Why was Russia so difficult to Govern?

Sources from Ben Walsh 1, 2, 3b, 5b, 7, 10(p298-303) Describe – what do you see / read in the source? Infer – what can this tell us about running Russia? Link – what other source supports your inference?

Source 1 The Coronation of Nicholas II, Tsar of Russia

Source 2A

Source 2B

The interior of a Russian peasant’s cottage. SOURCE 3A The interior of a Russian peasant’s cottage.

SOURCE 3B A typical village in northern Russia.

SOURCE 5A Workers’ living conditions: a dormitory in Moscow. Urban workers made up about 4 per cent of the population in 1900.

SOURCE 5B Workers’ living conditions: a canteen in Moscow. Urban workers made up about 4 per cent of the population in 1900.

SOURCE 6 Graph showing the growth of St Petersburg.

Source 7 “I am informed that recently in some zemstva, voices have made themselves heard from people carried away by senseless dreams about participation by members of the zemstva in the affairs of internal government: let all know that I, devoting all my strength to the welfare of the people will uphold the principle of autocracy as firmly and as unflinchingly as my late unforgettable father” Part of Tsar Nicholas II’s coronation speech in 1894. Zemstva were local assemblies dominated by the nobility in the countryside and professionals in the towns.

10 SOURCE Cartoon showing the Tsarist system. This was published in Switzerland by exiled opponents of the Tsar.

Sources from Ben Walsh 1, 2, 3b, 5b, 7, 10(p298-303) Describe – what do you see / read in the source? Infer – what can this tell us about running Russia? Link – what other source supports your inference?

Discussion What did you find out about the problems in Russia? Geographic/ethnic make-up of Russia Social problems How the government ran Russia. Are any of these problems linked together? Which area do you think was the biggest problem?

Homework: 6 mark exam Q Explain why Russia was difficult to govern in 1900 Aim to give a variety of reasons which are well explained. The more reasons you can mention the better the chances of scoring higher marks. Most importantly, these reasons need to be supported with relevant factual detail. Avoid generalised comments as these will cause you to be awarded low marks. Always support your statements with examples. Make sure the information you include is directly relevant. Does it answer the question?

Russia map – printable version

Why was Russia difficult to govern? 1) The size of the country and the diversity of the population. More than 21 different nationalities lived in Russia; the Russians were the largest in number. It was difficult to have consistent policies across such a vast country.

Why was Russia difficult to govern? 2) 80% of the population were illiterate peasants. Although they were freed in 1861, they were unable to afford to buy land and so were still virtually the slaves of landowners.

Why was Russia difficult to govern? 3) The tsar was an absolute, or autocratic, ruler. This meant that no political parties were allowed and there was no parliament, only a few advisory ministers. Censorship and the tsar's secret police, the Okhrana, were ruthless. There were terrorist groups, such as the Peoples' Will who assassinated Tsar Alexander II in 1881. There was no middle ground for debate so there was often extremist political action.

Nicholas II and family © David King Collection

Nicholas II was tsar of Russia from 1894 until 1917 Nicholas II was tsar of Russia from 1894 until 1917. He became tsar after his father died. Tsarism as an autocratic system had been established in Russia for centuries, and tsars had total, almost religious power. © David King Collection

Text: WJEC Russia in Transition pages 8-11 Sharing textbooks examine in more depth how Russian society was governed, and the difficulties in doing so.

Homework: 6 mark exam Q Explain why Russia was difficult to govern in 1900 Aim to give a variety of reasons which are well explained. The more reasons you can mention the better the chances of scoring higher marks. Most importantly, these reasons need to be supported with relevant factual detail. Avoid generalised comments as these will cause you to be awarded low marks. Always support your statements with examples. Make sure the information you include is directly relevant. Does it answer the question?