Nicolas II And Challenge To Autocracy Flashcards
(26 cards)
Nicolas II in character
-small
-, introverted,
-physically weak
- regarded by AIII as ‘girlie.’
-He had no practical knowledge of politics and management and didn’t wish to be tsar, but agreed as his god given right to rule like his father ‘the Romanov way’
- shows: his poor suitedness to ruling and impending weakness of the infrastructure of tsardom
Nicolas II beliefs
-he was like AIII tutored by Konstantin Pobadonostev and thus believed in his divine authoractic right, the importance of the Orthodox Church and to allow no concessions to rebels.
-He vowed to ‘maintain the principle of autocracy.’
- showed: a tsar that was increasingly difficult to maintain a stable rapport with the people
Nicolas and russification
-he was very committed to the Orthodox Church.
-He continued his fathers Russification and supported the ‘black hundreds’ organisation, making him unpopular with minorities
– showed: a tsar that was increasingly difficult to maintain a stable rapport with the people
Black hundreds
-a very nationalist group dedicated to the ‘tsar church and motherland’ and supported by the gov and the clergy.
-Very influential in crushing the 1905 rev
Développement of reformists by 1905
-the 1891 famine had been left to the zemstvaa and the general public which created huge public mistrust and belief in the power of the people on a national scale- developing reformists
-showed: shift of public opinion away from devout orthodoxy
1901 university outbursts
-st Petersburg university protesters were met by the okhrana and Cossacks which killed 13 after charging into a crowd.
-1500 students were imprisoned in the peter and Paul fortress, others exiled, expelled or drafted into the army.
-showed: radical PUBLIC opinion against the tsar and the disconnect ebtweeen protest and violence
Disturbance in the countryside
-1902-07 was nicknamed the ‘years of the read cockerel’ because there were si many accounts of arson.
-peasants would set fire to landlords barns and property, destroy grain and attack landlords.
- showed: shift in peasant opinion away from unquestioned orthodoxy
Gov reaction to peasant uprising 1902-07
-Piotr stolypin flogged, arrested shot and gallowed peasents in thousands, nicknaming the gallows ‘stolypins necktie.’
-This only aggravated the anger
- showed: shift in peasant opinion away from unquestioned orthodoxy
Disturbance in the industrial sphere
-1904 saw 90,000 proletariat strikes. (Def not true fact chrck)
-In the obukov factory st Petersburg Cossacks, police and proletariat began a violent exchange that became a commonplace.
- showed: the power of the working labourers and its disconnect with the government
Zubatovs trade union
-the chief of the okhana set up a police/gov sponsored trade union that was to provide official channels for complaints to be heard without workers joining any radicalist groups.
-This ended in 1903 when zubatvos channels became involved in the general strike and he was exiled
- showed: the rallying opinion of the people and the oppression of the tsar
Father gapons trade unions
-began in 1904 under zubatovs model.
-He ran a similar gov approved trade channel supported by the orthodoxy and soon had up to 8000 members
Russo Japanese war impact
-set up by Plehve as a ‘short victorious war’ to respond to Japanese assault at a Russian eastern naval base and to distract the internal unrest.
-Resulted in a huge failure due to the 6000 mile distance.
-Turned the anti Japanese propaganda into anti goverment
- showed: weak governmental decisions
Changes made post russo-Japanese war
-in 1904 crowds cried for a National Assembly/duma and mirsky reluctantly agreed to invite zemstvo reps to the capital.
-Whilst Nicolas refused to agree to a duma due to his god given authority, he did concede an expansion of zemstva rights.
- showed: tsar disconnect with the people/ rise of public autonomy
Mirsky
replaced the violent pleheve as internal minister and had a more moderate stance
Bloody Sunday
-jan 9 1905.
-Around 150000 workers lead by gapon began a peaceful unarmed march to the winter palace where they wished to present. A petition demanding reform.
-Over 12000 troops were used to break them up, at least 200 died during the amrch despite their completely peaceful stance and merciful attitude.
-showed: huge disconnect between people and tsar/ government
Tsarist response to Bloody Sunday
-he met with workers representatives on feb 5 but suggested that the strike was badly advised and they should return to work.
-He then fired mirsky and brought in the more hard line bulygin
-this underscores his unreceptiveness to public opinion
May 1905
-illegal trade unions begin to form incl the ‘union of unions’ which was a liberal federation demanding a full National Assembly with legislative powers and civil rights.
-Peasents congress too calls for a Russian peasents union.
-shows: rallying public political opinion against the tsar
Bulygins plans for constitutional reform
-published in July 1905, but was rejected a few months later by the zemstvo conferefence and demanded a duma elected by universal sufferage
- shows: autonomy of the people AGAINST govement order
Mutiny on battleship Potemkin
-seven officers killed in sailor mutiny
-sailors hoisted red flag of rebellion
-townspeople gathered to show respect
- 2000 were killed as troops fired at them.
- shows: radicalism against the Russian army/ leaders and became a symbol of revolutionry action
Internal demand for reform in 1905
-witte warned that the country would revolt and ‘sweep away 1000 years of history.’
-One of the dukes uncles, Nikolay Romanov, threatens to shoot himself unless reforms were made.
- shows: desperation of situation/ tsars poor decision making
General strike 1905
a st Petersburg soviet directed a general strike in oct 1905 showing widespread upset
October manifesto
-17 October 1905.
-Tsar promised civic freedom (eg freedom of speech and consience) a state duma and the power of the duma to elect edicts
- shows: tsar bending towards power of the people
Response to oct manifesto
-celebrations in the streets of st Petersburg
-. Singing of ‘la marsiellise’ the anthem of the french rev.
-General strike called off.
-Many radicalists eg Trotsky urged however to continue to strike against authocracy.
-For the tsar he felt he had no real need to stick to the reforms and didn’t want to become a ‘constitutional monarch’
- shows: the strong revolutionary drive of the people towards revolt
Counter reforms to the October manifesto
-250 members of st Petersburg soviet arrested and exiled to Siberia as well as peasant union leaders.
-Distrusted Jewish pogroms and peasant areas were rounded up and flogged.
-Street unrest in working class Moscow resulted in huge artillery barrage of the area
Shows: tsars poor decision making isolated himself from the people.
