dissent & revolution

• In July 1914, Nicholas mobilised Russia's armies to support Serbia in its war against Austria-Hungary
• When Germany joined the war as Austria's ally, Russia experienced several very serious defeats
• By early 1917, Russia's involvement in the First World War was a major cause of discontent
• A lack of weapons, ammunition, equipment and clothing for the Russian troops contributed to numerous defeats
• The liberal zemstva and others saw the government failures as a call to action
• Union of Zemstva was set up


  To provide the medical facilities which the state seemed to neglect
• Congress of Representatives of Industry and Business was set up


  To help coordinate their production for the war effort
• All-Russian Union of Zemstva and Chies was formed in June 1915


  Chaired by Prince Lyov (later to lead the Provisional Government)
• Nicholas refused to let this civilian organisation take any part in his government's management of the war
• In August 1915, a 'Progressive bloc' in the State Duma demanded that responsibility for the war effort be handed over to a civilian government
• Unable to accept this challenge to his autocratic rule, Nicholas refused
• This increased liberal discontent with the tsarist government even further
• In September 1915, Nicholas took on the role of Commander in Chief of Russia's armed forces, despite lacking strong military experience
• This made him directly responsible for everything that were wrong in the war
• Nicholas effectively left Alexandra to govern in Petrograd
• Alexandra's reliance on Rasputin, a peasant, appalled the aristocracy
• One of the Tsar's relations, Prince Yusupov, assassinated Rasputin in December 1916
• The millions of men conscripted into the army caused labour shortages on farms and in factories, reducing food supplies
• Peasants hoarded their grain rather than sell it
• Food supplies were prioritised for the army, leaving towns undersupplied
• The railway system was turned over to transporting military supplies, with supplying towns a lower priority
• To pay for the war, the government increased taxes and took on huge loans, raising prices higher and higher, leading to inflation
• Unemployment increased as war-related factories were forced to close because of a lack of supplies
• The food shortages and insanitary conditions led to an increase in the death rate of workers in the towns and cities
• This, combined with the increased cost of living and rising unemployment, led to unrest and strikes
• In January 1917, 3,000 workers went on strike in Moscow and 345,000 went on strike in Petrograd
• Most of the discontent was expressed towards those in positions of power - employers, landlords, and officers in the army
• The discontent was expressed in the countryside and desertions from the armed forces
• The Tsar's refusal to cooperate with the Progressive bloc increased political discontent
• Although workers and soldiers were becoming open to radical political influences, most radical opponents of tsarism were in exile or in prison
• By early 1917, the strains of war had exposed the underlying economic and social problems of Russia
• Tsar Nicholas' political authority had weakened by 1917, partly due to his inability to take a firm lead in increasingly difficult circumstances
• The First World War was a disaster for Russia, with military defeats and serious food shortages blamed as government failures
• Ethnic minorities forced to adopt Russian culture

  • Lithuanians
  • Poles
  • German
• Censorship and propaganda for the Tsar

  From Church and Okhrana
• Tsar's control over

  Church hierarchy and religious education
• Lack of development in industry, education, economy
• Peasants in hierarchy

  • At bottoms
  • Forced to pay high tail
  • 90% of population
• Agriculture


  Old-fashioned, strip farming
• January Bloody Sunday massacre

  1905