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Russia > The Nature of Government > Flashcards

The Nature of Government Flashcards

Ideology, Local, Central, Repression

1
Q

who was the last tsar and when did he abdicate

A

Nicholas II abdicated in 1917

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2
Q

When did Alexander II come to power and how much had the role of the tsar changed by then

A

1885

the role of the tsar changed very little in the past 100 years

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3
Q

When were the fundamental laws and what did they reinforce

A

1832, they reinforced autocracy.

“emperor of all the Russians is an autocratic and unlimited monarch: god himself ordains that all must bow to his supreme power”

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4
Q

what revised the fundamental laws and when

A

the 1906 constitution

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5
Q

why did russian elites feel russia needed autocracy

A
  • russia’s huge geographic size
  • russia’s vast population (over 60 million by mid 1800s)
  • according to tsarist supporters, liberal democracy would be disastrous for russia as too many people would demand different policies.
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6
Q

what percentage of the population were peasants in 1897

A

82%

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7
Q

How did the tsar govern as a local level

A

-through the orthodox church
- seen as the “little father”

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8
Q

what replaced autocracy following the 1917 february revolution

A

liberal democracy
a provisional government’s rule

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9
Q

what was the plan for the provisional government

A

it would rule until the constituent elections at the end of 1917

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10
Q

what was the dual authority

A

share of power between provisional government and petrograd soviet

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11
Q

When did alexander Kerensky become prime minister

A

July 1917

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12
Q

What was the provisional gov’s ideology

A

in theory, they implemented a liberal democracy. Their ideology was ambiguous as they were such a temporary body

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13
Q

when did Alexander II abolish serfdom

A

1861

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14
Q

Who assassinated Alexander II and when

A

1881 the people’s will, a revolutionary croup

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15
Q

What did the Assassination of AII motivate Alexander III to do

A

clamp down on reform and boost autocratic control. Released the 1881 manifesto

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16
Q

What did the 1881 manifesto uphold

A
  • autocracty, orthodoxy, nationalism
  • it echoed the fundamental laws of 1832
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17
Q

what were tsars concerned that reforms and increased freedoms would do

A

empower opposition groups

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18
Q

when did Nicholas II reign begin

A

1894

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19
Q

what did russia see the emergence of in the late 1890s/ 1900s

A

political parties
eg SDs and SRs

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20
Q

why was the creation of the duma significant 1905

A

it was the first incorporation of a more liberal structure into the government.

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21
Q

what did the russo japanese war lead to

A

the 1905 revolution

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22
Q

how many dumas took place

A

4

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23
Q

when was the social revolutionary party founded

A

1901

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24
Q

when was the social democrat party founded

A

1891

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25
Q

how did tsars get their authority

A

it was god given and hereditaty

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26
Q

describe the power structure under tsars

A

autocratic- all government positions are answerable to the tsar

government was very hierarchical

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27
Q

when was the october manifesto

A

1905

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28
Q

who did the october manifesto satisfy

A

liberals/kadets/octobrists wanting a duma

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29
Q

which part of government was given a little more power under Alexander II

A

Local government

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30
Q

who were Alexander II’s advisers

A

The council of ministers
they were chosen by the tsar

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31
Q

when was the council of ministers formed

A

1861 - AII

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32
Q

when were zemstvos created

A

1861 as part of the emancipation edict

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33
Q

Who did zemstvos take power from

A

the nobility

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34
Q

what limitations did the zemstva have

A
  • Alexander II did not allow them complete independence
  • They did not control taxation
  • some Noble power remained
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35
Q

why was there little to no change under Alexander III (give 2 reasons)

A
  • there was no conflict or war
  • political parties had not yet emerged
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36
Q

what were the fourth duma come to known as

A

the progressive bloc

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37
Q

why was the fourth duma able to pressure Nicholas II

A

they pushed for more representation in return for helping the tsar during the war

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38
Q

what did the progressive bloc demand by 1916

A

NII’s abdication - he had refused to change his method of rule

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39
Q

what were most of the provisional government members a part of

A

the old duma

40
Q

was the provisional government elected

A

no

41
Q

through soviet order number one, the petrograd soviet controlled…

A

the army, railways and communications

42
Q

what happened to censorship in 1863-65

A

censorship relaxed under AII

43
Q

by 1865, the number of accessible printed books was ___ that of the start of AII’s rule

A

double

44
Q

what happened in 1866 and why was this a turning point

A

a failed assassination of Alexander II

Russia moved away from reform to repression

45
Q

what methods of repression did AII use after 1866

A
  • restrictions on travel increased
  • secret police state
  • the army developed a reserve to deal with civil disorder
46
Q

what secret police group replaced the third section in 1880

A

Okhrana

47
Q

what did Alexander II release in 1881 that formalised repression

A

1881 statute of state security

48
Q

In what ways did AIII undo Alexander II’s reforms

A
  • military police courts
  • property confiscated
  • censorship common
  • newspapers closed down
  • 1889 land captains limited power of zemstvo
49
Q

when were land captains introduced

A

1889 - Alexander III

50
Q

what were land captains

A

selected by the state from the elite, they controlled all aspects of local life

51
Q

what happened to newspapers under NII

A
  • given some freedoms
  • publishing increased 90%
  • the growing urban workforce beginning to read newspapers
  • however the secret police could still raid and close down publishers at any point
52
Q

what form of repression did the provisional government not have

A

secret police

53
Q

what difference could be seen in the army after 1917

A

it was not as available as a tool of repression for kerensky/ the provisionaly government as it has been for the tsars

53
Q

what did the provisional government do with the okhrana

A
  • disbanded the okhrana
  • released many prisoners held by the state
54
Q

when was the army effective and ineffective for the provisional government

A

effective during july days

innefective during kornilov revolt and october revolution

55
Q

as it was not elected, what did the provisional government rely on to justify its position

A

propaganda - newsreels, photographs, tours

56
Q

Which group criticized Alexander II’s reforms

A

populists - wanted to improve conditions of the peasantry

57
Q

What did the land and liberty political movement grow from

A

Intellectuals who went to the countryside to educate the peasantry

58
Q

what methods did the group People’s will use

A

Violence, assassination, intimidation and upheaval

59
Q

why were peasants unhappy with the emancipation edict of 1861

A
  • they had to pay redemption payments
  • they were given poor fertile areas
  • they were generally worse off
60
Q

Which group had many of it’s members executed under Alexander III?

A

The people’s will

61
Q

What happened in 1891

A

The Great famine killed 350-400 thousand

62
Q

what did the great famine lead to

A

a reawakening of political groups in russia in the 1890s

as many were angry with how the state handled the famine

63
Q

what did peasants do after the 1905 revolution

A

the peasantry revolted from 1906-1907

64
Q

during peasant revolts of 1906-1907 how did the state appease peasants

A

reforms such as stolypin’s land reforms

65
Q

peasants were going hungry during WW1, what did they do

A

peasant revolt from 1915-1917

66
Q

what was the provisional government criticised for and how did lenin use this

A
  • continuing WW1
  • lenin used slogans such as “peace, bread and land”
67
Q

What were the 1917 july days and what was the outcome

A

1917 lenin returned to russia
workers and soldiers staged armed demonstrations against the PG.
The bolsheviks held responsible and were arrested, exiled etc.

68
Q

during which revolt did the provisional government release many of their bolshevik opponents

A

the kornilov revolt

69
Q

Sum up Alexander II’s reign/ ideology in 3 parts.

A
  • relaxed , half- hearted reforms.
  • Radicals unimpressed as he upheld autocracty
  • was about to sign an agreement before his death that would probably have resulted in a more democratic gov.
70
Q

Sum up Alexander III’s reign/ ideology

A
  • military man + strongly autocratic
  • period seen as reaction + repression as opposed to relaxed/ liberal period under AII
  • intent to reduce social unrest and opposition to tsarism. “peoples will” etc. ruthlessly surpressed.
  • relatively peaceful reign with economic reforms .
71
Q

Sum up Nicholas II’s reign/ ideology in 4 parts.

A
  • attempted political reforms to appease opposition
  • mishandling of WW1 led to downfall
  • lacked political knowledge and skill of father
  • fundamental laws of 1906 reinforced autocracy

similar vein to alexander II.

72
Q

what did all tsars consistently promote and justify

A

autocracy

73
Q

what did russian communists beleive

A
  • serfdom and capitalism should be replaced with egalitarian society
  • lenin wanted to speed up revolution and eventually give control to the proletariat
  • controlled economy, aimed for classless society
74
Q

how did lenin govern similarly to the tsars

A

adjusted policies to reduce opposition, but didnt steer from goal of dictatorship

75
Q

describe lenins rule and ideology

A
  • established communist rule in russia via october revolution
  • party central committee to govern interest of workers
  • bolshevik opposition led to civil war
  • switched from war communism, associated with famine, to NEP, removing goods production restrictions
  • Trotsky wanted to spread communism through the world , criticised by stalin
76
Q

what did trotsky and stalin disagree on about communism

A

trotsky wanted world revolution

77
Q

describe stalins rule and ideology

A

-totalitarianism - controlled the behaviour of citizens
- extreme repression , industrialisation
- defeat germany
- command economy
- 5 year plans
- cult of personality

78
Q

describe khruschev rule and ideology

A
  • beleived in communist ideal
  • promised economic strength + social reforms to raise living standards
  • struggled w financially crippling cold war
  • rivals saw liberal attitude
  • destalinisation
79
Q

how did central administration change under tsars

A

remained largely the same 1855-1905, with the addition of the committee of ministers in 1861 and removal of council of minsiters in 1882

economic/social change - rise in groups wanting reform.

80
Q

How did central administration change under Alexander II

A

1861- committee of ministers established to replace personal chancellery of his imperial majesty

they seldom met, had very specific administrative roles.

problem: eg. minister of finance wants to tighten budget, while others spent large amounts on reforms

81
Q

How did central administration change under Alexander III

A

1882- abandoned council of ministers, who drafted legislations.

82
Q

How did central administration change under Nicholas II

A

1904-5 - russo japanese war created pressure for change

October manifesto, blueprint for new form of elective gov revolving around duma

83
Q

How did central administration change under Provisional Government

A
  • end of autocracy
  • short term gov based on consensus
  • shared power w petrograd soviet
  • had constituent assembly, rejected by bolsheviks
84
Q

the tsar was not held accountable by people through elections or constitutional government

what is constitutional government?

Rather, what system gave the tsar his authority?

A

a government that is organised and administered according to a set of written or unwritten rules.

A system based on religious faith

85
Q

what was the tsars “paternalistic” duty

A

protecting the people

86
Q

which institution supported the tsars role

A

orthodox church

87
Q

at the time of tsarism, the vast majority .. around 80% of the population were…

A

illiterate peasants

88
Q

how was the proportion of illiterate peasants in russia used to justify autocracy

A

democracy would result in governance by those who “lacked the ability to reason”

89
Q

Who was the tutor of Alexander II’s son, Alexander III

A

Pobedonostsev

Po bed onost sev

90
Q

why were the introduction of the zemstva significant

A

they were a local elected government

91
Q

When did zemstva end

A

1917 to be replaced by chain of Soviets as local gov

92
Q

How did Khrushchev deal with the anti party group (molotov , kaganovich, malenkov)

A

Pointed out only the party central committ e could change the party organisation structure

93
Q

What main points did Khrushchev’s secret speech include against Stalin

4 main things

A
  • Never accepted by Lenin as successor
  • Created a state unprepared for military conflict 1941
  • committed a range of unforgivable crimes against the people
  • misdemeanors against “outsiders” who should have been welcomed eg. Assassination of Hungarian revolutionary leader Béla Kun
94
Q

What were Beria and Malenkov suspected of doing which led to Khrushchev taking Malenkovs position

A

Working together to form a duopoly

95
Q

When was the “secret speech”

A

1956

Russia (8 decks)

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