russian revolution topic 1

does what it says on the tin

what was the tsar’s role until 1905?

autocrat so policy making. all areas of central gov. were accountable to him.

council of ministers?

chaired by tsar. consisted of officials nommed by him. discuss laws (agreed or passed to council of ministers) abandoned in 1882 by Alex III

personal chancellery of his Imperial Majesty?

personal secretaries, legal advisors, secret police. replaced in 1861 by Alex II, council of ministers.

imperial council of state?

estab. in 1810, gave advice to Tsar on legal + financial matters. appointed by tsar, didn’t have to take advice. Waldron branded it “retirement home for old government officials”.

senate?

acted as highest court. final court of appeal on major legal matters, confirmer of titles of nobility, decider over disagreements between landowners over boundaries.

committee of ministers?

13 ministers, responsible for diff aspects. didn’t make own decisions, carried out due to Tsar. didn’t consult eachother, policies conflicted.

where did the fall of the Tsarist regime come from?

in the regime itself. fall comes from crisis in centre other than issue in cause itself.

what do optimistic historians argue about russia?

it was on the route to modernisation

factors of russia under tsars?

land, russian people, russification, social structure, land + agriculture

land?

vast country across 2 continents. northern part frozen for most of year. very few paved roads, lacked communication. trans-siberian railway took 1 week.

russian people?

empire built up over centuries. state of muscovy extended from C15th. most lived in european part of russia - citizens ranged from european to travelling Muslim people to native siberians.

russification?

size made difficult to rule. policy generalised, russians got most important jobs, saw uprisings + protests vs discriminatory in C19th.

social structure?

1% owned 25% of land.bad harvest + disease meant 400k died in 1891. living conditions are terrible, life is unremitting.

land and agriculture?

methods inefficient, backward. lack of land. vast expansion of peasant class led to overcrowding + competition.

what is serfdom?

nobles have great power over land and occupants

what revolt occured in 1825?

a decembrist revolt

what is a zemstvo?

local councils w/ powers to provide roads, schools + medical services. right to elect members left for wealthy.

what happened in oct 1884?

1k people killed in stampede due to rumours re: gifts being handed out. nicky knew and went to a party instead.

what principles underpin tsarism?

autocracy, nationality, orthodoxy

autocracy?

divine right to rule, “autocratic and unlimited monarch”, could rule w/o constraints, rejected any hints that power rested on consent of people

nationality?

russians have a distinct way of life etc superior to everyone around them. obligated to preserve and strengthen. built empire + entitled to control it. stifle european nationalism stimulated it. antisemitism rife and rampant.

orthodoxy?

offshoot of christianity. independent of Pope, only upholder. exhorted to obey tsar as agent of god. mystical bond between tsar + people. value diminshed due to declining rep of priest. run by gov. dept. minister known as Procurator of Holy Synod.

okhrana?

worked beyond law, alongside police. censored media, employed army when riots, destroyed revolutionary + terrorist networks, used informants. fearsome rep (not like KGB or Gestapo)