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Late Imperial Russia (1894-1905) (Land, People, Tsardom (The Tsar…
Late Imperial Russia (1894-1905)
Land, People, Tsardom
82% of population were peasants. Nicknamed the 'dark masses'. Attempts had been made to educate them
Okhrana: secret police who hunted down opposers to the Tsar
The Tsar practiced through three different governing bodies who did not really govern
The Imperial Council; honorary advisers to the Tsar
The Cabinet of Ministers; ran government departments
The Senate; supervised operation of the law
The Tsar Nicholas II was part of the Romanov family who had ruled Russia since 1613. The Tsar was the absolute ruler of Russia
Russia covered 8 million square miles in 1894, but the majority of the population lived in the European areas
Russia had advanced very slowly politically when compared to other European nations.There was no democratic or representative government despite previous Tsars being reforming. Very little in ways of political rights. It was considered a criminal offence to oppsose the Tsar
Denial of free speech led to extremism. There was no moderate or middle ground where debate could properly develop
Orthodox Church: conservative and determined to preserve the Tsarist regime
Very slow economic growth because of undeveloped infrastructure and poor banking system
Very backwards agriculture as not much land was worth farming on and land was not shared out
1.5 million in the army made up of criminals and lower class
Economic Reform under Witte 1893-1903
Sergei Witte - Minister of Finance 1893-1903 and Chief Minister 1903-6. He sought to modernise Russia
Great Spurt - period in the 1890's of great economic gain
Invested massively in foreign capital, including major improvements to infrastructure
Trans-Siberian railway - massive railway project which was constructed between 1891 and 1916. It stretched for 5770 miles from Moscow to Vladivostok
Became way too dependent on foreign loans and investment, neglecting agricultural needs
Was never fully trusted by the Tsar and his government, limiting effect
The Opponents of Tsardom
Social revolutionaries (SR)
Social Democrats (SD)
Populists (Narodniks)
Octobrists
Constitutional Democrats (Kadets)
The 1905 Revolution
The Problem of Reform in Imperial Russia
Change was only able to come from the absolute top, meaning the Tsar
Zemstva - elected rural coucils
Mir - local organisation in the countryside to keep order
The Tsar was unimaginative and lacked understanding of the big problems. Did not embrace the needed modernisation
Influenced by Popedonotstev - very repressive
Russification - restricted influence of non Russian minorities
Encouraged formation of opposition groups
Rapid economic expansion in the early years of Nicholas' reign
The Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905