the state council had powers to veto the state duma so had no real power
the Dumas couldn't pass laws, appoint ministers, control areas of finance, national defence or tsars spending
The SRs and bolsheviks boycotted the first duma
a new franchise in 1907 to create a more 'reliable' duma
there was a class-based voting system which favoured ruling classes
had to have land to vote
no jews could vote
1/6 men could vote
October manifesto didn't mention that there would be 2 houses
the duma and imperial state council
half members selected by the tsar and other hand by nobles and church
the fundamental laws were detailed plans for a new political structure
included Article 4 Supreme Autocratic Power belong to the Tsar
article 87 stated that the tsar had the right to govern by decree so undermining the Dumas and appointing his own ministers
out of 391 requests from the 1st duma only 2 were passed
the 2nd duma was more extreme and closed within 3 months
defence and forge in affairs rested with the tsar
the number of Kadets in the 2nd duma halved meaning the representatives couldn't work well together to make effective decisions with regard to reform as the liberals had gone and been replaced with revolutionaries
the Dumas never had any real influence as they were only consultative bodies since the government could just ignore then and the tsar could dissolve them at any time
