Tsarist and Communist Russia - Political authority and attempts to reform

?
View mindmap
  • Trying to preserve autocracy 1855-94
    • Political authority and the state of Russia 1855
      • The army included around 1.5 million conscripted serfs  - 25yr service - used around 45% of government expenditure
      • Russia was a police state with limited freedom of speech, press etc
      • Over 50% of Russia's population were serfs
      • Liberal ideas had begun to spread from the West but Nicholas I retained the policy of repression.
      • The 1853-6 Crimean War had been an utter failure, depleting
      • No internal market demand - not only were most self-sufficient, money also had little prevalence at the time
      • Serfs had to live from scattered strips which was highly ineffective
    • Political authority and attempts to reform
      • The emancipation granted privately owned serfs freedom  - no more scattered strips, many could sell surplus, move to cities etc. landowners were given government compensation
        • BUT - they had to pay redemption payments over a period of 49 years
        • BUT - there was also a 2yr period of temporary obligation - around 15% remained that ay until 1881
        • Had to live with mirs until payments were fulfilled - these were ineffective so by 1878 only 50% had a surplus
      • Local gov reforms established more liberalism but zemstva was limited and provincial governors had most control
      • Education became more independent, with it also extended to the military (better provisions)
      • Later reversed reforms - eg regained control in the zemstva and the police
    • Reaction and the emergence of opposition
      • Westernisers, slavophiles
      • Famine of 1891-2 marked a significant turning point in loss of faith in the Tsars.
      • Tchaikovsky Circle - literary opposition
      • The Narodniks - populists. 1600 arrested after going to the countryside  to inspire revolution
      • Land and liberty - set up 1877 and continued populism. also carried out some political assassinations - split 1879 into Black Partition and the people's Will
      • Black Partition wanted to share black soil provinces, worked peacefully without violence
      • The People's Will finally killed Alex II 1881
    • Tsarist reaction and radical opposition after 1881
      • Underground societies continued to translate and reproduce writings
      • 1883 - Georgi Plekhanov established Emancipation of Labour - smuggled Marxist tracts into Russia
      • 1886 - students in St Petersburg tried to reform the People's Will
      • 1887 - a group who had made bombs to kill Alex II was arrested, five members later hanged
      • By 1890s - growth of industrialisation led to the development of workers organisations, illegal trade unions, Marxist discussion circles and other groups
      • Marxist ideas became more widespread
    • Alexander III and Russification
      • Initially began reign by hanging those involved in in Alex II's assassination and issued the 1881 'manifest of unshakable autocracy'
      • Reversed Alex II's reforms - eg futher contol in policing, introduced land captains etc
      • Weakened the 'diet' in Finland, enforced the Russian language etc
      • Special protection initially entertained by Baltics was removed
      • Also, military conscription added into areas previously exempt, ethic uprisings were quashed
      • Led to unrest and mass disturbance along with resentment from upper classes too
      • Jews were worst affects with the pogroms of 1881 and anti-Semitic legislation like 1882 may laws.
    • Economic and social developments
      • Reutern (Alex II's finance minister)reformed treasury and taxation, abolished tax-farming, set up a state bank, offered subsidies to entrepreneurs etc
      • Vyshnegradsky was finance minister 1887-1892 - introduced high tariff of 30% of value of raw imported materials
      • Under Vyshnegradsky, grain exports increased by 18% and by 1892 the Russian budget was in Surplus BUT at expense of thre peasants
      • Witte (1892-1903) maintained protective tariffs, heavy taxation and forced exports
        • Also attempted improvement in foreign investment and encouraged western workmen to come over and help.
      • 1897 - Russia had world's 4th largest industrial economy

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar History resources:

See all History resources »See all Tsarist and Communist Russia resources »