1905 Revolution Flashcards
Short term causes
defeat in the Russo-Japenese war
bloody Sunday - 9th Jan 1905
Mutiny on the Battleship Potemkin
Long term causes
Tsar Nicholas II
economic hardship - inflation, poverty + hunger
Demands for change
rise of former rev groups
failed state-level leadership and policy
Tsar Nicholas II
1894
Long term cause
Weak leadership - no leadership + didn’t look the part of an autocrat
His reign began poorly with 1400 ppl dying in a stampede on May 1896 of his coronation.
He continued russification, was right-wing and anti-Semitic = not popular with ethnic minorities
The great famine of 1891-92 hit just before Nicholas came to the throne.
Demands for change
1900 onwards
October 1905
Long term cause
The great famine of 1891-92
1901-1905 - economic slump causes worldwide depression + failed harvest → civil unrest
failure of the tsarist gov meant zemstva provided relief work
this caused greater public mistrust of the govs competence
By 1900, reformist groups had an even broader support base.
Increased use of the Okhrana as uni students become more rebellious. 1902-07 marked widespread disturbances in towns and cities.
Unrest was worst at central russian provinces where landlord/peasant relationship was tradition. ‘The years of the red cockerel’ peasants burned their landlords barns.
Pyotr stolypin dealt with this harshly aggravating the situation more. Ps flogged arrested+exiled = stolypins necktie.
Industrial strikes escalated = 400,000 in 1905.
Mutiny on the battleship potemkin
Russo-Japanese war
January 1904-1905
Short term
R wanted to exploit Manchuria and control port Arthur
R underestimated the Jarmy who were better trained.
Russia suffered several defeats in 1904 and had to retreat = Public support turned to dismay. Jan 1905 port Arthur won by japan.
the final humiliation was the defeat of the baltic fleet.
R could hav avoided revolution if they didn’t provoke war with japan as it only proved the claims that RG was irresponsible and incompetent.
Gov unpopular = plehve(M interior) assassinated on July 1904, crowds in warsaw celebrated in the streets.
Renewed cries for the duma however Nicholas would not give in to a representative form of gov and only expanded the rights of the Z
Mutiny on the Battleship Potemkin
14th June 1905
Short term
Mouldy meat ration led to a full-scale mutiny.
7 officers were killed.
sailors hoisted red revolutionary flag and sailed to Odessa + placed dead sailors’ bodies on Potemkin steps.
Townsfolk came to pay respects but troops fired on them. 2000 killed + 3000 injured.
This was a wake-up call to end the Japanese war.
The loyalty of the army was paramount.
tsar called Witte who negotiated the peace treaty of Portsmouth on 29 august 1905.
Bloody Sunday
9th January 1905
Short term
Anti-gov feelings were high.
Father gapon organised a petition and a march to the winter palace to seek help from the tsar.
they called for and 8 hour day, minimum wages and more dignified treatment.
150,000 ppl carrying icons of the tsar set off on sunday 9th Jan.
it was peaceful but once they approached the winter palace they were charged at by cavalry and troops opened fire.
130 killed + 300 wounded.
events of bloody sunday had a profound effect. Broke the relationship between tsar and ppl.
Changed the character of demands of the ppl from economic to political. Strikes and disorder quickly spread to other cities.
By end of jan 400,000 ppl on strike.
tsar uncle grand duke siege assassinated.
Regime lost control of the country.
October Manifesto
17th Oct 1905 Nicholas created the October Manifesto promising:
civic freedom
to establish a Duma
to give the state duma the power to approve laws
Why did Nicholas create the October Manifesto?
in response to the 1905 rev
this was the most sig reason why he survived the rev despite having a lack of leadership and the unity of the protesters against him
he conceded some of his power by introducing a Duma
however, concessions weren’t concrete as Tsar disregarded Duma’s opinion
rioting was still common in urban cities due to Bolshevik persistent violence
Strengths of the 1905 Revolution
October Manifesto
redemption payments halved due to rural unrest
duma members elected
Weaknesses of the 1905 Revolution
radicals urged workers to fight as autocracy remained
Nicholas had no intention of being a constitutional monarch
end of 1905 = Jews still suffered pogroms
tsar can veto legislation, rule by decree + dismiss duma
Why did the Tsar survive 1905
groups opposing him had diff aims so weren’t able to coordinate op
rev groups not ready so couldn’t play a major role
army remained loyal + only minor disturbance –> tsar reacted by reducing service vy 3-4yrs + increasing meat, tea + sugar
elite army = cossacks = loyal
October manifesto split the liberals + socialists
liberals wanted political reform so were satisfied with the manifesto
socialists wanted a social rev so were isolated in their op
Did 1905 constitute as a Revolution?
1905 does not constitute as a revolution as not enough changed happened after it
although Dumas were a step forward to a more progressive R, Nicholas was still unwilling to reduce his autocratic powers + disliked the W ways
Rppl did become more educated + politicised
