Russian and Soviet Union

• Problems faced by Russia early 20th Century


  • Geography - 85% population lived in countryside
  • Subject nationalities - 20 different peoples or ethnic groups and 6/10 people Russian was foreign lang, resented being part of Russia - Russification
• Impact of WWI on Russia

  • Political - tsarina left in charge as the Tsar takes over the army
  • Economic - Inflation increases 300%, unemployment & poverty, lack of fuel supplies
  • Social - Shortage of workers, resistance to conscription, 9 million casualties from the war - Military - significant defeats in battle, Brusilov defensive, soldier desertion and the Tsar taking ove r
• Bloody Sunday, 1905 - Sunday 22 January, Father Gapon lead peaceful march of 200,000 to Winter Palace, they wanted better working conditions but soldiers fired on crowd killing hundreds. This sparked revolution in Feb 1905 which lead to strikes, mutiny and the October manifesto was issued and the Duma was set up
• Stolypin's neckties


  After 1905 Stolypin was made prime minister who introduced reforms like agriculture and education. Severe punishment for those who openly opposed the Tsar, 3,000 executions
• Duma


  1. Formed in 1905

  2. After 1905 Duma had little power

  3. After 1906 election, Tsar dissolved the Duma and changed the rules of election

  4. There were 4 Dumas 1906-14, as tsar wen against promises made in October manifesto, he refused to share power
• • Society - Russian society divided into classes. -Autocracy 1% But owned 1/4 of land. - middle class was a growing industry - working class was rapidly increasing, as large number of peasants were flocking to towns (terrible conditions) - Peasants largest and poorest group, very poor conditions, starvation and disease, life expectancy >40 - 70% population were members of Orthodox Church
• • Economy - Strip farming encouraged subsistence farming which used primitive tools leading to frequent famines - under developed roads & railways & lack of effective banking system, poor manufacturing output meant restricted industrial growth - poor manufacturing output - rapid industrial growth meant living conditions were poor
• Nicholas II unpopularity

  • weak man, he was reluctant to rule - “ i am not prepared to be Tsar”
  • insisted on governing as an autocrat, believed to be chosen by God
  • stolypins necktie
  • Rasputin - there was resentment about increasing influence after 1907 as people saw corruption and incompetence
  • Bloody Sunday