RUSSIA THEMES 1 THE NATURE OF
GOVERNMENT
Ideologies A. The main authority has inherited a ‘God
Define given right’ / ‘divine right’ to rule.
a) Autocracy [1] B. The main authority has power over the
b) Dictatorship [1] whole country.
c) Totalitarianism [1] C. Everything is controlled by one authority.
a)
Practical necessity – kept the peasants (80% of the
pop) in order b/c they saw the Tsar as ‘little father’.
Allowed quick decision making
Provided a knowledgeable leader – Tsars were
Ideologies educated since childhood.
a) Reasons to maintain autocracy [3] b)
A2 – made some liberal reforms but everyone was
b) The Tsars on autocracy [3]
still controlled w overt repression when needed.
A3 – intense authoritarian rule – reverted many of
A2’s liberal reforms.
N2 – fairly severe –the October Manifesto was
restricted by the 1906 Fundamental Laws.
Until 1905, the Tsars had complete, autocratic
control. Everyone was accountable to the Tsar.
The senate (aka the supreme court) was v corrupt.
The Council of Ministers – chaired by the Tsar &
Central Gov officials were appointed by him.
From 1885-1905 o Abandoned by A3 in 1882.
Committee pf Ministers – had specific
[7]
responsibilities but were purely administrative (no
power or budget).
o Had v poor communication.
Imperial Council of State – the Tsars advisors.
, The October Manifesto created the Duma, ending the
complete autocracy.
But the Tsar continued to rule autocratically b/c of the 1906
Fundamental Laws.
Council of Ministers (similar ppl to the Committee of
Ministers) – law making and admin.
Central Gov o PM = Witte, elected by the Tsar.
o Debates took place but the Tsar made the ultimate
From 1905-1917 decision.
[10] State Council (similar to Imperial Council of State) –
middlemen between the Tsar & the Duma
Duma – couldn’t pass laws but could block them.
o Elected in a complex, indirect system. Members had
to own property.
o Tsar could disband.
The senate (the same) – still corrupt.
a)
A2 - emancipated b/c he feared an uprising (better to reform from above than to
be reformed from below) – so was a bid to control the situation.
Stalin - Collectivisation - aimed to integrate individual landholdings and labour into
Ideology collectively-controlled and state-controlled farms
Khrushchev - Virgin Land Scheme alleviated food shortages (was less likely done for
‘Russian leaders were consistently control b/c censorship did the job).
b)
autocratic in the way they ruled from A3 - 1881 Statute of state security – enhanced Okhrana’s powers – could spy on,
arrest, imprison, exile, etc
1855 to 1964’
Lenin - Set up the Cheka (secret police) to help enforce war communism.
Khrushchev - Had secret police but the KGB was mainly used to spy on foreign ppl.
a) Land & Agricultural reforms [3] c)
Shows a shift in focus onto international affairs.
b) Repression [3] N2 - October manifesto introd duma but the 1906 fundamental laws made any
possible opposition powerless. Also Tsar seen as ‘little father’ – divine right meant
c) Ideologies [3]
ppl believed the Tsar knew everyone personally & was backed by God.
Prov Gov - Lack of clear ideology – Gov was made up of old hands who saw
themselves as temporary so no need for strict control or ideology.
Stalin - Made use of Lenin’s pop, killed Trotsky & purge got rid of competition,
Uncle joe – father figure.
a)
Nature of Government 1877 – new senate department to set up to try political cases after an
‘The most important development in
assassination attempt on A2.
His eventual assassination showed the senate’s policies failed, so it
government in Russia from 1855-1964 b)
wasn’t that important of a development.
was changes to the judiciary.’ how far do 1881 – moved away from his father’s liberalism, also in response to
assassination.
you agree? [25]
Special courts were designed for political cases.
However, given that A2 had already set up the senate to deal w political
Theme 1 – judicial changes cases, this isn’t a big change.
c)
a) Alexander II [2] 1921 criminal code – legalised the use of terror to deter crime (aka anti-
rev behaviour).
b) Alexander III [2] Focus on action rather than policies to deal w threats.
d)
c) Lenin [2] Judicial changes were oft done to maintain power, but not always the
most effective or different from before.
d) Overall conclusion [2] So not the most important.
Nature of Government a)
1864 – Zemstva introd but not really listened to by central gov & only existed
‘The most important development in b)
in Great Russia.
Pre 1917 – 3rd element (liberal voice in D & Z) mainly consisted of doctors,
government in Russia from 1855-1964 lawyers, teachers, etc & dealt w education, public health, & transport.
Wanted to remodel the central gov to be more similar to the D & Z.
was changes to the judiciary.’ how far do Control gov ignored them & found them annoying.
Abolished in 1917.
you agree? [25] c)
From Mar-Oct 1917, the Petrograd Soviet effectively controlled Russia.
Theme 2 – local government They dictated strike action & controlled the soldiers due to Petrograd Soviet
Order No.1.
a) Alexander II [1] PG had to listen to them.
d)
b) Nicholas II [4] The change during the PG was very significant.
But the changes to the local gov in the other examples are much less
c) Provisional Government [3] significant as they just reinforced the tradition of government being v
centralised & being overall controlled by one central authority (the Tsar or
d) Overall conclusion [2] dictator).
GOVERNMENT
Ideologies A. The main authority has inherited a ‘God
Define given right’ / ‘divine right’ to rule.
a) Autocracy [1] B. The main authority has power over the
b) Dictatorship [1] whole country.
c) Totalitarianism [1] C. Everything is controlled by one authority.
a)
Practical necessity – kept the peasants (80% of the
pop) in order b/c they saw the Tsar as ‘little father’.
Allowed quick decision making
Provided a knowledgeable leader – Tsars were
Ideologies educated since childhood.
a) Reasons to maintain autocracy [3] b)
A2 – made some liberal reforms but everyone was
b) The Tsars on autocracy [3]
still controlled w overt repression when needed.
A3 – intense authoritarian rule – reverted many of
A2’s liberal reforms.
N2 – fairly severe –the October Manifesto was
restricted by the 1906 Fundamental Laws.
Until 1905, the Tsars had complete, autocratic
control. Everyone was accountable to the Tsar.
The senate (aka the supreme court) was v corrupt.
The Council of Ministers – chaired by the Tsar &
Central Gov officials were appointed by him.
From 1885-1905 o Abandoned by A3 in 1882.
Committee pf Ministers – had specific
[7]
responsibilities but were purely administrative (no
power or budget).
o Had v poor communication.
Imperial Council of State – the Tsars advisors.
, The October Manifesto created the Duma, ending the
complete autocracy.
But the Tsar continued to rule autocratically b/c of the 1906
Fundamental Laws.
Council of Ministers (similar ppl to the Committee of
Ministers) – law making and admin.
Central Gov o PM = Witte, elected by the Tsar.
o Debates took place but the Tsar made the ultimate
From 1905-1917 decision.
[10] State Council (similar to Imperial Council of State) –
middlemen between the Tsar & the Duma
Duma – couldn’t pass laws but could block them.
o Elected in a complex, indirect system. Members had
to own property.
o Tsar could disband.
The senate (the same) – still corrupt.
a)
A2 - emancipated b/c he feared an uprising (better to reform from above than to
be reformed from below) – so was a bid to control the situation.
Stalin - Collectivisation - aimed to integrate individual landholdings and labour into
Ideology collectively-controlled and state-controlled farms
Khrushchev - Virgin Land Scheme alleviated food shortages (was less likely done for
‘Russian leaders were consistently control b/c censorship did the job).
b)
autocratic in the way they ruled from A3 - 1881 Statute of state security – enhanced Okhrana’s powers – could spy on,
arrest, imprison, exile, etc
1855 to 1964’
Lenin - Set up the Cheka (secret police) to help enforce war communism.
Khrushchev - Had secret police but the KGB was mainly used to spy on foreign ppl.
a) Land & Agricultural reforms [3] c)
Shows a shift in focus onto international affairs.
b) Repression [3] N2 - October manifesto introd duma but the 1906 fundamental laws made any
possible opposition powerless. Also Tsar seen as ‘little father’ – divine right meant
c) Ideologies [3]
ppl believed the Tsar knew everyone personally & was backed by God.
Prov Gov - Lack of clear ideology – Gov was made up of old hands who saw
themselves as temporary so no need for strict control or ideology.
Stalin - Made use of Lenin’s pop, killed Trotsky & purge got rid of competition,
Uncle joe – father figure.
a)
Nature of Government 1877 – new senate department to set up to try political cases after an
‘The most important development in
assassination attempt on A2.
His eventual assassination showed the senate’s policies failed, so it
government in Russia from 1855-1964 b)
wasn’t that important of a development.
was changes to the judiciary.’ how far do 1881 – moved away from his father’s liberalism, also in response to
assassination.
you agree? [25]
Special courts were designed for political cases.
However, given that A2 had already set up the senate to deal w political
Theme 1 – judicial changes cases, this isn’t a big change.
c)
a) Alexander II [2] 1921 criminal code – legalised the use of terror to deter crime (aka anti-
rev behaviour).
b) Alexander III [2] Focus on action rather than policies to deal w threats.
d)
c) Lenin [2] Judicial changes were oft done to maintain power, but not always the
most effective or different from before.
d) Overall conclusion [2] So not the most important.
Nature of Government a)
1864 – Zemstva introd but not really listened to by central gov & only existed
‘The most important development in b)
in Great Russia.
Pre 1917 – 3rd element (liberal voice in D & Z) mainly consisted of doctors,
government in Russia from 1855-1964 lawyers, teachers, etc & dealt w education, public health, & transport.
Wanted to remodel the central gov to be more similar to the D & Z.
was changes to the judiciary.’ how far do Control gov ignored them & found them annoying.
Abolished in 1917.
you agree? [25] c)
From Mar-Oct 1917, the Petrograd Soviet effectively controlled Russia.
Theme 2 – local government They dictated strike action & controlled the soldiers due to Petrograd Soviet
Order No.1.
a) Alexander II [1] PG had to listen to them.
d)
b) Nicholas II [4] The change during the PG was very significant.
But the changes to the local gov in the other examples are much less
c) Provisional Government [3] significant as they just reinforced the tradition of government being v
centralised & being overall controlled by one central authority (the Tsar or
d) Overall conclusion [2] dictator).
