Russia 1855 to Russia 1855 to 1917 1917 Reform and reaction Reform and reaction
Dec 13, 2015
Russia 1855 to Russia 1855 to 19171917Reform and reactionReform and reaction
Russia in 1855Russia in 1855
Tsar – autocracyTsar – autocracy Backward country and very largeBackward country and very large Peasants, serfdom and aristocracyPeasants, serfdom and aristocracy
The Crimean war and The Crimean war and reformreform
Crimean war disaster Crimean war disaster Treaty of Paris humiliatingTreaty of Paris humiliating Alexander II saw Russia in crisis and Alexander II saw Russia in crisis and
believed that reforms would avoid a believed that reforms would avoid a revolutionrevolution
Emancipation of the serfsEmancipation of the serfs
Give serfs freedom and give Give serfs freedom and give compensation to landownerscompensation to landowners
Landowners against it but they were Landowners against it but they were greatly in debt and most govt greatly in debt and most govt compensation money sued for the debtscompensation money sued for the debts
Why was emancipation Why was emancipation unpopular?unpopular?
Peasants got small plots of landPeasants got small plots of land Peasants had to repay govt the costs of Peasants had to repay govt the costs of
the landlords compensation over 49 the landlords compensation over 49 yearsyears
Mir to collect dues, taxes etc, crop Mir to collect dues, taxes etc, crop rotation etc, movement of people.rotation etc, movement of people.
Landlords still very powerfulLandlords still very powerful
Reform of local and Reform of local and central govtcentral govt
1854 Zemstva set 1854 Zemstva set upup
Law courts – trial by Law courts – trial by jury, judges paidjury, judges paid
1870 town councils 1870 town councils reformed reformed
1874 Army reform1874 Army reform
BUT…..BUT….. Power remained with Power remained with
TsarTsar
Alex’s II policies change Alex’s II policies change 1870 - 811870 - 81
As he got older, less interested in As he got older, less interested in reformsreforms
For ordinary people, little actually For ordinary people, little actually changedchanged
Alex became more interested in Pan-Alex became more interested in Pan-SlavismSlavism
Threats from revolutionary groups Threats from revolutionary groups increased – Okhrana more importantincreased – Okhrana more important
Alexander IIIAlexander III
Abolished many of the earlier reformsAbolished many of the earlier reforms RepressionRepression RussificationRussification Rejected WesternisersRejected Westernisers
Attempts at reform 1906 Attempts at reform 1906 - 14- 14
Nicholas II weak willed, ruled as autocratNicholas II weak willed, ruled as autocrat Ignored the zemstvaIgnored the zemstva 1904 Union of Liberation set up – 1904 Union of Liberation set up –
Nicholas ignored itNicholas ignored it
1905 Revolution1905 Revolution
Protest against autocracy – by TUs, Protest against autocracy – by TUs, middle class, zemstva, workers in citiesmiddle class, zemstva, workers in cities
Nicholas survived because the army Nicholas survived because the army stayed loyalstayed loyal
October 1905 – OCTOBER MANIFESTOOctober 1905 – OCTOBER MANIFESTO Duma met – but ignored by NicholasDuma met – but ignored by Nicholas
Changes 1906 - 1914Changes 1906 - 1914
Stolypin PMStolypin PM Abolished Mir control of landAbolished Mir control of land 1911 end of reforms1911 end of reforms Unrest grew in RussiaUnrest grew in Russia Influence of Rasputin made Nicholas Influence of Rasputin made Nicholas
unpopularunpopular 1915 Tsar leaves for the front and never 1915 Tsar leaves for the front and never
returned.returned.
reactionreaction
Why did opposition develop Why did opposition develop to tsarist rule in 1870s and to tsarist rule in 1870s and 80s?80s?
No legal ways of complainingNo legal ways of complaining People’s hopes raised by Alex II reforms People’s hopes raised by Alex II reforms
– and then disapponted– and then disapponted 1876 – Land and Liberty set up1876 – Land and Liberty set up People’s will – terror groupPeople’s will – terror group Repression used by TsarRepression used by Tsar
The MarxistsThe Marxists
1898 Social Democratic Party – Marxist - 1898 Social Democratic Party – Marxist - 1901 Socialist Revolutionaries – marxist 1901 Socialist Revolutionaries – marxist
but work with peasantsbut work with peasants
Why did opposition Why did opposition become more important?become more important?
1903 SDs met in London – split1903 SDs met in London – split Plekhanov – use peaceful methodsPlekhanov – use peaceful methods Lenin – use revolution – bolsheviksLenin – use revolution – bolsheviks
Growth of WC in cities – eg St Growth of WC in cities – eg St PetersburgPetersburg
Russia under Nicholas IIRussia under Nicholas II
Backward, 80% pop Backward, 80% pop in agric, extremes of in agric, extremes of wealthwealth
Massive growth of Massive growth of cities – terrible cities – terrible conditions, growth of conditions, growth of working classworking class
Strikes!Strikes! Nicholas II weak willedNicholas II weak willed
Revolution 1905 - causesRevolution 1905 - causes
Humiliating defeats in Japanese warHumiliating defeats in Japanese war Protests – “Bloody Sunday”Protests – “Bloody Sunday” Strikes and protests across the countryStrikes and protests across the country
Revolution 1905Revolution 1905
Union of Unions demanded parliament Union of Unions demanded parliament and universal suffrageand universal suffrage
Unrest across the countryUnrest across the country October – general strike began, St October – general strike began, St
Petersburg soviet formedPetersburg soviet formed October Manifesto issuedOctober Manifesto issued
What was the October What was the October Manifesto?Manifesto?
Civil liberties grantedCivil liberties granted State Duma createdState Duma created Nicholas had no Nicholas had no
intention of sharing intention of sharing power reallypower really
Three more Dumas Three more Dumas met - powerlessmet - powerless
Impact of WWIImpact of WWI
Army poorly equiped and old fashioned- Army poorly equiped and old fashioned- machine guns, rifles, trainsmachine guns, rifles, trains
Radio messages not in code!Radio messages not in code! Industry and transport system can’t keep Industry and transport system can’t keep
army supplied, army supplied, Food shortages in the citiesFood shortages in the cities inflationinflation
Impact of WWIImpact of WWI
Nicholas takes over Nicholas takes over as C in Cas C in C
Rasputin left with Rasputin left with Tsarina in PetrogradTsarina in Petrograd
Petrograd in real Petrograd in real distress – prices, distress – prices, winter conditions etc.winter conditions etc.
Revolution breaks Revolution breaks outout
Feb / March 1917Feb / March 1917