Why was Russia difficult to govern?

Population Cossacks, fierce warrior race Cossacks, fierce warrior race Byelorussians, ‘White Russians’ Byelorussians, ‘White Russians’ Great Russians, Slav & Viking mix Great Russians, Slav & Viking mix Georgians, fiercely independent Georgians, fiercely independent Muscovites Jews, central Asia Evenki, Siberia Gurians, Caucasus

Geography Tundra, nearly always frozen Taiga, impenetrable forests Russian steppes, grasslands Desert

Communications Hard-paced mud roads Hard-paced mud roads Wooden platforms in cities due to mud Wooden platforms in cities due to mud Longer journeys by river, e.g. passenger steamers on River Volga Longer journeys by river, e.g. passenger steamers on River Volga Expansion of railways, e.g. Trans-Siberian Railway, 1904 Expansion of railways, e.g. Trans-Siberian Railway, 1904 Moscow to Vladivostok took 1 week! Moscow to Vladivostok took 1 week! Peasant women pulling boats on the River Volga

Government 1894, Tsar Nicholas II, Romanov dynasty 1894, Tsar Nicholas II, Romanov dynasty Autocrat Autocrat Divine right to rule Divine right to rule Governed through a council of ministers Governed through a council of ministers 1000s of civil servants 1000s of civil servants No parliament No parliament Newpapers & books censored Newpapers & books censored Okhrana Okhrana Order enforced by Cossacks Order enforced by Cossacks Tsar Nicholas II & Tsarina Alexandra

Agriculture 90% population peasants 90% population peasants Medieval strip farming Medieval strip farming Inefficient Inefficient Little investment Little investment Average life expectancy of peasant farmer, 40 years Average life expectancy of peasant farmer, 40 years Interior of Russian peasant’s cottage

Economy Beginnings of industrialisation Coal mining, iron, steel & textiles Economic migrants – peasants to cities Poor housing & living standards No trade unions Canteen in Moscow

Did the difficulties in Russia make it easy or difficult to govern?