The Duma Experiment

Question 1

What were the initial negative responses to the manifesto?

Answer 1

• Right wing supports felt as if the Tsar had given too much away e.g. the Black Hundreds
• The Soviet continued to run counter to the government e.g. December Uprising
• Trotsky called for a new strike and run on the banks (was unsuccessful however)

Question 2

What were the four bodies of the new government?

Answer 2

Tsar
Cabinet
State Council 
State Duma 
(in decreasing order of power)

Question 3

What limited the representation of non-Tsarist views in the state council?

Answer 3

Half of the state council was appointed by the Tsar and the other half was elected by specific institutions such as the Church, United Nobility and Zemstvo

Question 4

What proportion of state council were members of the United Nobility?

Answer 4

1/3

Question 5

Why did Witte’s new cabinet consist largely of bureaucrats?

Answer 5

Witte had tried to get more critics e.g. Kadets in the cabinet but they demanded more power in the Duma from him if they were to be a part of the cabinet. This wasn’t accepted by the Tsar or Witte and hence the cabinet consisted of loyal bureaucrats.

Question 6

What did the Tsar issue in April 1906 before the first Duma met?

Answer 6

The fundamental laws

Question 7

How long did the First Duma last? When?

Answer 7

72 days - April to July 1906

Question 8

Who was the biggest party in the First Duma? How many seats?

Answer 8

Kadets with 179 seats

Question 9

Who was the Prime Minister who denied demands for land reform or a new constitution?

Answer 9

Goremykin

Question 10

What was the name of the event involving 200 Kadets and Trudoviks going to Finland to appeal to people to resist government by not paying taxes?

Answer 10

Vyborg Manifesto

Question 11

What was the impact of the Vyborg Manifesto on the Kadet’s strength in the Duma?

Answer 11

It meant many Kadets were arrested and barred from future elections. Consequently, new Kadet representatives were brough in who were less radical.

Question 12

How long did the Second Duma last? When?

Answer 12

103 days - February to June 1907

Question 13

Why was the Second Duma dissolved by Ukase?

Answer 13

Stolypin accused SDs of an armed uprising plot and demanded the exclusion of 55 SD deputies which was rejected. Generally, the Duma disagreed with Stolypin’s land confiscation and Brutal approach to law and order. This opposition could not be tolerated.

Question 14

How many seats had the Kadets lost between the first and second Duma?

Answer 14

half of them

Question 15

How long did the Third Duma Last?

Answer 15

From November 1907 to June 1912

Question 16

What was the largest party in the Third Duma? How many seats?

Answer 16

Octobrist party with 154 seats

Question 17

How many pieces of legislation did the third Duma make? How many bills were voted on?

Answer 17

200 pieces of legislation made

2500 bills were voted on

Question 18

How long did the Fourth Duma last (albeit with being dissolved on several occasions)?

Answer 18

November 1912 until February 1917

Question 19

What proportion of those elected to the Third Duma were nobles?

Answer 19

51%

Question 20

Who was the largest party in the Fourth Duma?

Answer 20

The nationalists with 120 seats

Question 21

What particular event displeased the Fourth Duma?

Answer 21

The handling of WWI and the cover-up of information about defeats e.g. at Garlice by the government

Question 22

How many seats did the progressive bloc have (formed August 1915)?

Answer 22

236/442