Autocracy was the system of government in Russia in which the Tsar had absoluteauthority over the state and its people and believed that it was derivedfromGod.
The Tsar was a metaphoricfather to all of his subjects and his title was ‘Emperor and Autocrat of AllRussia’
Supported by the RussianOrthodoxChurch that upheld the Tsar’sdivineright to rule.
A personalsystem that depended on the ability of the Tsar - Nicholas II after 1894. His tutorPobedonostev had hardened his hatred of democracy and support of autocracy
2 key features of tsarist rule in 1905 - leads to discontent
There was no democracy or parliament. Localgovernment was in the hands of officialsappointed by the Tsar - this led to discontent,particularlyamongst the middleclasses.
Nicholasused his autocracy to rulerepressively using harshpenalties,censorship, the Okhrana and the army to controldissent.
1861serfs granted freedom but had to pay a redemption tax.
2 key features of autocracy - the system
Autocracy was the system of government in Russia in which the Tsar had absolute authorityover the state and its people and believed that it was derived from God.
The Tsar was a metaphoricfather to all of his subjects and his title was ‘Emperor and Autocrat of AllRussia’
Supported by the RussianOrthodoxChurch that upheld the Tsar’sdivineright to rule.
2 key features of autocracy - how it worked under the tsar
There was no democracy or parliament. Localgovernment was in the hands of officialsappointed by the Tsar.
A personalsystem that depended on the ability of the Tsar - Nicholas II after 1894. His tutor Pobedonostev had hardened his hatred of democracy and support of autocracy
Nicholas used his autocracy to rule repressively using harsh penalties, censorship, the Okhrana and the army to controldissent.
2 key features of reason for discontent - peasents
80% of the population were peasants.
1861serfsgrantedfreedom but had to pay a redemptiontax.
Poorharvests in 1900 and 1902meantstarvation for manypeasants. The government banned the wordfamine from the newspapers.
2 key features of reasons for discontent - workers
St Petersburg and Moscow. Longworkinghours, low pay and dangerous conditions. Workerslived in over-crowded, dirtybarracks where diseasespreadrapidly.
Tradeunions were illegal but there were stillstrikes over pay and conditions.
Conditions were madeworse by a 1902industrialslump which led to increasedunemployment.
2 key features of the russo-japanese war - events
1904Warbrokeout with Japanoverland in Manchuria.
Russiasuffered a series of defeats, most significantly at the Battle of Tsushima in May 1905. Russia lost this navalbattlebecause of its oldfashionedships. The Russianfleet was crushed,5000men were killed and 5000captured
2 key features of the russo-japanese war - consequences
Defeats such as Tsushima and Port Arthur were humiliating as Japan was perceived to be an inferiorAsiaticnation.
The war also exacerbatedeconomicproblems causing foodshortages and unemployment.
Defeat also encouraged the revival of liberal opposition who criticisedgovernmenthandling of the campaign.
2 key features of bloody sunday
9th Jan1905 - 100kworkingclassprotesters from the Putilov area of St. Petersburgbrought a petition to the Winter palace.
It was a peacefulmarch.
Led by FatherGapon their petitionasked for an 8 hourworkingday, legaltrade unions, constitution to guaranteefreedoms
2 key features of bloody sunday - response
The route was blocked by soldiers. And some of the protesters shouted abuse about militaryfailures in Manchuria.
Soldiersfiredwarningshots and then mountedCossacks charged the crowd with whips and swords.
100protesters were killed and hundredswounded.
Strikesbroke out in St.Petersburg and it triggeredrevolution
2 key features of the potemkin mutiny - causes
Lowmorale in the navy due to harshconditions and brutalpunishments and was exacerbated by defeat at the Battle of Tsushima in May 1905.
1903Potemkin had a crew with revolutionarysympathies and was influenced by socialistideology.
June1905 seaman Valunchekcomplained about maggots in the borscht. He was shot by the ship’scaptain,Gilyarovsky.
2 key features of the potemkin mutiny - events
The crewmutinied. The captain, doctor and severalofficers were killed and the rest of the officerslocked in a cabin.
Potemkinhoisted the red flag and formed a ‘people’scommittee’chaired by Matyushenko.
Docked in Odessa to meet up with strikingworkers.Riotsspread in Odessa.
Troopscrushed the riot. The Potemkinsailed to the Romanianport of Constanta; the crewsank the shiprather than surrender.
2 key features of the october manifesto
Oct1905WittepersuadesNicholas II to issue the OctManifesto to appease the strikers and militarymutinies.
Promises to create a Duma,freedom of speech, assembly and worship,allowpoliticalparties and trade unions
2 key features of the october manifesto - effects
Met with jubilation on the streets.General strike inSt. Petersburg was calledoff.
It split the middleclasses who wantedreform from many of the workers who supportedrevolution.
SocialDemocrats were still verycritical of the October Manifesto and of the middleclasses for abandoning the workers.
2 key features of St petersburg soviet - events in 1905
A Soviet is a workerscouncil. In St Petersburg it was setup in October1905.
It was setup to helporganise the generalstrike which had begun in Sept1905 - started with a walk out by the Moscowprinters for betterpay and conditions.joined by the railwayworkers and millions of other workers in a generalstrike.
It was not particularlyCommunist. It published its own newspaper to keepstrikersinformed of developments,distributedfoodsupplies, and by its exampleinspiredworkers in fiftyother cities to setupSoviets of their own.
2 key features of the St. petersburg soviet - long term significance
It had longertermsignificance in organisingresistanceagainst the regime.
The chairperson of the 1905StPetersburgSoviet was Trotsky, who would go on to be a leadingfigure in the BolshevikRevolution of 1917.
Furthermore,despite being shutdown by the government in 1905, the StPetersburgSoviet would inspire other Soviets to be set up throughoutRussia and the StPetersburgSoviet would be important in the 1917revolution.
2 key features of tsarist repression - police state
The police and the courts were givenexcessivepowersbecause of autocracy.
Censorship of books and newspaperspreventedradicalideas from beingpublished.
Opponents were exiled to Siberia - Lenin and Stalin got their aliaseshere.
Factoryworkers could sackstrikingworkers
The Okhrana or secretpolice were usedextensively.
2 key features of tsarist repression - stolypin
Repressionincreased under Stolypin after the 1905revolution and Nicholasbecameknown as ‘Nicholas the Bloody’
Militarycourtscouldsentence and hangoffenders on the spot - stolypin'snecktie.60Kopponents were killed or sent into exile.Internalpassportsrequired.
2 key features of fundamental laws- why it was issued
Nicholas had issued the OctoberManifesto and created a Duma to stop the 1905Revolution.
However, he didnotwant a limit on his autocraticpowers and believed he was an absoluteruler.
By 1906 he was sufficientlyback in control in Russia to limit the powers of the Dumathrough the FundamentalLaws.
2 key features of fundamental laws - terms
The Tsarcouldveto any Dumalegislation and couldpassany law he wanted when the Dumas was not sitting (Article 87). Only the Tsar could makechanges to Article87.
The Tsar could dismiss the Duma at anytime.
The Tsarkeptcontrol of the armedforces and foreignpolicy and couldchoose all government ministers.
2 key features of the first duma - make up
468seats.Kadets were the biggestparty with 185seats.Followed by the Trudoviks with 94.
Left-wingrevolutionaryparties like the Mensheviks, Bolsheviks and SocialistRevolutionariesboycotted it.
Veryanti-government in tone as the Trudoviks were veryleft-wing.
2 key features of the first duma - what it achieved
Maindemand was land reform and redistribution from landlords.Kadetssupported this.
Kadets also asked for the State Council to be abolished and the government to answerdirectly to the Duma.
Fiercedebates on the above.
Dissolved by the Tsar after 10 weeks because of the demands for landreform.
2 key features of the dumas - parties
The FirstDuma was dominated by the Kadets as the SocialDemocrats and Socialistrevolutionariesboycotted it.
The SecondDuma was more radical with over 200deputies from the left.
The Third and FourthDuma’s were more moderate after Stolypinmadechanges to the electoral system. The Rightistparties like the Octobristsdominated.
2 key features of the dumas - achievements
The First Dumaachievedlittle but did discusscivilrights,land reform and amnesty for politicalprisoners.
The Second Duma was known as the Duma of NationalAngerbecause of its radical demands.
The Third Duma was mosteffective and passedlandreform and a law on universal education.
Fourth Duma was interrupted by the war.
2 key features of the growth of opposition groups - social democrats
Formed in 1898.
Followed the ideas of Karl Marx
1903split into
Mensheviks - revolution should happenslowly after a longperiod of industrialisation, Were significant in the 1905St. Petersburg Soviet.
Bolsheviks - wanted a workersrevolutionquickly. Led by Lenin
By 1914 had influence in the tradeunionmovement - particularly after lenaGoldfields
By 1914 their newspaperPravda had a circulation of 40k
2 key features of the growth of opposition groups - social revolutionaries
Followedsocialisttheory,appealed to the peasants.Sometimes called the ‘Peasant's Party’
They had assassinatedAlexander II in 1881
Their terroristwing called for ruralterroragainstlandlords and advocatedviolence and arson
In 1908 it was exposed that they were infiltrated by doubleagents like Envo Azef.
2 key features of stolypin's land reforms - what it was
Attempt to moderniseagriculture and create a newclass of peasant landowners. Called ‘Wager on the Strong’
Peasants could leave the Mir and buyland - a landbank was setup to help with this.
Schemes were setup to helpresettlepeasants in Siberia which had been openedup by the Trans-Siberian Railway.
2 key features of stolypin's land reforms - how successful it was
1905-1917 - 3.5 millionpeasants moved to Siberia.Alsosuccessful in the west,particularly in the Ukraine and Belorussia.
However, by 1914 only 10% of farmers had left the Mir.
Those who left were calledStolypin Separators and were seen as traitors.
2 key features of the lena goldfield strikes - causes
There was a revival of militancy from 1912.
Strikingworkers at Lena Goldfieldsprotested about degrading workingconditions,lowwages, 14hourworkingday.
Triggered by a gangprotesting about rottenhorsemeat that they were supposed to eat.
2 key features of the lena goldfield strikes - the strike
There was a revival of militancy from 1912.
Striking workers at LenaGoldfieldsprotested about degradingworkingconditions,lowwages, 14 hourworkingday.
Triggered by a gangprotesting about rottenhorsemeat that they were supposed to eat and strikes.