Industrialisation under Alexander III: The beginning

What does industrialisation do for the class system?

• Benefits the middle class

• Creates an industrial proletariat

• This differs to the other reforms, that benefit the nobility

Why does he do it, and what is the paradox of industrialization under Alexander III?

• Wants to compete with Western European powers

• Paradox of industrializing while suppressing the country

Who was Vyshnegradsky?

• Minister of Finance from 1887-1892

• Created the model for Russian industrialization

• Was forced to resign in 1892 after the Great Famine

Who was Count Witte?

• Succeeded Vyshnegradsky as Minister of Finance in 1892

• Served as Minister of Finance until 1894

Where did Russia get its money for industrialization from?

France

Where were the engineers involved in Russia’s industrialization from?

• Scotland

• France

• An example of the foreign expertise that Russia needed

What did Russia export?

Grain

How did Russia secure the grain it needed?

• Exploited the peasants

• Requisitioned grain from the peasants, which was unpopular

What other method did Russia use in order to industrialise?

Increased taxes

What three methods did Russia use in order to industrialise?

• Foreign loans and expertise

• Requisition to export

• Increase taxes

How did Russia stop people from buying common goods from foreign stores?

• Introduced a tariff law that prevented people from buying foreign exports in order to protect Russian industry

• This made foreign goods more expensive

Who drove Russian Industrialisation? What was its most important invention?

• Russian industrialisation was state sponsored and state driven

• The Trans Siberian Railway

By 1914, how industrialised was Russia compared to other countries?

By 1914 Russia was the fourth most industrialized country in the world

What was the Great Famine of 1891-2?

• In 1891, a combination of poor harvests, Russia’s vastness and its drive to export grain caused a famine

• 400,000 people died

What was the response to the famine?

• The government continued to export grain

• “We shall starve but we shall export”— Vyshnegradsky

• Aid was mainly distributed by the Zemstva and voluntary organisations, not the government

• Exposed the Tsar’s ineffectiveness