Detailed Study Notes on Late Imperial Russia and the Russian Revolution

Syllabus and Resources

  • Syllabus Paper: Must be based on memoir.

  • Office Hours:

    • Watson rm 224

    • Monday 1-2 pm

    • Thursday 1:30-2:30 pm

  • Required Books: Two books to be found online.

    • Note: Not tested on textbook material, only supplemental to lecture material.

    • Primary books: Eugenia Ginzburg (relating to paper), Fur Hat (relating to final).

  • Late Submission Policy: One letter grade off per day of late submission.

  • Citation Style: Chicago style 17.

Week 1 Lecture 2 - January 8, 2025: Late Imperial Russia

The Empire and Its Critics

The Autocracy and the Romanov Tercentenary

  • Date: 1913 marked the tercentenary of the Romanov Dynasty, celebrating 300 years since Tsar Mikhail Romanov's election in 1613.

    • Occasion served as a propaganda effort by Tsar Nicholas II to reinforce autocratic rule and Russian identity.

    • Key historical points of the Romanov Dynasty:

    • 1613: Founding of the Dynasty (Tsar Mikhail Romanov).

    • 1703: Founding of St. Petersburg by Peter the Great.

    • 1894-1917: Reign of Nicholas II and Alexandra.

Nicholas II's Autocratic Rule

  • Nicholas II's policies reflect a disengagement from Western political concepts such as parliaments, rule of law, and constitutions.

  • Nicholas II embodies the concept of an autocrat, exercising unlimited power without constraint from laws or constitutions.

  • Insisted on a reorientation toward a 17th-century vision, fostering a mystical union between the commonfolk and the Tsar.

  • The opera Ivan Susanin, featuring a hero saving the Tsar, illustrated the bond between monarch and people, capturing public affection just before the monarchy's decline.

  • Alexandra's View: Alexandra wrote to her grandmother, Queen Victoria, indicating that Russian residents inherently respected their Tsar.

The Revolution of 1905

  • The public's admiration for the Tsar was not unanimous; societal divisions inspired discontent, culminating from the Russo-Japanese War's defeat, leading to protests.

  • Events in January 1905, including peaceful demonstrations for worker's rights that met violent responses from the Tsar's forces (
    "Bloody Sunday" on January 9, 1905), sparked widespread unrest, leading to political engagement across various societal classes.

  • October Manifesto (1905): Nicholas II promised to establish an elected legislative parliament (the Duma) and legalize political parties.

    • Fundamental Laws (1906): Initiated a parliamentary system with slightly eased censorship, allowing for elections and representation.

    • Debate among historians on whether Russia could have transitioned peacefully to constitutional democracy absent World War I.

Peasantry in a Time of Turmoil

  • Demographic Details: Peasants made up approximately 85% of the population in 1913, predominantly residing in rural areas, enduring subsistence-level existence often hindered by debt and nature-induced hardship (e.g., droughts).

  • Rise in Literacy: Peasant literacy rates rose from 21% in 1897 to 40% by World War I due to increasing societal emphasis on education.

  • Social Structure: Dominated by the “Peasant Commune,” where land was communally owned, rooted in egalitarian principles; the patriarchal management posed challenges for mobility and taxation.

  • Estimates suggest approximately 17,000 peasant disturbances occurred between 1910 and 1914.

Urbanization and Workers

  • The late 19th to early 20th centuries saw rapid industrialization, with urban population rising from 10% to 18% by 1913. This movement predominantly consisted of peasants transitioning to urban wage labor under dire conditions:

    • Work Life Conditions: Minimal regulatory oversight, shared living conditions in cramped quarters.

    • Statistical Data: Worker population surged from less than 4 million wage workers in 1860 to 17-22 million by 1914, narrowly traced to negligible safety precautions despite burgeoning discontent culminating in labor strikes.

The Nobility and Educated Society

  • Smaller segment of society (<1.5%), largely dependent on the state and not serving as a counterbalance to monarchic power as seen elsewhere.

  • Alongside workers, a new professional class emerged (e.g., doctors and lawyers), expressing frustrations with state censorship.

Ideologies of Dissent

  • Conditions enabling dissent arose amid Nicholas II's autocracy.

    • Emergence of a public sphere nurtured by press and associations fostering opposition to the regime's vision.

Liberalism

  • Advocated by educated professionals seeking representative democracy as opposed to autocracy. Many engaged in the 1905 revolution; the Kadet party, led by Pavel Miliukov, emphasized a constitutional, parliamentary government, serving as a significant liberal faction in the first Duma elections.

Nationalism

  • Growing demands for autonomy among various ethnic groups (e.g., Poles, Finns, Ukrainians) during the 1905 era, encouraged by relaxed censorship and opportunities for expression.

    • The Ukrainian Chronicle: Understanding and documenting national history and identity amidst oppressive Russian policies.

Populism

  • Radical populace oriented towards agrarian socialist ideals; emerged in the 1860s-70s. The Socialist Revolutionaries (SR) sought a non-capitalist society, often targeting soft reforms and moving towards terrorism after initial peaceful efforts faltered.

  • Declining Faith in Peasantry: The famine of 1891 diminished hope in agrarianism.

Marxism

  • In response to the political landscape, Marxism gained traction as workers began to rise, promising a scientific approach to revolution and a movement away from autocratic oppression. Early Marxist groups such as the Russian Social Democrats emerged by the late 1800s.

Week 2 Lecture 1 - Jan 12, 2025: The February Revolution: War and the End of the Autocracy

WWI and Its Discontents

  • Initial Response to War (August 1914): Enthusiasm rapidly waned following military defeats by Germany.

  • By 1916, losses accumulated to over 5.5 million soldiers, critically weakening national morale and exposing the Tsar's failures.

De-legitimization of the Dynasty

  • Duma Dynamics: The progressive bloc arose in 1915. Calls for political reforms and rights for nationalities; Nicholas II's refusal to heed these led to increased public discontent.

  • Criticism mounted towards Alexandra, fuelled by rumors of incompetence and treason, particularly regarding her ties to Rasputin.

The February Revolution (1917)

  • Underlying issues included severe shortages of food and fuel, stoked by the strain of war, culminating in massive protests beginning on International Women's Day (Feb 23).

    • Protests Expanded: On Feb 25, a general strike ensued, and on Feb 26, the army mutinied against orders to suppress protests.

  • Abdication of the Tsar: By March 2, Nicholas II abdicated, yielding power to a dual governing structure: the Provisional Government and Petrograd Soviet of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies.

Week 2 Lecture 2 - Jan 15, 2025: The October Revolution

The Bolshevik Seizure of Power

  • The Bolshevik Party under Lenin was poised to embrace the revolution's appeal to workers, contrasting with the moderate strategies of the Provisional Government.

  • Initial Strategy: The Bolsheviks encouraged urban discontent while disavowing the provisional authority’s claims, rallying support to transition from a bourgeois revolution towards outright control.

The Crises of Dual Power

  • The April Crisis arose from Miliukov's annexationist statements, prompting mass protests against the bourgeois government.

  • Tensions with former allies heightened during the July Days amidst calls for substantial government reform

  • Kerensky's Leadership: Moderation emerged as a goal, yet ongoing discontent eclipsed his authority.

Conclusion of the October Revolution

  • On October 24, 1917, the insurrection orchestrated by the Bolsheviks culminated, leading to the establishment of the Sovnarkom (Council of People’s Commissars).

  • Proclamations: The slogan encapsulated Bolshevik ideals: "All Power to the Soviet" signifying a clear rejection of the Provisional Government's influence.

Week 3 Lecture 2 - Civil War and New Regime Foundations

Overview of Civil War Phases

  • Combatants: Clash between Reds (Bolsheviks) and Whites (liberals, monarchists).

  • Constituent Assembly and the Komuch: SRs played a critical role; assembly dissolution marked Bolshevik consolidation.

The Peasant Revolution and Policies

  • Land Redistribution: Peasants began forming committees to take land rights from nobles, aligning with Bolshevik approval after the October Revolution.

  • The Treaty of Brest-Litvosk: Marked immense territorial losses forced upon Russia post-war, consolidating peasant interests and conflicts of national identity.

War Communism

  • Policy Aim: An aggressive implementation of communism amidst civil conflict, aiming to decimate private trade and fortify state control over agrarian economies, albeit leading to severe famine due to repressive requisitioning practices.

Thursday Showings

  • Upcoming Events: Regular updates and announcements on weekly content, assignments, and exams, indicating focus on trends within Soviet policies and their implications.