1. THE MULTI-ETHNIC EMPIRE

2. THE MULTI-ETHNIC EMPIRE
RUSSIA’S ETHNIC DIVERSITY
1897 Census: population = 123 million, over 100 different ethnicities
Slavs = 73.12%
Russians = 44.3%
Ukrainians = 17.81%
Poles = 6.31%
Belorussians = 4.68%

3. THE MULTI-ETHNIC EMPIRE
RUSSIA’S ETHNIC DIVERSITY
1897 Census: population = 123 million, over 100 different ethnicities
13 million Turkic peoples
Tatars, Azerbaijanis, Uzbeks, Bashkirs, Kazakhs, Kirghiz, Turkmen, Tajiks, Kalmyks
5 million Jews
3 million Finno-Ugric peoples:
Finns, Estonians
1.7 million Germans

4. THE MULTI-ETHNIC EMPIRE
RUSSIA’S ETHNIC DIVERSITY
1897 Census: population = 123 million, over 100 different ethnicities
1.6 million ethnically diverse inhabitants of Caucasus
Chechens, Dagastani, Avars, Ingush, Karabads, Ossetians, etc.
1.3 million Georgians
1.1 million Armenians

5. THE MULTI-ETHNIC EMPIRE
RUSSIA’S ETHNIC DIVERSITY
1897 Census: population = 123 million, over 100 different ethnicities
1.4 million Latvians
1.2 million Lithuanians
Many smaller groups:
Artic & Siberian peoples:
Evenki, Chukchi, Nenets, Buryat, Samoed, Yakuts
Far Eastern Asians
Roma (Gypsies)

6. THE MULTI-ETHNIC EMPIRE
IMPERIAL NATIONALITIES POLICY
Varied over time, by ruler, depended on ethnic group
Under Alexander III, intense RUSSIFICATION
All subjects should be Russian in language, culture
Tried to stamp out nationalism
Russia official language
Forced conversion to Orthodoxy

7. THE MULTI-ETHNIC EMPIRE
IMPERIAL NATIONALITIES POLICY
JEWS
Lived in PALE OF SETTLEMENT
Imperial policy towards Jews inconsistent
Under Alex III became very oppressive
Restriction to Pale strictly enforced
Quotas in universities
All Jews disenfranchised
POGROMS allowed
But Alex could not go as far as might have wanted against Jews

8. THE MULTI-ETHNIC EMPIRE
IMPERIAL NATIONALITIES POLICY
UKRAINIANS
Had come under Tsarist control voluntarily in 17th century
In 19th century developed national consciousness
Russian govt. refused to recognize distinctness
Led to development of strong nationalist movement

9. THE MULTI-ETHNIC EMPIRE
IMPERIAL NATIONALITIES POLICY
POLES
Always resented Russian rule
Had well-developed sense of national consciousness
Liberal constitution did not satisfy desire for freedom
Multiple rebellions
1794, 1830, 1863
After 1830, lost constitution
After 1863, subject to intense Russification

10. THE MULTI-ETHNIC EMPIRE
IMPERIAL NATIONALITIES POLICY
TRANS-CAUCASIANS
GEORGIANS & ARMENIANS
had well-developed national identities
initially welcomed tsarist control
some benefits to Russian rule
But also became subject to Russification
AZERBAIJANIS
Muslim population
lacked well-developed national identity

11. THE MULTI-ETHNIC EMPIRE
IMPERIAL NATIONALITIES POLICY
CENTRAL ASIANS
Frontier region
Colonial administrators = military
mostly left untouched local/tribal law & customs
introduced some positive measures
but looked on as foreign conquerors
utilized to serve imperial interests
intense Russian settlement