War Q Flashcards
War Question
25 Marks - Max 45 Mins
Intro - Ultimately I dis/agree with the statement that ? was most important war in changing Russia. This is due to the fact that… . The impact of the 4 major wars can be assessed using 3 factors: Social, Political and Economic Impact.
Para 1 - Socially, Theoretically the Crimean War brought about the greatest reform, but It can be argued that the RJ impacted Russia’s population more. Crimean - Brought about EoS in 1861 w Emancipation Edict, and this gave Alexander II ‘Tsar Liberator’. However, impact of it was greatly limited - Peasants paid huge redemption payments at 6% over 49 years for land that was poor (landowners kept best land), they were still indebted just now to the Mir and they could not leave. Lives didn’t really change for the better. The peasants lost on average 4.1% of their pre-1861 agricultural holdings. Also no incentive for surplus grain as this was shared around village by Mir. Both WW1 & Civil war affected GP lives hugely. Great famine & poverty spread, in WW1 due to closure of Dardanelle Straits & poor harvest, in Civil war due to only 37% of agricultural output pre-war and Requisition of grain, this caused revolts such as Tambov Region in 1920-21 that were hard to suppress. Thus this had an immense social impact for the worse as it greatly reduced quality of life. Most importantly, RJ War as it + 1905 Revolution caused Stolypin’s Agricultural reforms 1906-11. Abolished Redemption payments and could leave Mir, encouraged relocation to Steppes and Siberia. This was successful, and by 1917 7million households held their land in private tenure (almost half of the number in Russia). Ultimately both WW1 & Civil war played huge role on GP lives, while RJ improved them greatly, both more of an impact than Crimean
Para 2 - Politically, WW1 had the greatest impact by far as it toppled 300-year Roman reign, but it doe shave some limiting factors. Crimean caused creation of Zemztva, which was a change from full autocracy but was only local and had limited power, highlighted as only 43/70 provinces had a Zemztva by 1900. RJ caused creation of Duma w October Manifesto, this was a huge step to more democracy a National Parliament. But impact was greatly limited by Fundamental Laws in 1906 ‘right to rule over the Duma when not in session’. RJ did lay foundations for end of Tsarism years later tho, opposition to Tsarism was increasing as shown by assassination of Plehve (1904) & Grand Duke Sergei (1905). Mensheviks & Bolsheviks held conferences in Geneva & London, highlighting political change and instability. Civil War consolidated one party rule - Tsar killed and SR’s and Mensheviks fled (5000 Mensheviks arrested in 1921 and 11 SRs executed in 1922). Ultimately, WW1 had greatest impact politically as it caused topple of tsarist regime. Huge impact to completely change social structure and creation of PG, then Communism, thus most important; however, a fair case can be proposed that foundations for social revolution lay prior to WW1. Social discontent had substantiated through poor working conditions and welfare standards, illustrated through 1905 Revolution and assassination of Plehve and Sergei.
Para 3 - Economically, Civil war had greatest impact as it drastically changed economic state of the country. Crimean caused industrialisation and ‘Great Spurt 1893-03 under Witte’ and double of industrial output between 1892-04, but TSR proved ineffective in RJ despite huge investment. RJ highlighted need for further urbanisation - 50% increase in expenditure on military in a time of falling revenue and output sharpened recession, Coal production only 10% of Britain in 1913. WW1 caused huge inflation as wages rose 100% but some food 600%. Ban on alcohol reduced government tax revenue by 30%. Most important of all was Civil War - Index of Gross Industrial Output was 100 in 1913, 31 in 1921. Cultivated land 62% of pre-war, agricultural production 37% of pre-war. Hugely impacted russian finances. leading to widespread cannibalism and poverty, even worse than that of WW1. Thus Civil war had the most significant impact on Economic state of Russia, others mainly had limited impact
In light of the evidence seen above, Civil war more impact than any other on Russia 1855-21. The consolidation of Communist power in a one-party system signalled a new term of repression even more than under the Tsars. Had a huge impact economically as it ruined government finances, and socially it led to absurd number of deaths along with cannibalism and poverty.Early wars under the tsars stimulated changes both socially, economically and politically, but neither of Crimean or RJ hugely impacted Russian life as the reforms were always limited in inherent attempts to preserve Tsarist autocracy. WW1 undoubtedly had greatest political impact, and in essence insigated the Civil War, but civil war affected russian lives unlike any other. WW1 comes close in comparison, but the shockingly high death toll, 8 million overall, puts it as the costliest civil war in history. Financially it put Russia back into an even worse time than under the Tsars, Index of Industrial output 31 in 1921 compared to 100 in 1913.
