Russian Revolution Importance and Causes

Review Throughout its history, Russia faced two perennial and irresolvable problems: (1)its technological backwardness when compared with other European powers (2)Its inability to develop a form of government that successfully harnessd the will of its people. RUSSIAN REVOLUTION CAN BE VIEWED AS A DRASTIC SOLUTION TO THESE PROBLEMS

Russian Revolutionary Group Intellectuals divided Slavophiles: wanted to retain Slavic culture. Example student organization- Populist Another, splintered from Populist- People’s Will who assassinated Alexander II Westernizers : who believed the nation needed to become more like the west to survive

Russia Industrializes after 1880 Sergei Witte ( ), appointed during Alexander II and III was Finance minister responsible to industrialize a.Planned economic development b.Protective tariff c.High taxes d.Russian currency on gold standard e.French loans leading to French diplomacy and business relations

Russian railways expanded Trans-Siberian ( 5000 miles long, completed in 1903) Coal output tripled Pig iron production increased Steel production rose Textile manufacturing continued Factory system spread extensively- Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Outcome (Economic) City Landowners felt foreign capitalist earned too much profit Peasants lives did not improve-high taxes Small industrial proletariat emerged Factory workers living and working conditions were poor Little state protection Unions were illegal 11.5 hr. workday by Witte led to discontent and strike Countryside R. agriculture had not prospered even after emancipation of serfs in 1861 Peasants paid 1.Redemption payment for land they farmed 2.Local taxes 3.National taxes Falling grain prices Did not own land as individual but communal through Mir or village Old method of farming, no innovation Polulation doubled –land hunger and disciontent spread and so was the out burst of revolutionaries from the educated working class.

How should the Tsar regime end? Two options in revolutionary thinking 1.Marxist ideology- industrial development-develop large proletariat –before Marxist revolution could come. This entitled a mass democratic party composed of workers. 2.Lenin ideology- proposed a small, tightly organized elite party could possess the proper dedication to revolution and resist penetration by police spies. The guiding principle of Lenin’s party “Strictist secrecy, strictest selection of members and training of professional revolutionaries. He rejected democratic means (Marxist) to achieve revolutionary goals.

Splinter in Russia’s Social Democratic Party Bolsheviks Mensheviks Russia’s Social Democratic Party

Revolution of 1905 and after Reasons for revolution Internal reasons ( see outcome slide 6)- Nicholas II dismissed Witte to please the Russians Other reasons- resources used for Russo-Japanese war ( ) when Russians were struggling and paying for the war and the infrastructure was breaking down as well. 1.Russia went to war against Japan (Why?) Russia needed coal for its industry, so sought coal from Manchuria and Korea. Japan too needed coal. Japan negotiated that Russia take Manchuria while Japan takes Korea’s coal sources. Russia disagreed, needed Northern Korea as well (39 th parallel), japan disagreed-both went to war and Russia lost the war and Japan took away the warm port, Port Arthur a naval base on the coast of China.

Revolution of 1905 and after Strikes broke out in many cities. Bloody Sunday-University students rallied and group of peaceful factory workers led by a priest Father George Gapon marched to address their living and working conditions to the Tsar’s palace. The Tsar police opened fire and many died. Riots broke out everywhere. October Manifesto- to calm the situation, Nicholas II issued an October manifesto that a constitutional democracy will be created with a legislative assembly called the Duma.

Road to Constitutional Monarchy that failed Early 1906 Legislative assembly was created – Duma with two chambers Peter Stolypin appointed as prime minister who put efforts into creating a functioning parliamentary democracy and modern economic system. 1.Land redemption payments were canceled 2.Individual property ownership advanced 3.Provincial government was strengthened. Stolypin was assassinated as he was disliked by the conservatives. Nicholas could not find a better replacement and by then World War 1 broke out and Russia gets involved.

Russia’s story of revolution does not end yet. More to come when we do World War 1 Why did Russia exit WW1?