Specific Q Quizlet

What is the overall argument in Paragraph 1?

The overall argument presented in Extract A relating to political authority is that by the beginning of the First World War, the Tsarist government relied on terror and oppression to control the people. This hold on power had declined after 1905 and the revolution challenging the Tsar, and by 1914 the autocratic Tsar was doomed to fall. The argument also highlights the narrowing support base of the Tsarist government as the demography of Russia shifted and moved away from traditional lines.

What is the overall argument in Paragraph 2?

In Extract B, the overall argument presented by David Christian is that it was the government's failure and inflexibility to reform which had doomed the Tsarist government by 1917 and that, whilst the reforms of 1905 had attempted to move Russia away from Tsarism, it had squarely failed to do so by 1914. The dire situation, it is argued, was hindered further by the Tsar's political ineptitude, which led to the overthrowing of the monarchy in 1917.

What is the overall argument of extract C?

In Extract C, McKean argues that the 1905 revolution had brought about the end of Autocracy in Russia and that a constitutional monarchy, limited and subservient, emerged to succeed the Autocratic one. He also argues that the monarchy's fall was primarily blamed on the War and the tensions this created at home.

What is the evidence for the argument that "the Tsar relied upon terror and oppression"

> 1901 University Riots
> 1912 Lena Goldfields
> Between 1906 and 1911 the harsh crackdowns of stolypin - 60,000 executed, imprisoned, or exiled

What is the evidence against the argument that "the Tsar relied upon terror and oppression" and was not "uniformly reactive"

Attempts at reform -> Working reforms in 1912 and 1914 -> However living conditions remained poor and people did not support government. Also reactive to the ever growing threat of opposition groups like the SR and bolsheviks.

What is the evidence for the statement that the "Tsars support base had narrowed by 1912"?

> Between 1897 and 1914 the number of Factories had increased by 10,000 to nearly 40,000
> Number of workers had tripled to nearly 6 million
> Literacy rates had increased from not even 1/4 in 1897 to 40% by 1914.
> Power had shifted, with duma and zemstvo reforms, towards the entrapaneurial class

What is the evidence against the statement that the "Tsars support base had narrowed by 1912"?

> Only 20% of the population lived in cities - vast majority still rural
> Agricultural reforms from 1906 pushed more peasants into kulaks - 4X as many in 1914 as in 1905

What is the evidence for the argument that "the Tsars political ineptituded caused the fall of the Tsarist regime"

> 30th of August 1915 - Commander in chief of the armed forces -> Meant that he was blamed for the wars failings -> 1.5 Million dead, 5 million injured, 2.5 million MIA
> Opposition to any reforms which challenged autocracy - 1894 committment to autocracy + Duma speech -> 1906 Fundamental Laws (April 23rd) undermined democracy and pushed the people towards more radical groups such as the SR

What is the evidence against the argument that "the Tsars political ineptituded caused the fall of the Tsarist regime"

> Stresses of war were most signifcant - however this is overridden by his failings in peactime to reform correctly.

What is the evidence for the argument that "the Governments failure to reform and continuation of Autocracy doomed Tsarism"

> 1905 - DUMA undermined by the April 1906 Fundamental Laws (executive powers to the Tsar) and 1907 Electoral Reform
> Third Duma of 1907-1911 - "Duma of Lords and Lackeys"

What is the evidence against the argument that "the Governments failure to reform and continuation of Autocracy doomed Tsarism"

> Introduction of Freedom of the Press
> Introduction of the Duma
> Lifting the ban on political parties and trade unions

What is the evidence for the argument that "autocracy ended in 1905 and a constitutional monarchy emerged"

> 1905 definitely was a watershed moment for a political consciousness in Russia - Political discourse in Russia and introduction of the Duma was crowning example of the transition out of autocracy

What is the evidence against the argument that "autocracy ended in 1905 and a constitutional monarchy emerged"

> Fundamental Laws
> Ukase Use by Stolypin for November 1906 Agricultural Reforms (dismantling the Mir)
> 1907 Reforms to prevent true democracy and empower nobles to 10X that of peasants

What is the evidence for the argument that "the monarchy only fell because of the war"

> Bread Riots in 1917
> Commander in chief - Failure

What is the evidence against the argument that "the monarchy only fell because of the war"

> Between 1910 and 1914, the number of strikes increased by 18 times to over 9000 per year
> Bolshevik membership had tripled in the same period, and the SRs had over 1 million members by 1917 (Bolsheviks 240,000)