RUSSIA & ITS RULERS
OCR A-LEVEL HISTORY - UNIT Y318
ESSAY PLANS
Contents:
1. “The Communists were effective autocrats; the Tsars were not” –
how far do you agree?
2. Assess the view that the condition of the peasantry was transformed
between 1855 and 1964.
3. “1855 to 1964 suggests that they Communists were more
authoritarian and repressive than the Romanov Tsars.” - how far do
you agree?
4. Assess the view that the Communists did less to improve the lives of
the proletariat than the Tsars.
5. “Russia’s rulers failed to solve the problems of Russian society” - how
far do you agree?
6. Assess the reasons why the opponents of Russian governments were
rarely successful.
7. “The development of Russian government was influenced more by
war than any other factor” - how far do you agree?
8. “Stalin developed the rights of nationalities the least of all rulers in
Russia 1855-1964” - how far do you agree?
,NOTES:
Short hand terms used:
P1/P2/P3 = Paragraph 1, Paragraph 2, etc.
Conc/Mini Conc = Conclusion/Mini Conclusion
Coms = Communists
A1/A2/A3/N2: Alexander I/Alexander II/Alexander III/Nicholas II
Poptn. = population
Esp. = especially
Tse. = to some extent
5YP/7YP: 5 Year Plans/7 Year Plans
, Essay Plan:
“The Communists were effective autocrats; the Tsars were not” – how far do
you agree?
Criteria:
- One person in authority/centralised state
- Repression/control of opposition
- social freedoms/minorities and nationalities
P1: Centralised State
- Tsars had absolute power:
oAlex II passed Emancipation Act against opp. from nobles
oAlex III’s ‘Manifesto on Unshakable Autocracy’ reinforced his
authority/divine right of kings/led to resignation of many liberal
advisors e.g. Loris Melikov
oNicholas II’s Fundamental Laws (1906): Tsar could suspend Duma,
only Tsar could propose laws ---> First two Dumas dismissed for
being too ‘radical’, Tsar used emergency powers to change
electoral laws giving less voting power to workers/peasants
- Communists had absolute power:
oLenin pushed forward NEP against opposition
oStalin removed all political opponents to make himself sole leader
of party (e.g. Kamenev, Zinoviev, Trotsky)
oStalin’s cult of personality elevated him to a god-like status e.g.
celebrations for 70th bday had his image projected into sky
- Judgement: Very similar, Communists not more effective
P2: Repression/Control
- To some extent Tsars successfully dealt with opponents/very repressive:
oAlex III: public execution of his father’s assassins upon accession
oUse of Okhrana: 14000 deaths under last two Tsars
- BUT Tsars faced more opp. than Communists/less effective:
oSuccessful assassination of Alex II
oAlex II: Despite emancipation being proposed as a measure to
control peasantry, 647 peasant riots in first 4 months
oNicholas II forced to concede to some political representation with
October Manifesto in 1905
oFebruary Revolution overthrew Romanov dynasty
- Communists much more repressive/effective:
OCR A-LEVEL HISTORY - UNIT Y318
ESSAY PLANS
Contents:
1. “The Communists were effective autocrats; the Tsars were not” –
how far do you agree?
2. Assess the view that the condition of the peasantry was transformed
between 1855 and 1964.
3. “1855 to 1964 suggests that they Communists were more
authoritarian and repressive than the Romanov Tsars.” - how far do
you agree?
4. Assess the view that the Communists did less to improve the lives of
the proletariat than the Tsars.
5. “Russia’s rulers failed to solve the problems of Russian society” - how
far do you agree?
6. Assess the reasons why the opponents of Russian governments were
rarely successful.
7. “The development of Russian government was influenced more by
war than any other factor” - how far do you agree?
8. “Stalin developed the rights of nationalities the least of all rulers in
Russia 1855-1964” - how far do you agree?
,NOTES:
Short hand terms used:
P1/P2/P3 = Paragraph 1, Paragraph 2, etc.
Conc/Mini Conc = Conclusion/Mini Conclusion
Coms = Communists
A1/A2/A3/N2: Alexander I/Alexander II/Alexander III/Nicholas II
Poptn. = population
Esp. = especially
Tse. = to some extent
5YP/7YP: 5 Year Plans/7 Year Plans
, Essay Plan:
“The Communists were effective autocrats; the Tsars were not” – how far do
you agree?
Criteria:
- One person in authority/centralised state
- Repression/control of opposition
- social freedoms/minorities and nationalities
P1: Centralised State
- Tsars had absolute power:
oAlex II passed Emancipation Act against opp. from nobles
oAlex III’s ‘Manifesto on Unshakable Autocracy’ reinforced his
authority/divine right of kings/led to resignation of many liberal
advisors e.g. Loris Melikov
oNicholas II’s Fundamental Laws (1906): Tsar could suspend Duma,
only Tsar could propose laws ---> First two Dumas dismissed for
being too ‘radical’, Tsar used emergency powers to change
electoral laws giving less voting power to workers/peasants
- Communists had absolute power:
oLenin pushed forward NEP against opposition
oStalin removed all political opponents to make himself sole leader
of party (e.g. Kamenev, Zinoviev, Trotsky)
oStalin’s cult of personality elevated him to a god-like status e.g.
celebrations for 70th bday had his image projected into sky
- Judgement: Very similar, Communists not more effective
P2: Repression/Control
- To some extent Tsars successfully dealt with opponents/very repressive:
oAlex III: public execution of his father’s assassins upon accession
oUse of Okhrana: 14000 deaths under last two Tsars
- BUT Tsars faced more opp. than Communists/less effective:
oSuccessful assassination of Alex II
oAlex II: Despite emancipation being proposed as a measure to
control peasantry, 647 peasant riots in first 4 months
oNicholas II forced to concede to some political representation with
October Manifesto in 1905
oFebruary Revolution overthrew Romanov dynasty
- Communists much more repressive/effective:
