the rule of tsar nicholas II Flashcards
what are tsars? how did they exercise their authority?
- the leaders of imperial russia - absolute ruler - autocratic
- believed power came from god
- three official bodies through which they exercised authority:
- imperial council: honorary advisers directly responsible to tsar
- cabinet of ministers - ran various govt depts
- senate - supervised operation of law
- bodies ot very powerful - appointed + did not govern only gave advice
- no authority over tsar - his word final in everything
what was nicholas II like as a ruler? what were his attitudes?
- understood role as absolute monarch - unable and unwilling to adapt to rapidly changing + modernising society
- mystical reverence to power entrusted in him prevented him from from listening + following advice of politicians + professionals - instead only surrounded himself with those he trusted
- charm + simplicity - but unable to overcome attitudes imbibed at early age: belief in absolute monarchy, chauvinism, anti-semitism + militarism
- distrustful - he distrusted bureaucracy
how was russia politically backward?
- tsar’s power showed how little russia had advanced politically compared to other european nations
- all major ones had some form of democracy
- criminal offence to oppose the tsar/govt 1894 - no parliament although parties existed - had no legal right to exist
what were the reactionary + repressive measures of alexander III? did repression stop liberal ideas from seeping through?
- centralised control of police under the minister of interior
- a rise in censorship
- tighter control of the zemstva (provincial governments) + reduction of peasant representation in these organisations
- no, but they could not be openly expressed - supporters of reform/change had to go underground
- in 19th century grown up a wide variety of secret societies dedicated to reform/revolution - frequently infiltrated by okhrana - raids, arrests, imprisonment etc reg occurrences
what did few reforming tsar’s do the modernise the country?
- alexander II - emancipation of the serfs 1861
- but did not include extension of political rights
what did the denial of freedom of speech lead political activists to?
- extremism
- 1881 alexander II bombed by terrorist group ‘the peoples will’
was russia without industry? what are the negatives of it?
- no, urals region produced considerable amounts of iron
- chief western cities, Moscow + St petersburg, extensive textile factories
- most villages had workshop for making iron tools + most peasant homes engaged in some form of cottage industry (producing wooden, wollen, flaxen goods) - supplement their income from farming
- these activities small scale
- underdeveloped transport system limited chances of industrial expansion + absence of effective banking system (found it hard to raise capital on large scale)
how was agriculture failing?
- it was backward - many peasants still using wooden ploughs that limited productivity
- even though 4/5 peasants - thriving agricultural economy failed to develop
- arable farming restricted to black earth region
how was there a lack of economic productivity compared with international rivals?
- up to 1894 industrialisation - average annual economic growth rate of 8%
- much of this achieved through small-scale enterprise
what were the social problems regarding the peasants?
- large pop - not enough fertile land to go around
- under terms of emancipation decree 1861 - ex-serfs entitled to buy land - but price too high - due to shortage of farming territory + govt taxation on land sales to compensate landowners for losses caused by emancipation
did the peasants’ land bank help peasants to buy land?
- peasants’ land bank (1883) helped to buy land - consequently, peasants who did manage to purchase - found themselves burdened with large mortgage repayments (them + families generations to pay)
what were the social issues relating to the urban workers?
- wages generally low
- working conditions poor
- high number of deaths from accidents + work-related health problems
- living conditions appalling - no privacy/ shared rooms
what did the governing class think of the peasantry?
- deeply ingrained prejudice in granting rights to the people
- believed dangerous ‘dark masses’ should be held in check by only severe repression
- fear + contempt - sheer size as social class + coarse ways
- various attempts to educate peasants (predominantly uneducated + illiterate) such efforts undermined by fear among ruling classes any improvement of conditions may threaten privileges
- ‘safe ignorance’ - raise educational standards highly dangerous socially + politically
what were the social issues regarding health?
- 1891 famine resulted in death over 350k people - long-lasting impact
- industrialisation led to urbanisation - associated public health problems (poor housing, lack of sanitation, inadequate health supplies) - spread of diseases - esp cholera
how were peasants subjected to restrictions?
nvc restrictions in commune/mir they lived
- affected farming + personal freedom
- ex cant leave village without permission
what were kulaks?
rich peasants who hired labour + owned animals
how were the governments priorities unbalanced?
- cost of maintaining the army + navy accounted on average for 45% of annual expenditure
- only 4% devoted to education
