The Second Duma - 1907

• The Second Duma was referred to by many Russians the "Duma of National Anger".
• Russians had not yet lost faith that the Duma was a good thing so the turnout for the Second Duma was very strong.
• The SRs took part in the Duma elections for the first time and won 37 seats and the Mensheviks increased their number of seats significantly.
• The Trudoviks remained strong and although they lost half of their seats, the Kadets were the second largest party.
• The Trudoviks remained strong and although they lost half of their seats, the Kadets were the second largest party.

  • Therefore, the reformist parties on the left of the political spectrum were still a strong force in the Duma.
• The right-wing parties were also strengthened as the Octobrists more than doubled their number of seats thanks to the support by Stolypin.

  • As a result, the Second Duma was polarised between the left and right-wings and was even more argumentative and hard to control than the First Duma.
• Stolypin used Article 87 of the Fundamental Laws to pass his agricultural reforms when the Duma was not in session which angered the left-wing members.
• Stolypin used reports of a plot to assassinate the Tsar by the SDs as an excuse to dissolve the Second Duma.
• Stolypin was determined to create a Duma which was more favourable to the Tsar's government.

  • Therefore in preparation for the next elections, he used Article 87 to radically change the rules on voting in order to weight it more towards the nobility and landowners who would now make up 50% of the final vote.
  • Peasants would make up 23% and workers 2%
  • This is sometimes referred to as "Stolypin's Coup".