Workers Social Change 1894-1914 Peasants social change 1894-1914
Positives Negatives Positives Negatives
Health insurance for workers in 1912 Inflation rose 40% Extension of health services provided by Zemstva However, in peasant pop of nearly 97M, this
Calls from the duma for more trade union rights were was small minority
dismissed, and the unions remained powerless.
Industrial wage rose from 245 to 264 roubles per 1912-14: around 3M workers took part in strikes
month Siberia was developed as an area of agricultural Generally levels of education remained low
production. 3.5 million peasants relocated with the help
Workers often lived barrack-like buildings hastily of government sponsorship, and thus escaped the over-
Pop grew main cities, e.g. 1881 900k, 1914 2.2m built by factory owners often overcrowded + populated south and west. Growth of kulaks meant gap between
insanitary Social mobility improved. Entrepreneurial peasants poorest and richest in countryside only
1908-09: 30k people in St Petersburg died of Cholera were able to join the middle classes widened
High literacy rate of 64% by 1914 (higher than outbreak Between 1861 and 1905, around one third of all nobles’
average) skilled workers 75% literacy rate able Only 200 cities had piped water, 38 had sewage land was transferred to townsmen or peasants.
to participate more in opposition Large proportion of peasants turned down as
system led to outbreaks of disease e.g. cholera
Increased spending on education resulted in a 77% unfit for military service in 1914
St Petersburg
growth in pupils and an 85% growth in numbers of
Majority workers began employment 1906-13 children Initially wages too low to support families living in
schools 1905-14.
of workers working class solely of workers separate accommodation Strip farming persisted on 90% of land +
Guarantees of right to have trade unions, as The literacy rate did rise from under 30% in 1900 to
beginning to form rural poverty rife
established in Fundamental Laws, only superficially over 40% by 1914. From 1890s especially, many
followed e.g. state repression 1906-10 = 1896 497 migrated into cities in search for work --> some
Successful co-operative movement developed after Trade Unions shut down, mainly confined to St permanent, others seasonal, sending money back to Growing number landless peasants, 9M by
1905 in towns + countryside (but more developed in Petersburg (3/4 strikes here) families --> 1890 2/3rd pop born outside city (even 1900, many searched for work in countryside
towns + cities) could buy goods cheaper in bulk, Govt made no attempt to improve workers higher in Moscow), 1907 50% Moscow printers kept but 100,000s went to cities
e.g. Kooperatsiya in Moscow, 1000s of members conditions after booming economy of 1908 farms in home villages, 90% sent money back to
People still worked long hours for low pay in relatives
Savings bank movement, Moscow Narody (people) some areas post-1905
bank 85% owned by cooperative movement Housing shortage + poor conditions worsened due
to large increase in workforce big strain on public
services
By 1914 established itself as distinct section of pop Large rise in number industrial strikes +
militancy after Lena Goldfields massacre 1914
general strike St Petersburg
Positives Negatives Positives Negatives
Health insurance for workers in 1912 Inflation rose 40% Extension of health services provided by Zemstva However, in peasant pop of nearly 97M, this
Calls from the duma for more trade union rights were was small minority
dismissed, and the unions remained powerless.
Industrial wage rose from 245 to 264 roubles per 1912-14: around 3M workers took part in strikes
month Siberia was developed as an area of agricultural Generally levels of education remained low
production. 3.5 million peasants relocated with the help
Workers often lived barrack-like buildings hastily of government sponsorship, and thus escaped the over-
Pop grew main cities, e.g. 1881 900k, 1914 2.2m built by factory owners often overcrowded + populated south and west. Growth of kulaks meant gap between
insanitary Social mobility improved. Entrepreneurial peasants poorest and richest in countryside only
1908-09: 30k people in St Petersburg died of Cholera were able to join the middle classes widened
High literacy rate of 64% by 1914 (higher than outbreak Between 1861 and 1905, around one third of all nobles’
average) skilled workers 75% literacy rate able Only 200 cities had piped water, 38 had sewage land was transferred to townsmen or peasants.
to participate more in opposition Large proportion of peasants turned down as
system led to outbreaks of disease e.g. cholera
Increased spending on education resulted in a 77% unfit for military service in 1914
St Petersburg
growth in pupils and an 85% growth in numbers of
Majority workers began employment 1906-13 children Initially wages too low to support families living in
schools 1905-14.
of workers working class solely of workers separate accommodation Strip farming persisted on 90% of land +
Guarantees of right to have trade unions, as The literacy rate did rise from under 30% in 1900 to
beginning to form rural poverty rife
established in Fundamental Laws, only superficially over 40% by 1914. From 1890s especially, many
followed e.g. state repression 1906-10 = 1896 497 migrated into cities in search for work --> some
Successful co-operative movement developed after Trade Unions shut down, mainly confined to St permanent, others seasonal, sending money back to Growing number landless peasants, 9M by
1905 in towns + countryside (but more developed in Petersburg (3/4 strikes here) families --> 1890 2/3rd pop born outside city (even 1900, many searched for work in countryside
towns + cities) could buy goods cheaper in bulk, Govt made no attempt to improve workers higher in Moscow), 1907 50% Moscow printers kept but 100,000s went to cities
e.g. Kooperatsiya in Moscow, 1000s of members conditions after booming economy of 1908 farms in home villages, 90% sent money back to
People still worked long hours for low pay in relatives
Savings bank movement, Moscow Narody (people) some areas post-1905
bank 85% owned by cooperative movement Housing shortage + poor conditions worsened due
to large increase in workforce big strain on public
services
By 1914 established itself as distinct section of pop Large rise in number industrial strikes +
militancy after Lena Goldfields massacre 1914
general strike St Petersburg
