1. Political authority and state of russia

Question 1

Political context

Tsar

Answer 1

• Picked advisors himself.
• Him and central gov based in imperial capital (relied on provincial nobility).
• Civil servants = paid noble officials.
• Buracracy = corruption + incompetence.

Question 2

Political context

Russia was an ………. empire

Answer 2

Autocratic

Question 3

Political context

Tsar and role in Church

Answer 3

• Head of Orthodox Chruch.
• Believed embodiment of God.
• “Autocratic + unlimited monarch”.

Question 4

Political context

Army

Answer 4

• 1.5 million conscripted serfs.
• 25 year forced service.
• Made to live in military colony.
• 45% of gov spending.

Question 5

Political context

Cossacks

Answer 5

• From south Russia + Ukraine.
• Known for horsemanship skills + strong military condition.
• 19th - formed prestigious miliary protecting Tsar.

Question 6

Political context

Tsar from 1825-55 + his ideals

Answer 6

• Nicolas I
• Followed path of repression of western liberal ideals.
• Set up Third Section (secret police).

Question 7

Economic context

Russian economy

Answer 7

• Remained rural.
• Ratio 11:1, village to town dwellers (vs 2:1 in Britain)

Question 8

Economic context

Issues with land

Answer 8

• Much territoy inhospitable e.g. Tundra.
• Size + climate had severe strains on development.

Question 9

Economic context

Main Europe exporter of…

Answer 9

• Timber
• Coal
• Oil
• Gold
  But communications were poor

Question 10

Economic context

Serfs

Answer 10

= Poor, ‘owned’, not citizens - could be privately or state owned, little incentive or opportunity.
* Serf-based econ.
* Extreme reliance ∴ limited wage earner markets and entrepreneurs.

Question 11

Economic context

Markets

Answer 11

• Existed but small-scale.
• Self-sufficency = few goods actually purchased.
• Exchange over money payment.
• Near cities, began to grown as peasants sought wage work.
• Overall - no internal labour market.

Question 12

Economic context

Small landowning elite…

Answer 12

Obtained most of what they needed from serfs in forms of service + fuedal dues, no opportunity for capital accumilation as income generally falling.

Question 13

Economic context

Rural population growth + agricultural changes in Western Europe caused…

Answer 13

Increased competativeness and productivity.

Question 14

Social context

Taxation and dues

Answer 14

• Serfs = liable for dues as demanded, paid direct + indirect taxes to gov.
• Nobility and clergy = exempt.

Question 15

Social context

Intelligensia

Answer 15

= Professionals.
* Small number.

Question 16

Social context

Number of peasant population

Answer 16

85%
Minimal opportunity for social mobility.

Question 17

Social context

Slavophiles

Answer 17

• Embodied romantic spiritualism (idealised form of society based on fraternal love, freedom + purity).
• Believed in Slavic traditions, individualism and competitions considered unhealthy.

Question 18

Social context

Westerners

Answer 18

• Liberal outlook.
• Believed Russia had much to learn form West reguarding gov and social organisation.
• Pointed to Peter the Great = organised Russia in modern and positive direction to benefit all.

Question 19

Social context

Society

Answer 19

Starkly divided between privlaged land-owning elite and serf majority.
Underdeveloped and backwards in comparision to West.

Question 20

General unrest

Widespread unrest in Europe 1948 caused Nicolas I to…

Answer 20

• fear the spread into Russia.
• intensified repressive measures.
• 400,000 troops sent to Western boarder - prevent spread of anarchy.
• censorship rigorously enforced.
• Third section arrested all possible opposition groups.
• Students into uni dropped 25%, as admissioned now controlled.

Question 21

General unrest

Epidemic of

Answer 21

Cholera (servere), plus worse crop failure in 30 years

Question 22

Crimean War

How it started

Answer 22

18th century ottoman empire struggled to control Christians.
Nic I, who wanted to expand Russian influence, posed as protector of Slavs and Christians.

Question 23

Crimean War

Who declared war and when?

Answer 23

Turks
Oct 1953

Question 24

Crimean War

What brought in Britain and France, and why?

Answer 24

• Russia = being stronger + sank squadron from Turkish fleet.
• B+T - anxious to protect own trading interests, defending Turkey.
• Sent joint force of 60,000 to Crimea.

Question 25

Crimean War

Failures

Answer 25

• Incompetence.
• Old fashioned weaponry.
• 25 year conscription.
• Only committed 1/4 armed forces.
• ill equipped, untrained + poorly organised.
• inadequate leadership.
• poor transport of resources.
  Revealed military and administrative inadequacies.

Question 26

Crimean War

Concequences

Answer 26

• Trade distrupted.
• Peasant uprisings escalated.
• Intelligensia renewed cries for action for gap between Russia and West.
• Treaty of Paris 1856 - prevented Russian warships from using black sea in times of peace = humiliating.