Tsarist rule in Russia in 1905 and the reasons for discontent. Flashcards
How many peasants were in russia
4 out 5 people were peasants
What was life like for peasants in 1900s
Hard, most of them only farmed to feed themselves, that’s why when harvessts were bad there was starvation and disease. Regular epidemics of cholera, typhus, STDs.
Average life expectancy in 1900s in Russia
Less than 30 years
Why was russia difficult to govern for anyone
Russias issues
1. vast empire
- bad climate
- difficult to communicate
- Very diverse group of citizens (less than half were Russian; the remaining were citizens of conquered cities who didn’t speak russian)
- Corrupt from top to bottom for government
What were peasants unhappy about in the 1900
Land, throughout russia they wanted alnd , they were serf previously but after being free they fell into crush debt.
How did nobles in Russia in 1900s live
Though only 1% of the population the owned a quarter of Russias land, very rich
Middle class in 1900s life?
Capitalists, bankers, doctors, and lawyers. They had a nice life with luxuries.
What were proliteralians living in
bad lviing conditions, dorms of 30 people, worked in cheap housing, and worked long hours.
Who was the last tsar
Tsar nicholas
What did Tsar Nicholas belivie in in terms of his power
He was chosen by god, and shouldn’t need to consult others to make decisions.
How did governance in Russia in 1900 work
Tsar would make a decision, then his council of ministers would pass it down to civil servants, and down the line of Russia’s great empire. Civil servants carried out orders but bc. wages low there was lots of corruption.
How did people get their voices heard in 1900 Russia
They didn’t there was no parliament to represent peopples views, and newspapers and books were censored. Opposition would lead to the Okhrana or secret polie who dealt with them.
What was Tsar Nicholas’s ruling style
no nonsense any opposition led to secret polic or okhrana who would hunt them down bassically violence.
Was Tsar Nicholas fit to rule Russia
No he knew very little aout the diverse people he didn’t visit areas and his info. was from ministers who didn’t do their work preoperly.
What groups opposed the tsar in the early 1900s
Socialist revoluionaries, Social democrats, and liberals
Who were the social revolutionaries
Formed in 1901, they believed peasants would bring the downfall of the tsar.
What were the aims of the social revolutionaries
Rid of the tsar and his government
To give land to peasants
Supporters of the social revolutionarie
MOstly peasants
What were the socialist revolutionaries tactics to get things done
Violence and propoganda (They were responsibilie for several government death
Who were the social democrats
Founded in 1895 and deeply beleived in KArl MArx beleving a revolution would start in worker concentrated in large cities
Who is karl marx and what does he teach
German philospher who said that a revolution was inevitable for a better world and that it would be where workers stood at a majority
What were the aims of the social democrats
To over throw the tsar and to build a socialist town
Who were the main supporters of the social democrats
Students and workers or in other words proliteralians
What and when did the social democrat party split into
1903 split into bolshevik and menshevik party. They split bc. mensheviks beleived that party should let everyone join and amass power, whereas bolsheviks believed in a small and profressional group believing a large group would be infilitrated.
Who were theliberals
Middle class people who knew about democracy and how england was ruled. Formed in 1905 a consitutional democracy party.
What were the aims of the liberals
- to have free elections and a parliament
- the tsar to become a constitutional monarch
- civil rights (rights of consience, speech, and religon)
Who were the liberals supported by
the middle and educated class doctors lawyers, factory owners
What were the antics of the liberals?
meetings, speeches and discussions
What were 3 main reasons for the 1905 revolution
The 1905 revolution was the first revolution against the tsar, and it was after a year of the tsar being unable to control Russia. Economic Problems, the russo japanese war, and bloody sunday
What economic problems was Russia facing in 1905
Due to russia feeling the need to industrialize as it was falling behind it borrowed large sums of money to invest in Russia’s industries, and to pay back the money they used taxt money from peasants. Peasants paid heavy taxes on grain, alcohol, and salts. Then there were poor harvests in 1900 an 1902 now not only were they poor they were also starving striking a reaction of violence and demonstration.
How did the Russo Japanese War lead to more discontent to the tsars rules
even though russia decided to fight bc. it would stop russia from criticizing his government but it made conditions worse. War raised shortages of food and other goods, less material in factories closed lots leaving workers unemployed and hungry. When they lost to Russia in 1905, many blamed the tsar feeling embarrased to losing to Japan.
How did Bloody Sunday make Russia erupt into revolution in 1905
In 1905 there were high tensions within factories and a priest organized a march of more than 200,000 people to the Winter palace to give Tsar nicholas a petition. They were met by troops and it’s estimated than thousands died. This completely discredited all of the tsars kindness turning everyone against him.
What happened in Febuary in 1905 Russia
Tsar’s uncle is assasisnated, strikes from petrograde spread to other cities workers demanding 8 hour days, higher wages, and better conditons
What happened in March and May in 1905 Russia for the Military
Losing to Japan made many soldiers angry demanding for changes of government. As most were peasants who couldn’t be officers bc. their social class. This is one of the reasons leading to the Potemkin Mutiny in June
What happened in June and July in 1905 Russia
Countryside Russia peasant riots were constant, land siezed and landowner houses burned
What happened in October in 1905 Russia
A general strike where all of the tsars opposition groups united in demanding changes
What happened in October in 1905 Russia
26th of October the St. Peterburg Soviety of Worker’s Deputies was created. Representives from factories met to coordinate strikes. This was one of the biggest threats to the tsars rule
Why did Tsar Nicholas give in to the October Manifesto
Bc. with the soviets and country side in riot he could either give in to their demands or massive blood shed. Thus he gave in issuing the october anifesto promising a duma elected by people, civil rights, and uncensored media as welll as political party. This made the liberal party stop protesting and support the government.
What did Tsar Nicholas do in the end of 1905
With all the troops back from the russo japanese war he felt in control enough and used brute force to close down the St petersburg soviets and further on used force to hunt down protesters workers or peasants.
What is the potemkin mutiny
A rebellion on the navy battleship Potemkin, it sent ripples to the 1905 revolution.
Longterm causes of the potemkin mutiny
Sailors in russian navy could never become officers bc. social class, they worked in hard conditions, and some sailors during the Russo Japanese war learned of Karl marx’s teaching.
Who played a big role in the potemkin mutiny
Matyushenko a quartermaster on the ship he was also a socialist.
What did Matyushenko envision
To enlist other navy ships to lead the peasants in a full out war against the tsar.
What was the immidete cause of the mutiny that erupted the ship
June 14 1905, the cook reports that the meat for sailors was full of maggots, Potemkins executive officers says that its good enough to eat and threatens to shoot if they don’t eat. There was lots of outrage and the officer shot a leading mutineer. This led to chaos and many officers were shot thrown overboard and the sailors took over the ship.
What happened to the Potemkin after the sailors took over the ship
They immediately setup a socialist peoples with Matyushenko as chair person to represent everyones thoughts.
Where did the potemkin sail to after the mutiny
They went to support the Odessa port where demonsrations against the tsar had been going on for weeks. Riots spread and they were well loved by the citizens until the tsar sent troops down to Odessa after realizing the significance of the navy support..
Where did the Potemkin flee to
Constanța, Romania where they seeked asylum from the tsar, and he gave them that but asked for the ship back.
Why was the potemkin mutiny a significant event
Because it was complete model of what would It may have influenced Tsar Nicholas II’s decisions to end the Russo-Japanese War and accept the October Manifesto, as the mutiny demonstrated that his régime no longer had the unquestioning loyalty of the military.
Why did the potemkin mutiny fail
It lost support, initially they dreams of influencing many battleships turning against the tsar but the potemkin was the only ship with succesful mutiny
