RUSSIA2- why did Nichola's reign come to an end by february 1917

Russia History Topic 2 (stolen)

What were the fundamental laws basically?

A consitution as outlined roles and powers of key government institutions althought Nicholas avoided this work as had political connotations

What did article 4 of the fundamental laws state?

insisted on the tsars continuing supremacy within Russia’s governemnt due to divine right

What did article 87 of the fundamental laws state?

allowed the tsar to proclaim laws when the duma was not insession- as ‘emergency laws’

What month and year were the fundamental laws introduced?

April 1906

What was the fundamental laws?

an exercise in clawing back political control after the october manifesto

What other rights did the fundamental laws give the tsar?

Right to dissolve the Duma at any time

Why was the funametal laws contrevesial?

They aimed to retract poltiical concessions promised by Nicholas II promised earlier

Assrted the TSars autocratic power and limited Duma on defense and foreign affairs

What was the Imperial State Council

Designed to be a solid conservative body to advise the tsar and - appointed by nobility and church

What was a key power of the imperial state council effectively undermining the Duma?

Could veto a Duma decision

When was the imperial state council introduced?

Introduced in Fundamental Laws

One positive outcome of the fundamental laws for the russian people and also a limitation of this

garunteed basic freedoms- allowing open critisims of the regime- however there was nothing stopping this being retracted (not made a law)

whas the fundamental laws and example of change or continuity?

continuity as it restricted the power of the duma greatly and continued to press on about the tsars divine right- suggesting russia was still and autocracy.

How could the Duma check government minsiters?

Question them

What was a key aspect of Tsar power still being in tact regarding ministers?

Retained sole authority over ministerial appointments without Duma approval

Ministers could not be forced to resign by Duma (royal dominance)

What did the fundamental laws guarantee regarding peoples rights?

Freedom of associations

Freedom of speech

What undermined the freedoms people had regarding fundamental laws?

Could be restricted in emergencies

When was the first duma and when did it end?

april 1906—- july 1906

What did the first Duma try to do

pass a resolution calling for the full democratisation of Russia (radical agenda)

What were examples of the 1st Duma radical policy?

Extensive reforms:

Land redistribution
Amnesty for Political Detainees

What did the gov do that lead to deteriorating relations?

Dissmissed many proposals

what did the actions of the first duam and the gov highlight

poor relations betwen the gov and duma, and the tsars continued authority

why was the ceremoney appointing the first duam important?

it was at the tsars winter palace- duma had to go to him- highlighting that the duam wouldnt comprimise the tsars authority.

how did the first duma show change ?

it was the first legislative body that challenged the regime

how did the first duma show continuity?

the tsar dissolved the duma whoch showed his continued autocrcy and repression

What happened after the first Duma was dissolved?

creation on the Vyborg- Manifesto which called upon fellow citzens to refuse to pay taxes until the Duma was restored

What happened to the signatories of the Vyborg manifesto?

They were aressted for inciting disorder

Who participated in the elections for sthe econd Duma?

Revolutionary socialists (polarisation)

whe was the 2nd duma and when did it end?

feb 1907— june 1907

which group dominated the 2nd duma

socialists

How did the 2nd Duma show continutity?

Remained critical of government policy

Especially over Land Reform

what fraction of seats did the kadets loose in the 2nd duma?

½ there seats

Why did the increase in socialists cause more anger between the duam and the gov.?

they were highly critivcal of the governemnts methods to quell peasant disorder and refuised to support stolypins reforms

Who dissolved the 2nd duma and what was thier reason behond it?

Stolypin as he claimed that the bolsheviks were involved in treasonable activity

What was stolypins coup d’etat

After the 2nd Duma he scrapped the 1905 electoral laws and replaced it to favour the nobility

Who was Stolpyin ?

Conservative Minister of the Russian Empire

How did stolypins new electoral laws favour the nobility?

the nobility elected over ½ of the duma and peasantry elected 1/5 despite making up 80% of the population in Russia

How did Tsar feel about the Duma and what did he write in 1906?

He loathed them

‘the damned Duma’

How did the 3rd and 4th Duma still show continuity?

Contentious with Nicholas

Ongoing hostility

How did Russia in 1905 how continuity?

Government actions often violated the fundamental without repercussions

Areas still under Royal Control

Duma attempts to reform were conitnoulsy Thwarted

How many seats did the Octonbrists have in the 3rd Duma?

154 seats

who dominated the 3rd duma?

The Octobrists

which duma served its full term?

3rd

why was the 3rd duma not dissolved ?

it was more favourable to the government as octobirsts were less radical

Why was the 3rd Duma influence still weak?

Mandate waned over time and reduced to symbolic significan e

Why did Nicholas II governance face criticism?

Lack of direction and accessibility

Reliance of ministers without clear politics (intenral power sturggle)

what to groups were major factors in the 4th duma and why was this an issue?

octobirsts and socialsits

they had very differetn ideologies and ocrobirists much kess radical - making decision making difficult

Who did the Tsar become increasingly frustrated with?

Guchov

when was the 4th duma suspended and why?

in 1915 as russia committed to fighting against austria and germany

what did Guckchov say in 4th duma to the Tsar which angered him? X3

-accused him of nepotism- high members in the Army were members of the royal family

-said that post-1905 Russia was not an autocracy

-criticised rasputin’s influence

what was the relationship between the 4th duma and the governemnt pre wwI

very poor

what were minister calling for pre wwI in regards to the 4th duma

calling for it to be stripped of its powers and become a purely consultative body

how did the 3rd and 4th duams show change ?

political parties in 1914 were able to criticise the regime, within limits,

how did the 3rd and 4th dumas show continuity?

The Tsar was still very much hostile towards the duma and it continued to lack considerable power

Ministers used Article 87 extensively

What had Nicholas re-established by 1914?

Autocratic control limiting Duma influence

Russia operated under a quasi-constiution outlined in fundamental laws

What changes had their been by 1914?

1. Russia had a Constitution of sorts in shape of the fundamental laws

2. Duma was an elected national legislative body

3. Political parties were able to critice the regime

4. Relatively free press in Russia

What can you describe the Duma as by 1914?

Talking shop

What was happening in the countryside in 1907-1907

Large scale disorder

What motivated countryside disorder?

Land Hunger

What did the peasantry do in 1905-1907?

Rent strike

Land seizures

Attacks on manor houses

Violence

What did the widespread peasant revolt calll for?

Urgent pacification

How many government officials died in terrorist attacks in 1906?

1,000

How many government officials died in terrorist attacks in 1907?

3,000

Who was Durnovo?

Interior Minister P.N

How did the regime attempt to pacify the countryside?

Army units were sent in led by Durnovo

How many people were killed and injured by Durnovo and his army?

15,000 dead

20,000 wounded

45,000 exiled to siberia

What had the government do in 1905 in attempt to pacify the peasants and increased in 1907?

Halved peasant redemption payments intending full abolition by 1907 (concenssion had minimal impact on reducing rural unrest)

When did Stolypin succeed Durnovo?

1906

Who replaced Durnovo?

Stolypin

what did socialists condemn Stolypin as?

the last bloody defender of the tsarist order

How did Stolypin trial peasants accused of disorder?

1. Cases heard within 24 hours

2. Trials held in secret

3. Those accused had no right to a lawyer

4. Trials lasted for 2 days max

5. Death sentence within 24 hours of a decision

6. No appeals against verdict or sentences were allowed

How many people were sentenced to death under Stolypin in 1906-1907?

1,000

what were stolypins neckties and stolypins carriages?

stolypins carriages were the trains transporting ‘criminals’ to siberia to work

stolypins neckties were the hangmans nooses used as ‘criminal punishemnt’

Was Stolypins repression a sucess?

Restoration took time eventually it did work

what did pro stolypin people state stolypins reforms could have done and how did they back up his actions ?

that his reforms could have saved the country from civil war and revolution is they had more time and it wasnt cut short by the start of ww1

they backed up his actions by stating Stolypin had taken up office in a time of political turmoil and used a good balance of repression and reform.

What did revolutionary parties have to do to fund their actions?

Robbing banks to fund their actitivies and the Bolsheviks faced embarassment as a result

what did stolypin supporters belive russia could have become if the reforms had more time to work?

a liberal capitalist society

How did Stolypins aims benefit society?

Allowed for peasants to convert communal land into private property boosting productivit y

What was the peasant reaction to Stolypin land reform

Initial enthusiasm but waned with limited adoption of seperatore farms by 1914

Increased agricultural production was due to various factors not just land reform

What was promoted as a solution to land hunger?

Emigration to Siberia

Millions migrated

what happened after stoypins death in 1911?

discontent grew

how did stolyipn die and why is this importnat

he was assassinated- showing how he was disliked by some of society.

tried to balance repression with moderate reforms but failed to win support from either

what area of society did stolypin fail to stabilise and what came out of this faliure ?

industiral areas creating unrest in 1912-1914 and the moscow general strike in june 1914

did stolypins repression and reforms highlight continuity or change?

they both showed continuity

how did stoylpins reforms show continuity?

they were driven by a desire to create a more loyal peasantry to the tsar rather than for the benefit of the peasants

peasants would be less inclined to support opposition who may have created a communist state and taken their land away.

how did stolypins repression show continuity

he continued to use brute actions of repression such as convicting thousands of people of political crimes and giving them no right to speak in a court hearing- an unfair justice system.

What was the Lena Gold fields?

Mining company in Eastern Siberia facing labour disputes

who had shares in the lean goldfeilds company?

• Gov. minister

• the tsars mother

what triggered the lena goldfeilds massacre?

• Industrial dispute over working conditions

• Fed old horse meat

What did the lena goldfeild strike highlight?

Continued social unrest

What did the workers in the lena goldfiled strike demmand?

• 30% wage increase

• 8-hour day

• improved healthcare

How did the government react to the stikes in the lena goldfields

sent in troops to arrest strike leaders leading to a deadly confrontation in April 1912

When was the deadly confrontation of the Lena Gold Fields?

Nadezhclinsk April 1912

How did striking miners react to the arrest of the strike leaders?

Responded by a march in April 1912, calling for the release of the leaders who were imprisoned

how many soldiers opened fire on the march for the lena goldfeild workers

90 armed troops

what did the lena goldfeild massacre highlight x2

continued use of military repression

continuity as it a was similar situation to bloody sunday and the moscow uprising

what is the conservative estimate of casualties from the lena goldfield massacre?

200 wounded and 160 killed

How many workers left the lena goldfeild mine after the massacre and how did stolypin respond?

10,000 left so stolypin imported workers from china and korea

was there much industrial unrest and stikes immediately before the Lena goldfield massacre?

no the massacre marked the end of an era of relative industrial calm

what did the Lena goldfields massacre trigger across Russia

a united wave of protest strikes that only subsided when ww1 broke out in 1914

What did Lenin Hail the LGFM as?

Fuel for revolutionary fervor among the masses