How far was Tsarist really threatened

Russo Jap War

1904-5
Russian fleet destroyed at Tsushima and Mukden
Underestimated J due to racism
Led to global humiliation for R

Bloody Sunday

1905
150k unarmed petiioners marched to the Winter Palace
Were shot at by the army - 1000 casualties
Led to huge increase in protests annually

Spread of revolutionary activity

Peasants - Disorder in Black Earth
Workers - Strikes in Jan and general strike in Oct
Middle class - Organised opposition
National minorities - Latvia, Poland saw serious violence
Army - Potemkin mutiny and Kronstadt mutiny

St P’s soviet

Newspaper - Isvestia
Had armed militia
Organised by exec committee to organise strikes
Represented over 300k workers

Overall

Main cause was living condition stemming from great Spurt leading to dissatisfaction shown by mutinies on Potemkin and Kronstadt during RJ war and the Bloody Sunday march
Not a huge threat still as no real representation to challenge gov