political authority under Nicholas 2nd

Question 1

lenin’s april thesis

Answer 1

1)Russia should immediately pull out of the war
2)No cooperation with the provisional government, a second revolution should giver power to the workers
3)Land to be shared amongst peasantry
4)Workers to take control of factories
5)The Soviet should take power
-populist slogans e.g. ‘Peace, Land, Bread’ attracted soldiers, peasants and workers

Question 2

soviet order no.1

Answer 2

-issued 1/03/1917, said that soldiers and workers should only obey the provisional government if it did not conflict with soviet orders

Question 3

kornilov coup

Answer 3

-August 1917
-Kerensky attempted to assert control over events and inserted Kornilov as Commander in Chief to reassert discipline, too reactionary for the left
-Kornilov moved to supress unrest (strikes) in Petrograd, but at the last minute Kerensky called for his arrest and had to call on the soviet to help defend the city in an attempted ‘coup’ by Kornilov
-Kerensky blamed for this, so support for the Bolsheviks inceased

Question 4

july days

Answer 4

-Kronstadt mutiny under Bolshevik slogans e.g. ‘All power to the Soviets’, and marched into Petrograd
-middle-ranking Bolsheviks happy to encourage, leaders refused to endorse
-Provisional government crushed this with support from Mensheviks and SRs
-discredited Bolsheviks, Kamenev and Trotsky arrested, Lenin fled to Finland

Question 5

june offensive

Answer 5

-Kerensky planned military offensive against aystro-germans
-believed a victory would rally the russians behind the provisional government and force the enemy to make peace
-initially successful, soldiers then refused to leave their trenches and fight

Question 6

petrograd soviet

Answer 6

-set up by mensheviks Feb 1917
-workers from each factory elected to represent them,each city elected soviet chairman,gave this more credibility than PG
-provisional gov. forced to work with them, as PS had control of workers,soldiers,railway,industry,and communications (dual power)
-soldiers soon joined in fear of being accused of mutiny

Question 7

failures of provisional government

Answer 7

-decided to continue with war, believed it could break germany with an offensive
-lack of authority meant issues caused by war couldn’t be solved
-promise of elections delayed by Kerensky, creating Constituent Assembly
-land reform not created
-government unable to control peasant revolts

Question 8

febuary revolution and abdication of tsar

Answer 8

-14/02:100,000 strike in Petrograd
-23-24/02:International Women’s Day march,200,000 workers end up on strike,tsarist statues overturned
-25/02:half workforce of capital on strike,Petrograd at standstill,escalation of violence
-26/02:telegram sent to tsar,informing of anarchy,Duma shut
-27/02:mutiny begins(army no longer on side)Petrograd Soviet set up,intend to takeover gov.
-28/02:N2 tries to come back to Petrograd but is diverted by revolutionaries
-02/03:Nicholas 2nd abdicates

Question 9

how economic problems increased discontent with tsar

Answer 9

-sale of vodka prohibited, people distilled their own causing a loss in revenue
-riots against price controls on goods and inflation
-workers strikes increased as wages fell to 1/4 of pre-war levels by 1917
-rationing announced, brought violent exchanges with the police
-losses/injuries in the military had a knock on effect on mainly the agricultural economy

Question 10

how military incidents increased discontent with tsar

Answer 10

-heavy losses against Germany in Battle of Tannenburg and Masurian Lakes,Germany was an industrial power and the mainly agricultural Russia could not compete,failure on Russia’s part, to modernise (repeat of Crimean War 1855)
-defeats in Galacia
-pushed back by Germans in 1915-16
-military leadership poor, despite 1000% growth in artillery and rifles, supplies did not reach all and there was no war plan either

Question 11

how nicholas’ actions increased discontent with him

Answer 11

-took the role of Commander in Chief from Sept 1915,stationed on frontlines,despite lack of experience so was reponsible for disasters,when in 1914 he had never been so popular
-Rasputin took charge (nepotism), employing 4 PMs,3 foreign secretaries, and 6 interior ministers (in charge of food) cased chaos,inconsistency, and confusion, nobility began a plot to remove him
-rumours of Alexandra being a spy

Question 12

how government handling of the war increased discontent towards the tsar

Answer 12

-before war, the government set up ‘military zones’ (supressed civilians) as the government was unsympathetic to the people
-‘union of zemstva’ provided medical needs which the state neglected
-zemgor became a liberal organisation against the government’s war organisation
-duma deputies formed into a ‘progressive bloc’ demanding that the tsar change his ministers, which he refused to do

Question 13

russia and ww1

Answer 13

-Nicholas launched rearmament programme 1913, army increased by 500,000 soldiers and 11,800 officers
-largest army in the world
-but, poor roads and railway, unfit soldiers (mainly peasants), industrial resources not prepared
-Nicholas decided for Russia to help Serbia and join in war against the triple alliance

Question 14

evidence of tsar’s political authority being weak by 1914

Answer 14

-strikes regarded as political in nature increased 24 in 1911 to 2,401 by 1914
-nobility began to question autocracy
-duma experiment failed to bring about any fundamental change to the conduct of government which caused many to become disillusioned
-increase in nationalist tendencies for areas such as Ukraine
-acute restlessness and discontent amongst industrial workers, after lena goldfields in 1912, wave of violent strikes followed
-autocracy had been weakened by the duma and zemstva as these allowed for policy debate

Question 15

evidence of tsar’s political authority being strong by 1914

Answer 15

-army remained loyal, and crushed civil disturbances
-article 87 meant the tsar could rule by decree
-autocracy recovered well from the 1905 revolution and stolypin restored order in the countryside
-liberal middle class feared the masses and did not want to see revolution
-Stolypin’s use of the Ohkrana decimated revolutionary parties

Question 16

Stolypin’s changes to Duma

Answer 16

-advised the tsar to dissolve the second duma and then changed the weight of votes to be more in support of the tsar and to decrease the influence of revolutionary/radical parties, creating a more conservative electorate
-decree on 3rd June (change to elections) denounced as ‘Stolypin’s coup’ and an infringement of the fundamental laws, even the octobrists were uncomfortable with it

Question 17

Stolypin’s reforms

Answer 17

-agricultural reforms:wanted to give peasants incentive to work harder (promotion of Kulaks),and to tackle peasant discontent, land captains also abolished,replaced by JPs
-education:number of primary schools doubled 1905-14
-national health insurance scheme payed sickness benefit to workers
-local government reforms were rejected, as it was felt that they would reduce the power of the nobility

Question 18

Stolypin’s actions against the revolution

Answer 18

-Field Court Martial:military court, outside of ordinary judicial system, can be convened to try ordinary citizens
-hangman’s noose became known as ‘Stolypin’s necktie’ and trains taking those to exile in Siberia as ‘Stolypin’s wagons’
-600 unions closed and 1,000 papers ceased publishing 1906-12
-1908 number of political assassinations dropped to 365
-these actions made him an enemy of the left

Question 19

fourth duma

Answer 19

-Nov 1912-1917
-New Prime Minister Kokovstov, virtually ignored Duma, so its influence declined
-composition similar to third duma, except rightists were stronger
-revival of working class militancy after Lena Goldfields massacre 1912
-attempts at reform: spending on education rose 19mil roubles to 76mil roubles 1914, improvement in clergy’s salary, talks began on reducing nationwide vodka consumption, but government revenue stop it

Question 20

third duma

Answer 20

-Nov 1907-June 1912
-alterations to elections made for a more submissive duma (more right wing)
-Stolypin willing to work with centre left and moderate left to get his proposals through
-Stolypin assassinated Sept 1911, made Nicholas appoint more conservative ministers
-notable reforms: land reform, 1908 education reform (compulsory education for 8-11 year olds), military improvements, restoration of JPs replaced hated Land Captains, and national health insurance scheme paying sickness benefit to workers

Question 21

change/continuity 1904-07

Answer 21

-change:
-political parties legally recognised, and could hold meetings, those in the duma had contact with political power
-political issues could be openly discussed
-greater freedom of expression
-continuity:
-those who incited violence still faced risked of arrest or exile
-army still used against strikers
-police continued to infiltrate socialist organisations even placing agents inside

Question 22

second duma

Answer 22

-Feb-June 1907
-number of left wing parties increased dramatically, Mensheviks and SRs did not participate
-Stolypin struggled to gain support for his proposed agarian reforms
-change in elections meant the vote was now weighted more heavily to the landowners, the votes of the other sections of society lost major impact

Question 23

first duma

Answer 23

-May-July 1906
-composition of seats reflected radical views of peasants and urban classes, not successful relationship with Nicholas
-Kadets demands:land reform,progressive taxation,health insurance
-Trudoviks demands:socialisation of land,federal government structure
-full of quarelling over demands, vote of no confidence by duma allowed tsar to end its session
-after collapse, return of violence even assassination attempt on Stolypin

Question 24

right wing parties in duma

Answer 24

-octobrists:formed from october manifesto, conservative constitutional party
-rightists:anti-semtic, pro-tsarism, chauvanists (agressive patriots)
-national parties:represented nations under russia’s control, seeking rights/independence

Question 25

centrist parties in duma

Answer 25

-Trudoviks:centre-left, small party of intellectuals, populist socialists, supported lower middle class, nationalistic
-Kadets:’Party of the People’s Freedom’, formed first provisional government after 1917
-Progressists:party of businessmen, industrialists and zemstva activists

Question 26

left wing parties in duma

Answer 26

SDs(Bolsheviks):Trosky&Lenin,represented factory workers and peasants,wanted constitutional assembly
-SDs(Mensheviks):composed of Marxian Socialists,favoured broad based workers party, drew membership from intellectuals
-SRs:party of the peasants,terrorists carried out political assassinations, took part in provisional government (Kerensky and Chernov)

Question 27

fundamental laws 1906

Answer 27

-appear democratic:elected members in state duma, state council and duma can legislate on some matters, freedom of religion granted (even to Jews), legally constituted courts, tsar exercises power in conjunction with duma and council
-restrict democracy:Russification still exercised, 87.allows for emergency decrees when duma not in session, tsar decides how long duma in session for, orthodox church defended

Question 28

duma composition

Answer 28

-upper chamber(state council):half elected by zemstva half by tsar, represntation from nobility,religious, educational and financial institutions, all legislation approved by tsar
-lower chamber(state duma):indirect voting, landowners had 31% of vote, peasants (natural tsar allies) 42% of vote
-government(council of ministers):appointed by tsar, responsible to tsar not duma

Question 29

why the tsar survived 1905 revolution

Answer 29

-economic:Witte secured French loan April 1906, paid for troops to restore order
-military:delivered on promises of better pay/conditions, shortened service time, brought troops from Japan to supress opposition
-social:middle class scared of proletarian revolts
-weakness of opposition:different groups with different demands, too difficult to coordinate, liberals satisfied with Oct. manifesto, so socialists easy to crush

Question 30

response to october manifesto

Answer 30

-attack on Jewish communities, 3,000+ Jews murdered in the last 2 weeks of October
-mid Oct 1905-April 1906 150,000 executed and 45,000 deported to try and stop agarian unrest
-October, November, and December manifestos did not really touch the issues faced by the people

Question 31

october manifesto

Answer 31

-fundamental civil freedoms e.g. freedom of speech, granted
-introduction of elected assembly (Duma) to create laws
-no law could come into force without approval by the state duma

Question 32

liberals revolt 1905 revolution

Answer 32

-formation Union of Unions Feb, by representatives of a number of professional bodies
-Union of Liberation, wanted elected assembly and Finnish and Polish rights

Question 33

nationalists revolt 1905 revolution

Answer 33

-many nationalist groups formed:
-Ukrainian ‘Enlightenment’ Group (1905)
-Ukrainian SDP (1905)
-White Russian Community (1903)
-Moldovian Democratic Party (1906)
-All Estonian Congress (1905)
-their demands ranged from publication of native books to total independence

Question 34

armed forces revolt 1905 revolution

Answer 34

-sporadic outbreak of mutinies e.g. Kronstadt in the Baltic
-most famous mutiny was Potemkin in the Black Sea in June, against squalor of conditions and harshness of officers, crew seized ship, killed some of their officers and bombarded Odessa
-larger part of the army remained loyal
-December, Imperial Manifesto published which appeased many, promised better pay and conditions

Question 35

peasants revolt 1905 revolution

Answer 35

-revolt in Kursk province in Feb, spread to most prime agricultural regions by April
-originally a spontaneous revolt, but exploited by radical political parties
-All-Russian Peasant Union formed May 1905, similar views to SRs
-3,228 disturbances serious enough to require intervention of troops, estimated 29mil roubles of damage inflicted upon landowners in the year
-November manifesto, cancelled redemption payments, and encouraged end of violence

Question 36

workers revolt 1905 revolution

Answer 36

-400,000 went on strike in Feb, the total exceeding 2.7mil by the end of the year
-railway workers strike had the biggest effect; cities in danger of starvation and economy on the verge of collapse

Question 37

1905 revolution

Answer 37

-9th jan 1905 (Bloody Sunday)
-Father Gapon organised petition to the tsar complaining about working conditions in the city calling for change
-150,000 peaceful protestors marched to deliver their petition to their ‘Little Father’
-N2 left for the countryside and sent 12,000 armed police, demonstration was outside Winter Palace, and brutally repressed, 200 killed and around 800 wounded

Question 38

russo-japanese war

Answer 38

-1904-05
-dangerous overconfidence in defeating oriental foe

Question 39

zubatov trade unions

Answer 39

-1901, three unions set up in Moscow, submitting demands to their employers, who were pressurised by police to make concessions
-1903 strike by police unions in Odessa escalated to a general strike, causing Zubatov’s dismissal

Question 40

militancy of workers

Answer 40

-resentment of working and living conditions
-St Petersburg textile workers strike 30,000 spinners and weavers 1896 and 1897
-restricted working day to 11.5 hours
-peak for strike reached 1899, involved 100,000 workers

Question 41

nicholas 2nd background

Answer 41

-religious, family man, believed in tradition
-his son, Alexi, suffered from haemophilia and Nicholas had Rasputin help causing somewhat of a scandal