chapter 5: The Growth of opposition to Tsarist rule

effects of creation of Dumas and zemstva

provided platform for educated intellectuals to challenge tsarist policies with the act of persuasion

Effects of the reforms of the judicial system

Produced professionally trained lawyers, ready to question and challenge autocratic policies.

effects of the repressive atmosphere

reinforced demands for change from liberal minded intelligentsia and socialist groups

How did the influence of the intelligentsia change?

Size and influence grew with reforms and economic changes.

nihilism

the belief that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated

Anarchism

the belief in self-governed institutions; the State is considered unnecessary or even harmful

what benefits did liberal intellectuals have?

education, wealth, time and interest on political matters, grew with the reforms and economic changes

Westernisers

wanted to copy Western ways, abandoning Slavic traditions and providing representative assemblies, reducing authority of Orthodox church.

Slavophiles

Russian intellectuals in the early nineteenth century who favored resisting western European influences and taking pride in the traditional peasant values and institutions of the Slavic people, based on the Orthodox Church.

Ivan Turgenev (1818-1883)

-one of the most important Russian writers

-"Phantom" is a fantasy but portrayed as realism

-Believed Russia could benefit from Western values

Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910)

Began career in the army, set up school for peasants and wrote War and Peace (1865-69), later devoting himself to social reform.

What was the role of the zemstva?

Provided a hub for westernizing liberal opposition voices, hoping to reform autocracy, Alexander II was not prepared to give them national influence.

What split intelligentsia opposition?

Industrialization, western-style socialism began to develop, some attracted by Marxist theory while others remained a more moderate liberal stance.

What polarised russian society in 1891?

The great famine (1891-92), as opposition became more organised, with the zemstva expanding activities to the rural economy, acting as a turning point in the socialist movement in Russia.

What was there increased demand for led by the zemstva?

a national body to advise the government.

What was 'Young Russia'?

The children of liberals, who believed the only solution was a "bloody and merciless revolution"

Events of June 1862

A series of fire in St Petersburg, destroying 2000 shops, with young Russia held as responsible.

What was 'The Organisation'?

1863, Set up by students at Moscow university, with more calls for reform, with the increased repression led to more student idealism and determination.

What did Nikolai Chernyshevsky write?

Radical journal 'the contemporary' and the book 'What is to be done?', suggesting that the peasants had to be made leaders of revolutionary change.

What was The bell?

Radical journal edited by Aleksandr Herzen - 'go to the people', new peasant based social structure.

What view did Mikhail Bakunin put forward?

That private ownership of land should be replaced by collective ownership, income should be based on the number of hours worked , he translated Karl Marx's communist manifesto into Russian in 1869.

What were Karl Marx's theories based on?

The idea that all history was composed of class struggles, he predicted that a struggle between the working class and bourgeoise would herald the perfect communist society.

What was the 'Catechism of a revolutionary'?

1869, Bakunin and Serhei Nechaev, secretly smuggled into Russia, encouraging opposition to be merciless in their pursuit of revolution.

What was the Tchaikovsky Circle?

Set up in 1868, organising the printing, publishing and distribution of scientific and revolutionary literature, seeking social revolution.

Who were the Narodniks?

Populists. Russian intellectuals influenced by Marx, wanted all land to be transferred to the peasants.

How were the Narodniks a failure?

1874 Pyotr Lavrov encouraged 2000 young individuals to persuade peasantry on the future of Russia, but deep-rooted loyalty to the Tsar prevented this.

What did Mikhail Romas attempt?

To put his populist ideas into action by setting up a cooperative store selling fruit and veg, within peasant areas at a lower price, attacking the wealthier peasants with merchant deals resulting in his shop being blown up.

What was Land and Liberty?

Set up in 1877, continued populist tradition, members sought work within peasant communes. They generated mass public sympathy working with the zemstva.

Who was assassinated in 1878?

General Memzemstev, head of the Third Section by Land and Liberty.

When did land and liberty split?

1879

Who were Black repartition?

Organised by Georgi Plekhanov, Wanted to share the black soil provinces of Russia among the provinces, developing ties with the peasantry, serevely weakened by arrests in 1880-81, and ceased to exist.

Who were the People's Will?

Led by Aleksandr Mikhailov planting a spy in the Tsar's Third section, advocating for violent methods and assassinating officials, assassinating the Tsar in March 1881.

What ended the Populist movement?

The Tsar's assassination

What continued underground after assassination?

Self education circles, including Muscovite Society of Translators, maintains contact with radicals in the west.

What was the emancipation of labour group?

Established by Plekhanov from Switzerland, translated and arranged for Marxist tracts, developing the two stage revolutionary strategy.

Why was Plekhanov viewed as the father of russian marxism?

In "Socialism and the political struggle", he argued that revolutionaries had to accept the inevitability of Marx's stages of development, stressing the capitalist phases of development. Concentrating their activities among the Russian workers in the cities and to cooperate with the bourgeoise.