Dawn of a New Century

1. Dawn of a New Century Russia is Forced to Reform

2. How do you express yourself in an autocratic regime? • Think of how an individual could politically express themselves in an autocratic regime:

3. How do you express yourself in an autocratic regime? • Art • Literature • Violence • Withdrawal of Labour • Emmigration • Corruption

4. Was Revolution Inevitable? • Possibilities for the direction of Russia at turn of the Century • Status Quo • Reform • Revolution • Brainstorm the difficulties and challenges associated with these 3 options in 1900

5. Simmering Discontent • Intelligentsia • Denied power • Students • Revolutionaries • Socialist Revolutionaries • Peasant Based • Social Democrats • Marxist Urban Based • National Minorities • Want end of Russification policies • Peasants • Land Reform • Population pressures • Inefficient practices – poor harvests 1900 and 1902 famine • Workers • Poor working conditions • 1902 - 1904 Economic Depression • Internationally – could not export • Domestically – Demand too weak

6. Russia’s Expansionist Foreign Policy • Diversionary Tactic • Rally to flag • Appeal to Pride and Patriotism • Divert population from everyday realities • Imperial • Land based • Great Game • Europe sealed • Russia seeking to extend Asian Sphere of Influence • Trans-Siberian Railway • Vladivostock

8. Russo-Japanese War • Anglo-Japanese1902 Alliance • Korea • Spheres of Influence, Boxer Rebellion • Russians looked down on Japanese as inferior non-Europeans • Russian armed forces operating at limits of communication and supply lines • Trans-Siberian Railway not yet complete • Army had to get off train and walk for 6 weeks to get to Korea • Navy was based in Baltic • Long journey to far east • Japanese Efficiency • Modern siege warfare • Mukden • Naval Debacle • Tsushima Straits • Sue for peace • Treaty of Portsmouth • Surprisingly lenient – good negotiating by Witte • However critical damage to Tsar’s and Russia’s prestige

9. Weakened Authority • Can you explain why the Tsar’s authority had become considerably weaker between 1900 and 1905?

10. Weakened Authority • Can you explain why the Tsar’s authority had become considerably weaker between 1900 and 1905? • Pillars of Tsarism • Aristocracy • Army • Secret Police • Church • Bureaucracy • Bleak economic picture • Loss of prestige

12. 1905 Tsarist Russia Stretched to Breaking Point • Dissatisfaction with Economic and Military catastrophes • Father Gapon • Police double (triple) agent headed Russian Factory Workers Union March • 150,000 wanting higher pay, shorter hours and free elections • Bloody Sunday January 22nd • Troops open fire kill 200 • Sympathy strikes • Workers, students, civil servants, teachers, doctors and Imperial Ballet dancers!

14. Revolt Turns to Revolution? February – October 1905 • Tsar losing control of the country • Virtual anarchy • Grand Duke Sergei Assassinated • Tsushima Defeat • Potemkin Mutiny • Peasants attack landlords • Nationalist Revolts • Pogroms • Train Strike paralyses forces of order • Army still in Far East • Soviets set up • Rival Worker’s Government • Leon Trotsky headed St Petersburg Soviet • Full General Strike in October

15. What Happens Next? Options available to the Tsar? • Tsar losing control of the country • Virtual anarchy • Grand Duke Sergei Assassinated • Tsushima Defeat • Potemkin Mutiny • Peasants attack landlords • Nationalist Revolts • Pogroms • Train Strike paralyses forces of order • Army still in Far East • Soviets set up • Rival Worker’s Government • Leon Trotsky headed St Petersburg Soviet • Full General Strike in October

16. October Manifesto • Witte advised the Tsar to make concessions • October Manifesto • A Duma (Parliament) would be set up to represent the interests of the people • Civil rights granted • Freedom of Speech • Freedom of Conscience • Political Parties allowed to be created • Press Censorship ended • Liberal opposition happy with promises • Small print not yet finalised • It seems as if Tsar has made major concessions towards creating a Liberal Constitutional Monarchy • Liberals praise 1905 Revolution

18. The Tsar has Second ThoughtsFundamental Laws, 1906 • Tensions subside • Liberal Intelligentsia Content • Army back from Far East • Tsar feels strong enough to reassert control • Crushes St Petersburg and Moscow Soviets with army • With reduction of Tension, Tsar feels he does not need to keep October Promises • Modifies October Manifesto with Fundamental Laws • Tsar declared that he intended to maintain autocracy • Duma could not pass laws or control finance • Ministers to report to Tsar (not Duma) • Franchise limited to well off • However, Russia still does have a parliament of sorts for the first time in its history • Timeline

21. First Duma 1906“The Gathering of Savages” • Many revolutionaries boycotted due to Fundamental Laws • SDs and SRs • Kadets (liberals) and Octobrists (Conservatives) did well in election • Kadets immediately overplay their hand • Immediate Land Reform • Rights for Minority Nationalities • Tsar dissolved Duma • Vyborg Manifesto • Kadets run to Finland to try governing from their • Mostly ignored and disqualified from standing for reelection • Introduced electoral college system to try to stop liberals being reelected • SD and SR Revolutionaries realise it was a mistake to boycott 1906 election – join in next election

22. Second Duma (1907) • The peasants Duma • Tsar stops liberals from being returned • Ends up with more radicals and revolutionaries instead! • Plenty of poor, uneducated representatives turned up in St Petersburg • Delighted to have parliamentary immunity from prosecution • Plenty of theft, drunkenness, fights etc… • Revolutionaries realised that they could hold up banks etc… • The Bolshevik – Koba the Bankrobber • Dissolved in just 4 months

23. Third Duma 1907 - 1912 • Stolypin adjusts franchise to ensure a Conservative victory • Landowners got 50% of the vote • Urban and peasant votes severely restricted • Octobrists big winners but a reasonably large Kadet grouping. • Stolypin still does not always get his way • Has to resort to Article 87 • Bypasses Duma • After severe rigging, the political system did stablise

24. Stolypin’s Reforms • Stolypin tried to modernise • Industrialise • Gigantism • Agriculture • Believed peasants conservatives and monarchists at heart • Education • Increases literacy rates • Diplomacy • Entente with Britain • Military • Standardisation • Offensive reforms at request of French • Strict policing of opposition • Stolypin’s Necktie – field executions • Bolshevik leader Lenin concerned at successes of reforms • Will delay revolution • However, Paradox • The more successful his reforms, the weaker the monarchy

25. Stolypin’s Downfall • Royalist and Tsarina Alexandra’s meddling (Rasputin) • Concerned that Stolypin was being too successful • Eclipsing the Tsar • Backroom intrigue • Western Zemstvo Bill (Poland) • Stolypin assumed no problem • Backroom intrigue with Tsar meant that Stolypin loses vote • Stolypin furious and offers resignation • Tsar talks him out of it – says that he will allow the law to pass • Has to use article 87 • Octobrists withdraw support from Stolypin • Assassination • Police double (triple) agent assassinates Stolypin in Theatre • Russia loses its most reliable politician to meaningless intrigue that achieved nothing

26. Russia Adrift but Afloat 1912 - 1914 • Return to Authoritarianism • Government feels confident • Rightists in control of Duma • Economy reasonably bouyant thanks to Stolypin’s reforms and investments by Britain and France • Trying to claw back power lost to Duma in 1905 • Lena Goldfields Strike • 270 killed • SDs split into Bolsheviks and Mensheviks • 4,000 strikes in 1914 • Beilis Affair 1913 • Ritual murder of 13 year old • Conspiracy blamed on Jewish Beilis • Very weak case • Kerensky got Beilis acquitted • Police and Okhrana still in control • Many Revolutionaries flee overseas • Tsarist Russia would probably survive • Barring any unforeseen crises!