Political Developments by 1914

• By 1914 autocracy appeared to have recovered
• Stolypin had ruthlessly restored order in the countryside (1906 he established court martials led by senior military officers to deal with crimes deemed to be political in intent)
• Reform of agriculture meant that the agrarian situation had improved
• The Duma’s influence had become almost non-existent
• Revolutionary groups had been weakened partly because of police activity and exiles and partly because of their own internal quarrels
• Pan-Slavism and as war grew closer patriotism revived
• However from 1912 labour troubles resurfaced and the influence on the Tsar and Tsarina of the mythical ‘faith healer’ Rasputin damaged Nicholas’ reputation among his traditional supporters