RUSSIA – A BACKGROUND PRE – REVOLUTION

By the 20th Century A major crisis was due and had to happen Russia was an unfair society and needed social, economic and political reform. WHY????

Political Nicholas II – autocratic and ineffective Ruled a country covering one-sixth of the earth’s total land surface Massive personal wealth Backed by an army of 1million and secret police (OKHRANA) Political parties banned – critics ended up in prison or exile Press was censored

Yet Many Russians worshipped the Tsar and peasants typically had a picture of the Tsar on a wall of their hut.

His rule His word was law He appointed his ministers But did not have to listen to them AND could ‘hire and fire’ them at will He was a true autocrat.

SOCIAL

Russia was….. Only 40% ethnic Russians 80% were peasants – subsistence farmers 60%+ = illiterate Life expectancy = 40 Low tech and low investment Land ownership rare Land owned by OBSCHINA (Commune) It also organised taxes and allotted strips of land to each household

Peasants cont’d Peasants could not leave the commune without the consent of the elders Discipline and punishments harsh – even to exile in Siberia Drought and crop failure common 1891 = famine + cholera and typhus = 400,000 dead 1890 – 64 % of peasants called up for military service were declared unfit.

YET..Yet… Some did prosper and it was generally the shortage of land rather than shortage of food that was the irritant. Rural population grew but land owned by peasants and land size failed to keep pace. Faith in Tsar remained strong BUT hunger for land would grow.

Industrial and urban Russia had grown industrially but living and working conditions were horrendous Average working day was 14 hours Trade unions banned but some strikes took place Potential for hotbed of political activism

Unrest prior to 1905 The passivity of the Russian people had limits May 1896 – riots in St. Petersburg 1902 - Street demonstrations in Rostov on Don 1901-1907 arson of manor houses in rural areas became commonplace 1904 – Viacheslav Plehve – Minister of the interior assassinated by Social Revolutionary