1891 famine

• Famine hit 17 of 39 provinces
• early winter followed by long hot summer which ruined all the crops
• outbreak of Cholera and typhus
• government increased taxes on consumer goods; peasants forced to sell more and more grain so no reserves for bad year
• government very slow to act
• censors prevented newspapers carrying reports of famine
• Government postponed ban on grain exports until situation was smaller in Sug 1891
• people blamed government for famine
• Nicholas put in charge of special committee on famine relief
• Alexander 3 announced 2 state lotteries to raise money for emergency supplies
• Zmestva came out well
• Tolstroy set up soup canteens
• 350,000 died from starvation or disease
• proved areas of Gov could work together