What were the differences between the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks

A

Bolsheviks - Led by Lenin, wanted a small, centrally controlled, highly disciplined party
- Refused to work with other parties and TUs
- Believed the bourgeois and proletarian revolutions could occur simultaneously

Mensheviks - Led by Martov, wanted a democratic party open to all
- Was willing to cooperate with other parties and TUs
- Believed the workers should lead the revolution and that a proletarian revolution could only happen after the bourgeois revolution

72
Q

How did the SR’s and the SD’s react to the October Manifesto

A

Rejected it, and called for a general strike organised by StPt Soviet in Nov 1905

73
Q

What was the issue with the radical opposition after 1905

A

No clear leader - Trotsky (Chairman of StPt) Soviet exiled to Siberia
- Lenin fled to Finland in December 1905

74
Q

What conclusion can be made about the Tsarist government and its opposition come 1914

A

The government failed to pacify working class discontent but the Tsarist autocracy was not in grave danger before 1914

75
Q

When did Germany declare war on Russia

A

(19th) July 1914

76
Q

How did the initial outbreak of war change Russia

A
  • Initial surge of patriotism across Russia
    e.g Strikes ceased and Duma voted for war credits
  • All-Russian Zemstvo Union created for sick and wounded soldiers created at the end of July, with Prince Lvov (a Kedet) as President
  • St Petersburg renamed as Petrograd to sound less German.
77
Q

List some early military defeats suffered by Russia

A
  • Despite some early success vs Austria, the invasion of East Prussia met strong German resistance and resulted in significant defeats
  • Battle of Tannenberg (Aug 1914), 300,000 casualties
  • Battle of the Masurian Lakes (Sept 1914)

A massive Russian retreat began on both the German and Austrian fronts, and reports of inadequate equipment (e.g. 2 rifles for every 3 soldiers) were published.

78
Q

List some political impacts of the war between 1915-1917

A
  • Zemstva resented their loss in authority, especially considering they were doing more for medical relief than the government
  • Zemstva and Duma accused govt of incompetence e.g. futility of alcohol ban when peasants brewed their own anyway
  • See future cards
79
Q

Describe the ‘Progressive Bloc’

A

Aug 1915, the Kadets, Octobrists and Progressives formed the prog bloc, effectively demanding a constitutional monarchy in which the Tsar would genuinely share power.

The Tsar suspended the Duma

80
Q

Describe the Tsar taking over as commander-in-chief of the armed forces

A

August 1915 - despite lack of military experience
- He was held responsible for the failure of the Brusilov Offensive (June - Aug 1916). A lack of trained officers and Russia’s underdeveloped railway system contributed to the defeat, further increasing opposition.

81
Q

What major issue did the Russian army have

A

Despite mobilisising 15 million men between 1914 and 1917, it could not provide sufficient clothing or weapons

82
Q

How did Tsarina Alexandra and Rasputin cause a fall in confidence of the regime

A
83
Q

List some economic impacts of the war

A
  • Costs grew from 1500 million in 1914 to 14500 million in 1918, whilst production slumped as workers and peasants were conscripted
  • In Petrograd there was a 300% rise in the cost of living during the war
  • Railways and food were prioritised for military supplies, leaving many to starve in the cities. Peasants made the situation worse by hoarding grain as there was nothing to buy.

A-Level History - Tsarist and Communist Russia (3 decks)

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