The Land, the People and Tsardom

Russia's geography and people

• In 1894 Imperial Russia stretched over 8,000,000 square miles (it was huge)
• It covered a large part of two continents
• Population betwee 1814 and 1914 quadrupled from 40 million to 165 million
• Two capital cities (located in European Russia): Moscow and St.Petersburg

• Its vast size gave the impression of strength; however, as the population contained a wide variety of peoples of different race, language, religion and culture, controlling this large variety had long been a major problem for Russian govs
• Facts:
• 55.6% spoke Russian as mother tongue
• 22.4% spoke Ukranian as mother tongue
• 22 major languages spoken in Russia in 1897

The Tsar

• Russian Empire governed by one person - the Tsar
• Romanov dynasty since 1613
• Tsar was an absolute ruler:
  • No restrictions on his power
  • People owed him total obedience
• His absolute rule had been clearly expressed in the 'Fundamental Laws of the Empire' by Nicholas I in 1832
• His rule was exercised by three official bodies:
  • The Imperial Council - group of honorary advisers directly responsible to the Tsar
  • The Cabinet of Ministers - ran the various gov departments
  • The Senate - supervised the operation of the law
• NB: These bodies had much less power than their titles suggested
  • They were appointed, they only advised and had no authority over the Tsar

Russia's political backwardness

• By the beginning of the 20th Century, all major western-European countries had some form of democratic or representative government
  • Russia did not - the Tsar's absolute power showed how little it had developed politically
• Reforming Tsars like Alexander II (1855-81) had tried to modernise the country:
  • Re-built Moscow and St.Petersburg, improved transport system, made army more efficient
  • Only achievements in practical areas - not the extension of political rights
• 1881 in Russia: still an offence to oppose the tsar or his gov
• No Parliament
• Political parties were illegal
• Never a free press
• Gov censorship on published books and journals

Russia's political backwardness (cont.)

• Liberal ideas had seeped into Russia but couldn't be openly expressed
• Supporters of reform or change had to go underground
• These groups were frequently infiltrated by Okhrana agents
  • Raids, arrests, imprisonments and general harassment were regular occurences

• Denial of free speech drove many poltical activists towards extremism
  • E.g. Tsar Alexander II killed by bomb planted by 'The People's Will'
• Russia had a society where state oppression was met with revolutionary terrorism
  • No moderate middle ground could develop for ordered poltical debate

Russian Orthodox Church

• Branch of Christianity that had been entirely independent of any outside authority
• Had an essentially Russian character
• Supported the Tsar in his absolute rule
• By late 19th century it had become deeply conservative
  • Opposed to political change
  • Determined to preserve the tsarist system in its reactionary form
• It used its spiritual authority to teach…