new section 12 cards imperial russia and russian rev ib history hl

"Imperial Russia: To what extent were the reforms of Alexander II primarily intended to preserve autocracy?",

Judgement: Alexander II’s reforms were primarily aimed at preserving autocracy by modernizing Russia after the Crimean War, although they unintentionally weakened the regime.

Evidence: Emancipation of 22.5 million serfs in 1861; Zemstva established in 1864 but with limited power; legal reforms introduced independent courts; no national parliament created; Loris-Melikov reforms proposed but not implemented before 1881 assassination.

Historian 1: Kotkin - structuralist. Reform and autocracy coexisted, creating instability.

Historian 2: Palmer - liberal. Alexander II was no liberal by nature.

Use line: Reform strengthened the regime short term but destabilized it long term."

"Imperial Russia: How far was repression under Alexander III responsible for the growth of opposition?",

Judgement: Repression under Alexander III significantly contributed to opposition by eliminating legal reform, though social change made this opposition inevitable.

Evidence: Temporary Regulations (1881); Land Captains (1889); university restrictions (1884); censorship; Okhrana expansion.

Historian 1: Pipes - intentionalist. Repression intensified opposition.

Historian 2: Figes - structuralist. Social change drove opposition growth.

Use line: Repression radicalized opposition but did not create it."

"Imperial Russia: To what extent did economic modernization under Alexander III and Nicholas II strengthen the tsarist regime?"

,"Judgement: Economic modernization strengthened Russia industrially but weakened the regime politically by intensifying social tensions.

Evidence: Trans-Siberian Railway; gold standard (1897); rapid industrial growth; urbanization; strikes and poor working conditions.

Historian 1: Kotkin - structuralist. Modernization destabilized autocracy.

Historian 2: Lincoln - narrative. Growth and repression coexisted.

Use line: Economic growth strengthened the state but undermined its stability."

"1905 Revolution: What were the main causes of the 1905 Revolution?",

"Judgement: The 1905 Revolution was caused by long-term social tensions and political repression, triggered by the Russo-Japanese War and Bloody Sunday.

Evidence: Defeat in Russo-Japanese War (1904–05); Bloody Sunday (Jan 1905); strikes and mutinies; peasant unrest; lack of political reform.

Historian 1: Figes - structuralist. Social tensions made revolution likely.

Historian 2: - political. War triggered crisis.

Use line: War triggered the revolution, but structural tensions made it explosive."

"1905 Revolution: Assess the consequences of the 1905 Revolution.",

"Judgement: The 1905 Revolution forced concessions but ultimately preserved autocracy in weakened form.

Evidence: October Manifesto; creation of Duma; Fundamental Laws (1906) reaffirmed Tsar’s power; Stolypin reforms and repression.

Historian 1: Pipes - intentionalist. Autocracy retained real power.

Historian 2: Figes - structuralist. 1905 exposed regime weakness.

Use line: 1905 changed the system superficially but not fundamentally."

"1917: How far did the First World War cause the collapse of tsarism?"

,"Judgement: The First World War was the immediate cause of the collapse of tsarism, but it succeeded because it exposed long-term weaknesses.

Evidence: Military defeats; inflation and food shortages; Nicholas II took command (1915); Rasputin influence; army mutinies (1917).

Historian 1: Fitzpatrick - structuralist. War exposed vulnerability.

Historian 2: Pipes - intentionalist. Collapse driven by military and elite failure.

Use line: War caused collapse, but only because the system was already fragile."

"February 1917: What caused the February Revolution?",

"Judgement: The February Revolution was caused by long-term structural weaknesses combined with wartime crisis and immediate triggers like food shortages and mutiny.

Evidence: Bread shortages; strikes in Petrograd; army mutiny; Duma opposition; Order No.1.

Historian 1: Pipes - intentionalist. Army mutiny decisive.

Historian 2: Figes - structuralist. War radicalized society.

Use line: February occurred when protest combined with military collapse."

"1917: Why did the Provisional Government fail?",

"Judgement: The Provisional Government failed because it lacked authority and refused to address key issues, especially war and land.

Evidence: Dual power with Petrograd Soviet; continued war; land issue unresolved; July Days; Kornilov Affair.

Historian 1: Figes - structuralist. Structural weakness doomed PG.

Historian 2: Pipes - intentionalist. Leadership failures critical.

Use line: The PG had responsibility without power."

"October 1917: Why were the Bolsheviks able to seize power?

,"Judgement: The Bolsheviks seized power due to the weakness of the Provisional Government combined with effective leadership and appealing slogans.

Evidence: April Theses; Peace, Land, Bread; Trotsky’s MRC; Bolshevik control of Soviets.

Historian 1: Pipes - intentionalist. Leadership decisive.

Historian 2: Fitzpatrick - structuralist. Context made success possible.

Use line: Bolsheviks succeeded because others failed."

"Civil War: Why did the Reds win the Civil War?",

"Judgement: The Reds won due to stronger organization, geography, and leadership, while the Whites were divided and ineffective.

Evidence: Central location; control of railways; Trotsky’s Red Army; White disunity; foreign intervention weakened Whites.

Historian 1: Pipes - intentionalist. White weakness key.

Historian 2: Figes - structuralist. State capacity decisive.

Use line: Red victory was as much about White failure as Bolshevik strength."

"Lenin: Evaluate the importance of War Communism in the survival of the Soviet state."

Judgement: War Communism helped the Bolsheviks survive militarily but nearly destroyed the economy and society.

Evidence: Grain requisitioning; nationalization; famine; economic collapse; Red Army supply.

Historian 1: Figes. War Communism laid foundations of coercive state.

Historian 2: Functionalist view. It was a wartime necessity.

Use line: War Communism ensured survival but created crisis."

"Lenin: Why was the NEP introduced, and how successful was it?",

"Judgement: The NEP was introduced to stabilize the regime after crisis and was successful in restoring the economy but not political freedom.

Evidence: Kronstadt Rebellion (1921); Tambov revolt; tax in kind replaced requisitioning; private trade restored.

Historian 1: Figes. NEP was a retreat from coercion.

Historian 2: Pragmatic interpretation. Necessary for survival.

Use line: NEP stabilized the regime without changing its authoritarian nature."

"Lenin: Evaluate the role of terror and coercion in the consolidation of Bolshevik rule.",

,"Judgement: Terror and coercion were central to Bolshevik consolidation, though they were combined with pragmatic policies.

Evidence: Cheka (1917); Red Terror; suppression of opposition; Kronstadt; Civil War repression.

Historian 1: Pipes. One-party dictatorship established early.

Historian 2: Figes. Coercion expanded during Civil War.

Use line: Coercion was essential, not incidental, to consolidation."