How far did the Duma’s moderate autocracy up to 1914?
Duma Dates Political make-up Key reforms discussed Government interference/attitudes
Success/failure?
First Duma April - - Left-wing movements - Full democratisation of Russia, radical - The Government did not expect that the First Duma would be full
June 1906 dominated: land reform (nobility estates given to of left-wing political parties. Sergei Witte has promised the Tsar a
The Duma of Kadets (182) peasantry) and amnesty for political loyal peasant majority (this failure led to his dismissal)
Public Anger Trudoviks (136) prisoners. instantly refused by the - The Government did not like the reforms put forward because they
- hostility to National Parties (60) government. were too radical.
government - SR’s, Mensheviks and - Vote of no confidence in PM (Ivan
- They responded to the persistence of the Duma members by
was Bolsheviks boycotted Goremykin)
expressed the elections - Then debated more radical land reform. dissolving them under the Fundamental Laws (the Tsar could
- Whilst the right-wing The government dissolves them after dissolve the Duma at any point)
pro-Tsar parties had only 72 days. - The Vyborg manifesto was a failure and the government
little influence and the - It had made 391 requests for action but response by arresting all that’s ere involved for inciting
only two resolutions were passed: disorder = short prison sentences + banned from political
against capital punishment and famine activity.
relief. - Members of Duma requested audience with Tsar - he refused
- The Vyborg Manifesto (July 1906) - - The Tsar openly supported the Union of Russian People which
called upon citizens to refuse taxes and campaigned for abolition of the Duma
sending soldiers to war (no taxation - The Tsar directly opposed the existence of the Duma - believing he
without representation). The masses has a God given right to rule alone (autocracy)
didn’t take to the streets (struggles of
1905 Rev).
Second Feb - - Kadet numbers 1/2 - Passed important land reform (with help - The government put more funding into campaign for election.
Duma June 1907 (many banned after from Stolypin) but began to refuse the Interventionist = disrupted electioneering, secretly financed
Vyborg Manifesto) reforms right- wing extremists. Led to reduced Kadet votes
- SR’s and SD’s gained - Criticised the administration of the army - Police framed radical members of the Duma - said they tried
seats (didn’t boycott) - angered the Tsar and his supporters to encourage mutinies
- Right wing extremists - Critical fo methods used by the
- Tsar and Stolypin dissolved Duma after two months
and Octobrists gained government to quell peasant disorder
support - Stolypin scraped 1905 electoral law - coup d’etat and violated
- Polarised Duma 1906 Fundamental laws
- Replaced electoral law with new one to ensure teh next Duma
would reduce representation of peasants, workers and
national minorities
- Nobility (1% of pop.) = elected 1/2 + of Duma
- Peasants (80%) = elected 1/5 of Duma
- Did not get Duma approval before doing
- Tsar supported dissolution and wanted it to be dissolve faster that
it actually was.
Duma Dates Political make-up Key reforms discussed Government interference/attitudes
Success/failure?
First Duma April - - Left-wing movements - Full democratisation of Russia, radical - The Government did not expect that the First Duma would be full
June 1906 dominated: land reform (nobility estates given to of left-wing political parties. Sergei Witte has promised the Tsar a
The Duma of Kadets (182) peasantry) and amnesty for political loyal peasant majority (this failure led to his dismissal)
Public Anger Trudoviks (136) prisoners. instantly refused by the - The Government did not like the reforms put forward because they
- hostility to National Parties (60) government. were too radical.
government - SR’s, Mensheviks and - Vote of no confidence in PM (Ivan
- They responded to the persistence of the Duma members by
was Bolsheviks boycotted Goremykin)
expressed the elections - Then debated more radical land reform. dissolving them under the Fundamental Laws (the Tsar could
- Whilst the right-wing The government dissolves them after dissolve the Duma at any point)
pro-Tsar parties had only 72 days. - The Vyborg manifesto was a failure and the government
little influence and the - It had made 391 requests for action but response by arresting all that’s ere involved for inciting
only two resolutions were passed: disorder = short prison sentences + banned from political
against capital punishment and famine activity.
relief. - Members of Duma requested audience with Tsar - he refused
- The Vyborg Manifesto (July 1906) - - The Tsar openly supported the Union of Russian People which
called upon citizens to refuse taxes and campaigned for abolition of the Duma
sending soldiers to war (no taxation - The Tsar directly opposed the existence of the Duma - believing he
without representation). The masses has a God given right to rule alone (autocracy)
didn’t take to the streets (struggles of
1905 Rev).
Second Feb - - Kadet numbers 1/2 - Passed important land reform (with help - The government put more funding into campaign for election.
Duma June 1907 (many banned after from Stolypin) but began to refuse the Interventionist = disrupted electioneering, secretly financed
Vyborg Manifesto) reforms right- wing extremists. Led to reduced Kadet votes
- SR’s and SD’s gained - Criticised the administration of the army - Police framed radical members of the Duma - said they tried
seats (didn’t boycott) - angered the Tsar and his supporters to encourage mutinies
- Right wing extremists - Critical fo methods used by the
- Tsar and Stolypin dissolved Duma after two months
and Octobrists gained government to quell peasant disorder
support - Stolypin scraped 1905 electoral law - coup d’etat and violated
- Polarised Duma 1906 Fundamental laws
- Replaced electoral law with new one to ensure teh next Duma
would reduce representation of peasants, workers and
national minorities
- Nobility (1% of pop.) = elected 1/2 + of Duma
- Peasants (80%) = elected 1/5 of Duma
- Did not get Duma approval before doing
- Tsar supported dissolution and wanted it to be dissolve faster that
it actually was.
