Tsarist Rule

Question 1

1 feature of Tsarist Rule

Answer 1

• Tsar Nicholas II believed the Romanov family had a divine right to rule Russia.
• He believed the monarchy should be autocratic and had an absolute right to rule, rather than a constitutional right.
• Committee of Ministers ran departments but appointed/dismissed by Tsar

Question 2

2nd Feature of Tsarist Rule

Answer 2

• Tsar relied on the Imperial Army and Police to control the immense land area of Russia and to crush opposition to the monarchy
• army swore loyalty oath to the Tsar
• Tsar had complete authority over Church which preached the Tsar was the “Little Father” of Russia; law; taxes and the armed forces

Question 3

1 feature of discontent with Tsar Rule 1905

Answer 3

There was political, social and military unrest throughout Russia.
- Peasants made up over 80 percent of the population but poor, in debt to the landlords for land, famine and crop failures. Farming controlled by the mir using inefficient farming methods - how to farm; what land and given small strip.

• Industrial workers had poor living and working conditions with low pay
• middle class wanted political reform with Tsar removed and a written constitution
• non Russians were about eight percent of the population and faced Russification (forced to partake in culture and language) and discrimination for work and conditions

Question 4

2nd feature of discontent with the Tsar’s rule

Answer 4

Nicholas II not rule Russia effectively:
- not prepared for the role by his father - prematurely assassinated

• distrusted ministers, believed in the divine right to rule
• determined to uphold the Tsar’s autocratic right to rule
• very conservative and not willing to make significant reform
• poor military leader, lost Russo-Japanese War in 1904 and Potemkin mutiny 1905 and later the World War I defeats.

Question 5

1 feature of Potemkin Mutiny

Answer 5

First sign that the Tsar was losing control of the armed forces, and therefore control of Russia.

• The Quartermaster, a socialist, wanted to link up with the peasant mutinies. Sailors mutiny over meat with maggots and socialist people’s committee took over control of the ship and sailed to Odessa to join protests.

Question 6

2nd feature of Potemkin Mutiny

Answer 6

Showed how the sailors and protesters would support each other.

• Sailors join protesters and rioters in Odessa, which resulted int he Tsar ordering troops to fire into the crowds where 1000 killed, and the ship sunk.
• sailors viewed as revolutionary hero’s by the public

Question 7

1 feature setting up the Soviets

Answer 7

Soviets were a council of workers that organised resistance to the Tsar and planning for revolution

• inspired by Bloody Sunday in January, 1905
• first Soviet set up in Moscow, May 1905 in a textile factory
• St Petersburg Soviet set up to organise a general strike
• other soviets set up
• shut down by government in December 1905

Question 8

2nd feature of setting up the Soviets

Answer 8

Soviets set up to support the industrial working class

• recognition of the poor working conditions, long hours
• organised to strike to effect change in industrial Russia for shorter hours of work and better conditions

Question 9

1 feature of 1905 Revolution

Answer 9

Served as a catalyst for future revolutionary action because of the social unrest:

• Potemkin mutiny
• riots by peasants between 1905 to 1907, 3000 landlords home bunt
• led to creation of the Soviets, 400,000 on strike in January against the government which shut the railways down to Russia not function

Question 10

2nd feature of 1905 Revolution

Answer 10

Brutal oppression used by Tsar and Stolypin to put down the spontaneous revolution.

• massacre at St Petersburg where army and cossacks fired into the crowd on orders by the Tsar.
  200 killed
• arrest revolutionaries
• newspapers closed down

Question 11

1 feature of October Manifesto

Answer 11

Tsar forced to make limited concessions in order for the monarchy to survive

• Duma set up at with elected representatives to discuss and decide laws
• previously, political parties had been banned
• Octobrists and Cadets political parties formed

Compromise by Tsar provided a temporary calm to the political and social situation in Russia.

Question 12

2nd feature of October Manifesto

Answer 12

Tsar gave some civil rights to citizens such as:

• freedom of speech
• right to form political parties eg Octobrists and Kadets
• freedom to form Trade Unions

These concessions provided a period of temporary calm and satisfied the middle class and working class.

Question 13

1 feature of how the Tsar survived

Answer 13

Tsar still had the support of key groups within society.

• the military continued to support to the Tsar so he had to means to control Russia.
• the aristocracy continued to mainly support the Tsar
• the church continued to support the “little father”
• there was no united opposition to the Tsar

Question 14

2nd feature of how the Tsar survived

Answer 14

The Tsar dealt with opposition through limited concessions to appease key groups

• the October Manifesto gave some civil rights, and limited elected representation in the newly set up Duma

While brutal suppression defeated strikers and revolutionaries through arrests, exiles and the death penalty

Question 15

1 feature of Nicholas’s attitude to the Duma’s

Answer 15

The first Duma was too radical, so was dissolved by the Tsar, which lead to increased opposition to his rule.

First Duma:

• lasted less than 3 months
• wanted land reform with land taken from the landlords and given to the peasants
• release of political prisoners
• abolish the State Council

Question 16

2nd feature of Nicholas’s attitude to the Duma’s

Answer 16

Tsar dislike sharing power, and not trust the Dumas as he viewed them as a threat to his rule. This resulted in Stoylpin issuing of the Fundamental laws, to counteract the compromises made in the October Manifesto

• limit the powers of the Duma so the Tsar could re-establish control
• limit to 500 delegats
• Tsar could shut down at any time
• Tsar could change the electoral system
• Tsar could veto any Duma decision, and pass any law when Duma not in session
• create the Imperial State Council to limit the power of the Duma, and the Tsar chose half the representatives

Question 17

Additional Duma points

Answer 17

Third Duma lasted nearly 5 years till 1912

• Pro-Tsarist with the Octobrists holding the majority, so most conservative
• support Stylings land reforms, social welfare and military changes

Fourth Duma lasted until 1917, was dissolved during World War I, then recalled by the Tsar

• dominated by right wind conservatives (richest 1/3 of the population
• Kerensky a member, then of Provisional Government
• Supported Russia entering World War I

Question 18

Features of growth of opposition groups to the Tsar

Answer 18

Political:
Octobrists support Stolypin and his repressive actions but later joined with the Kadets to push for representative leadership and reform

Socialist Revolutionary Party support violence with no private land ownership, and communes. They favoured political assassinations, including Stolypin in 1911.

Trudoviks wanted land reform for peasants (Kerensky a member.)

The Kadets wanted a constitutional monarch, with universal voting and land reform.

Menshevik’s encourage the development of the Soviets eg Petrograd as well as industrialisation to create a large working class before revolution, as a stepping stone to communism - willing to work with other parties. Supported by the working class who wanted an 8 hour day.

Bolsheviks wanted revolution to abolish private ownership of property, land and business. Lenin believed Russia not fully industrialised so workers and peasants not ready for revolution therefore a dictatorship of proletariat. Bolsheviks refused to work with other parties and wanted to force change.

Question 19

1 Feature of Stolypin’s policy of repression and land reform

Answer 19

Stolypin was Minister of Internal Affairs, then Prime Minister.

• used police and army to crush and violently suppress opposition from 1906 to 1909.
• Stolypin’s method of execution by hanging became popularly known as Stoypin’s nest tie
• political assassinations drop from 1200 to 383
• fewer strikes and uprisings
• repression create resentment

Question 20

2nd feature of Stolypin’s policy of repression and land reform

Answer 20

Stolypin needed 20 years for his land reforms to take effect but assassinated after 5 years.

• wanted to prevent revolution by winning over the peasant support
• pass laws so peasant could leave the commune to work independently
• enclose strips of land into farms
• “wager on the strong” - free up labour for industrialisation; modernise farming so farmers work independent of the mir
• create Peasant Land Bank for loans to buy land to replace State loans

But - farmers not modernise their farming methods, and strips of land remained scattered. 5 million went to Siberia but 750, 000 returned.

Question 21

1 feature of Lena Goldfields strike April 1912

Answer 21

Demonstrated that nothing had changed since the 1905 revolution:

• harsh working conditions in the mines eg rotten horse meat, strikers wanted 8 hour work day, better wages and food
• Tsar still used force to suppress opposition
• 270 protesters killed by army and 250 injured
• strike committee and strikers arrested

Question 22

2nd feature of Lena Goldfields strike April 1912

Answer 22

Public outraged:
- Tsar use harsh and oppressive measure to crush opposition, even after Stoylpin’s assassination

• led to more strikes across Russia - 700 in April
• Lenin “inflamed the masses with revolutionary fire”
• Duma investigates with Kerensky preparing a report