Russia before the revolution

Autocracy

in 1917 Nicholas II was the tsar of Russia and had been so since 1894 , the romanov dynasty had ruled since 1613

Nicholas never wanted to be Tsar although he was determined to fill the “divine right” by upholding the autocracy his personality made him an ill fit as he was naturually shy and awkward , he found political affairs boring and struggled to make decisions

Despite widespread calls for reform, Nicholas refused to share power or implement a constitutional monarchy, as was happening in other European nations.

Political parties

were only permitted from 1906 as a compromise from the tsar from the 1905 revolution when innocent protesters were shot on Bloody sunday

The main parties at 1917

Octobrists and KAdets - representing the middle class and dominating the duma

the Social revolutionaries represening the peasants

and the mensheviks and bolsehviks representing the working class

workers on strike

Jan 1917: 30k strike in Moscow, 145k in Petrograd; by Feb, 150k on strike, 240k on street rallies

Tsar promoting himself to commander in chief

August 22 1915 , he was then blamed for every backfire The consequences;

1. Increased responsibility for military failures, leading to heavy losses on the Eastern Front.

2. Growing public discontent due to hardships and defeats, fueling protests against the monarchy.

3. Loss of support from military leaders and political figures who doubted his capabilities.

4. Ultimately, these factors contributed to the February Revolution in 1917, resulting in his abdication and the end of the Romanov dynasty.

Russo japanese war

5 september 1905 , russia loses against japan

The war’s economic and social costs, including inflation and food shortages, contributed to growing unrest among the population

Bloody sunday

22 january 1905 - innocent protestors were shot by the cossaks

October manifesto

Formation of the Duma: In response to the 1905 Revolution, Tsar Nicholas II was forced to issue the October Manifesto (October 17, 1905), which promised reforms, including the establishment of a representative legislative body, the State Duma.

By 1906, it became evident that the Tsar was not fully committed to these reforms, and tensions between the monarchy and the more liberal factions in Russian society remained high

The First Duma (State Duma)

• April 27, 1906

• The first State Duma was created in response to the 1905 Revolution, which had forced Tsar Nicholas II to promise political reforms

what were the problems with the first duma

the Duma's powers were limited. It had no real control over the executive branch or the military, and its members had limited authority. it was dissolved by Tsar Nicholas II after just 73 days, in July 1906, when it refused to back his policies.

The duma was an attempt to introduce representation but but Nicholas II and his ministers viewed it as a threat to the autocracy

Fundamental laws

April 23 1906

These laws reaffirmed the Tsar's absolute authority over key areas of government, such as the military, foreign policy, and the church.

essentially limited the effectiveness of the Duma and made it clear that the Tsar's power was not to be challenged

The second duma

February 20, 1907

many of its members being from the Socialist Revolutionary Party (SRs), Social Democrats, and peasants’ organizations.

The Second Duma was more critical of the Tsarist regime, advocating for greater reforms particularly regarding land reforms and workers' rights. However, it quickly came into conflict with Tsar Nicholas II and his government,

it was dissolved on June 3 1907

Electoral Reform

After the dissolution of the Second Duma, Tsar Nicholas II implemented major electoral reforms that effectively restricted the political representation of peasants, workers, and other non-aristocratic groups.

June 3 1907

The Third Duma

November 1907: The Third Duma was convened after the electoral reforms of 1907. This Duma was far more conservative than its predecessors, as the new electoral laws favored the aristocracy and landed gentry, who had an interest in preserving the autocratic monarchy.

The okhrana

in 1910 they continued to monitor and suppress political opposition. Revolutionary groups, such as the Bolsheviks, Mensheviks, and Socialist Revolutionaries (SRs), were still operating underground, organizing workers and peasants for eventual revolt.

Pyotr Stolypin

was assassinated on the 18 sept 1911

Stolypin was widely seen as the Tsar’s most capable minister, but his policies had been divisive. He had introduced some land reforms,, and had tried to modernize the agricultural economy. However, his attempts to suppress revolutionary activity through harsh repression earned him the hate of many revolutionary groups, particularly the Socialist Revolutionaries (SRs) and Bolsheviks.

The Lena Goldfields Massacre

April of 1912 in siberia

Workers at the Lena Goldfields went on strike to protest poor working conditions, low wages

The strike turned violent when the Russian military, called in by the authorities, opened fire on the protesters. resulting in the death of hundreds

The Tsar’s Continued Repression of Political Opponents

Censorship and political repression were routine under Tsar Nicholas II. Political parties, trade unions, and socialist groups were banned, and their members were often arrested, exiled, or executed. Despite these measures, the underground revolutionary movement continued to grow in strength.

The Outbreak of World War I

resulted in massive losses such as masurian lakes and tannenberg both in 1914

Low Morale: Soldiers were poorly equipped, suffering from inadequate clothing, food, and weapons

The Battle of Gorlice-Tarnów

(May 2–June 22, 1915) was a major German-Austrian victory that led to the Russian retreat from Poland, Empire lost large amounts of territory, and over 1 million Russian soldiers were taken as prisoners.

Progressive Bloc

n 1915, the Progressive Bloc in the Duma, a group of moderate liberals and conservatives, began to push for reforms. They demanded greater participation in decision-making, including a national unity government that would share power with the Tsar,he refused

Tsarina Alexandra,

Tsarina Alexandra, Nicholas's wife, was largely unpopular. Her reliance on the controversial Rasputin (a mystic with undue influence over her and the royal family) further eroded the credibility of the monarchy.

The Economic and Social State of Russia

industrialization in Russia was slow and uneven. While St. Petersburg and Moscow were industrial hubs, the majority of the country remained agriculturally based.The war effort worsened Russia's economic state, leading to inflation, food shortages, and widespread poverty. In particular, the grain crisis and food shortages in the cities were exacerbated by the war.

War casualties

• ~15 million conscripted between 1914–17; by 1916, one rifle per 1.5 soldiers

• Casualties by early 1917: ~1.6 million killed, 3.9 million wounded, 2.4 million captured

Desertion

• Desertions spiked: 1.5 million in 1916, ~160,000 at Brusilov Offensive

• Soldiers began mutinying or joining protests by February 1917

Government finance

Government spending rose from 4 M to 30 M roubles (1914–17); by 1917 war cost ~13.6 B roubles

Why did the tsar survive the 1905 revolution

1. the army remained loyal

2. 2. various groups such as peasants,workers did not form co-ordinated opposition

3. october manifesto