Russia
Russia before 1917
Why was russia so difficult to govern?- Russia was a vast empire spanning two
continents from West to East it stretched over 4,000 miles. Communications were difficult.
For long journeys rivers and railways were the most comfortable form of travel. The only line
of communication was the Trans-Siberian railway. The main agricultural areas were in
European Russia, where most people lived. Russia had frontier settlements like the old wild
west of America.
Why were so many Russian people discontent?
Russification- National groups were deeply resentful of Russian control. “Russification”
making non-Russians speak Russian, wear Russian clothes and follow Russian customs.
They saw it as an attack on their way of living. Officials were brought in to run the
government of Non-Russian parts of the empire; Finland, Poland and Latvia. Russian
language had to be used in school, law courts and in local government. In Poland you
couldn’t teach children polish. Russians were given important jobs in Non-Russian areas.
The peasants- Beginning of 20th century, 4 out of 5 people were peasants. When harvests
were and there was starvation and disease. There were regular epidemics of typhus and
diphtheria and syphilis was widespread. The main problem was land, there wasn’t enough to
go around. In order to get a share of land they had to buy it when they gotten a loan of the
government. Many peasants got into crushing debt. Situation got worse by 1900. The
population increased 50% between 1860-1897, it was growing fast. There was more
competition for land available.
The Nobles and the middle class- Nobles only made up 1% of the population, yet they
owned over a quarter of all land. Around 1900, a new class of people was growing in Russia.
There was a link between businessmen and the government in Russia was very strong-
government gave them big contracts and loans. Life for the rich middle classes was very
good. They had large houses which were lavishly decorate, with beautiful furniture.
The Workers- People lived in cheap wooden lodging houses. In industrial centres- workers
often lived in barracks next to the factory. Many of the workers were young male peasants
who had been forced off the land. Large numbers of women workers were employed in
textile factories in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
How Russians was governed
Civil Service- There were thousands of civil servants. They ranged from tax collectors to top
officials. Getting things done was painfully slow business. The Civil servants carried out the
orders passed down to them. However, since the wages of the people at the bottom were
very low, there was a lot of corruption and bribery.
Secret Police- There was no parliament to represent the views of the people. Everything
was censored. Opposition was not tolerated and the secret police (Okhrana) dealt with
anyone who criticised the government. The secret police had spies and agent everywhere.
Dissidents soon found themselves in jail or exiled. If there were strikes, then soldiers would
stop the demonstrations with great brutality.
Orthodox Church- This was a very important in Russia- in most houses there were holy
pictures. The Church was surrounded by mysticism and superstition. The Church was
closely linked to the Tsar and supported him. It taught that the Tsar was the head of the
country and the church- in other words, he was God's chosen representative on Earth. Many
peasants and workers thought of the Tsar as their “little father”. But this image was shortly
, shattered.
Opposition to the Tsar
Socialist Revolutionaries
Aims:
● To get rid of the Tsar and his government.
● To give all the land to the peasants to farm collectively in the communes, so farming
thousands of small peasant communities.
Supporters:
● Mainly appealed to the peasants, who supported the party which wanted to give them
land.
● Sometimes called the “peasants party”
Tactics:
● Propaganda to encourage revolution.
● Violent acts to bring about the collapse of the government.
● Responsible for several important government officials death.
Social Democrats
Aims:
● To otherthrow the Tsar
● Create a Socialist state.
Supporters:
● Workers in cities and large towns
● Students
Tactics:
● 1903 the split over what tactics to use.
● The Mensheviks- mass party would grow until it eventually took power. Would work
with the trade unions to improve wages and working conditions.
● The Bolsheviks- small, tightly, disciplined party that would seize power when it was
right. Thought a large party that would have police spies. 3-4 people would go into
factories to organise strikes and demonstrations.
Liberals
Aims:
● Free elections and a parliament to run the country.
● Tsar to be a constitutional monarch like the one in England.
● Civil rights- freedom of speech, worship, conscience.
Supporters:
● The middle and educated classes- teachers, doctors, lawyers.
● Some members of the gentry
Tactics:
● Meetings, speeches, discussions, publishing articles and books calling for change.
Causes of the 1905 revolution
Long term problems
● Russification- Where non-Russians have to speak Russian, and dress in Russian
clothing and follow Russian customs.
● Inequality- Upper and middle class were treated a lot better than the peasants and
workers. Most women employed in textile factories.
● Economy- Was a massive difference in what people were paid. Government cut
wages of workers and peasants to use that money and invest in Industrial
Development, because of this there were outbreaks of violence and buildings burnt.
Russia before 1917
Why was russia so difficult to govern?- Russia was a vast empire spanning two
continents from West to East it stretched over 4,000 miles. Communications were difficult.
For long journeys rivers and railways were the most comfortable form of travel. The only line
of communication was the Trans-Siberian railway. The main agricultural areas were in
European Russia, where most people lived. Russia had frontier settlements like the old wild
west of America.
Why were so many Russian people discontent?
Russification- National groups were deeply resentful of Russian control. “Russification”
making non-Russians speak Russian, wear Russian clothes and follow Russian customs.
They saw it as an attack on their way of living. Officials were brought in to run the
government of Non-Russian parts of the empire; Finland, Poland and Latvia. Russian
language had to be used in school, law courts and in local government. In Poland you
couldn’t teach children polish. Russians were given important jobs in Non-Russian areas.
The peasants- Beginning of 20th century, 4 out of 5 people were peasants. When harvests
were and there was starvation and disease. There were regular epidemics of typhus and
diphtheria and syphilis was widespread. The main problem was land, there wasn’t enough to
go around. In order to get a share of land they had to buy it when they gotten a loan of the
government. Many peasants got into crushing debt. Situation got worse by 1900. The
population increased 50% between 1860-1897, it was growing fast. There was more
competition for land available.
The Nobles and the middle class- Nobles only made up 1% of the population, yet they
owned over a quarter of all land. Around 1900, a new class of people was growing in Russia.
There was a link between businessmen and the government in Russia was very strong-
government gave them big contracts and loans. Life for the rich middle classes was very
good. They had large houses which were lavishly decorate, with beautiful furniture.
The Workers- People lived in cheap wooden lodging houses. In industrial centres- workers
often lived in barracks next to the factory. Many of the workers were young male peasants
who had been forced off the land. Large numbers of women workers were employed in
textile factories in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
How Russians was governed
Civil Service- There were thousands of civil servants. They ranged from tax collectors to top
officials. Getting things done was painfully slow business. The Civil servants carried out the
orders passed down to them. However, since the wages of the people at the bottom were
very low, there was a lot of corruption and bribery.
Secret Police- There was no parliament to represent the views of the people. Everything
was censored. Opposition was not tolerated and the secret police (Okhrana) dealt with
anyone who criticised the government. The secret police had spies and agent everywhere.
Dissidents soon found themselves in jail or exiled. If there were strikes, then soldiers would
stop the demonstrations with great brutality.
Orthodox Church- This was a very important in Russia- in most houses there were holy
pictures. The Church was surrounded by mysticism and superstition. The Church was
closely linked to the Tsar and supported him. It taught that the Tsar was the head of the
country and the church- in other words, he was God's chosen representative on Earth. Many
peasants and workers thought of the Tsar as their “little father”. But this image was shortly
, shattered.
Opposition to the Tsar
Socialist Revolutionaries
Aims:
● To get rid of the Tsar and his government.
● To give all the land to the peasants to farm collectively in the communes, so farming
thousands of small peasant communities.
Supporters:
● Mainly appealed to the peasants, who supported the party which wanted to give them
land.
● Sometimes called the “peasants party”
Tactics:
● Propaganda to encourage revolution.
● Violent acts to bring about the collapse of the government.
● Responsible for several important government officials death.
Social Democrats
Aims:
● To otherthrow the Tsar
● Create a Socialist state.
Supporters:
● Workers in cities and large towns
● Students
Tactics:
● 1903 the split over what tactics to use.
● The Mensheviks- mass party would grow until it eventually took power. Would work
with the trade unions to improve wages and working conditions.
● The Bolsheviks- small, tightly, disciplined party that would seize power when it was
right. Thought a large party that would have police spies. 3-4 people would go into
factories to organise strikes and demonstrations.
Liberals
Aims:
● Free elections and a parliament to run the country.
● Tsar to be a constitutional monarch like the one in England.
● Civil rights- freedom of speech, worship, conscience.
Supporters:
● The middle and educated classes- teachers, doctors, lawyers.
● Some members of the gentry
Tactics:
● Meetings, speeches, discussions, publishing articles and books calling for change.
Causes of the 1905 revolution
Long term problems
● Russification- Where non-Russians have to speak Russian, and dress in Russian
clothing and follow Russian customs.
● Inequality- Upper and middle class were treated a lot better than the peasants and
workers. Most women employed in textile factories.
● Economy- Was a massive difference in what people were paid. Government cut
wages of workers and peasants to use that money and invest in Industrial
Development, because of this there were outbreaks of violence and buildings burnt.
