Russia under Nicholas II

• Nicholas II's son had hemophilia, which was unknown to the Russian public.
• Nicholas II was not competent to become Tsar.
• His policies were very similar to those of previous rulers.
• Russia was highly unstable during Nicholas II's reign.
• Following World War I, Poland declared its independence in 1918, while the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania also sought autonomy from Russian control during the upheaval of the war.
• The widespread famine in Russia during this period was exacerbated by outdated farming techniques, poor infrastructure, and a lack of investment in modern agricultural practices, leading to severe food shortages.
• Nicholas II lacked leadership skills and was not open to opposition.
• The Khodynka tragedy refers to a catastrophic event that occurred on May 18, 1896, during the celebrations of Tsar Nicholas II's coronation. This disaster took place at Khodynka Field in Moscow, where a massive crowd had gathered to receive food and souvenirs promised by the new Tsar. Unfortunately, the event's organization was severely inadequate, leading to chaos as thousands of people scrambled for the limited resources available. In the ensuing panic, over a thousand individuals were crushed or trampled to death, while many more were injured. This tragedy highlighted not only the poor logistics and lack of preparation for large gatherings but also the growing discontent among the Russian populace regarding the Tsar’s ability to govern effectively. The incident cast a shadow over Nicholas II's reign from its very beginning, serving as a grim omen of the turbulent times that lay ahead for the Russian Empire and contributing to the ongoing calls for political reform.occurred during the rise of his power, due to massive logistical issues.

Political factions emerged, advocating reforms.

• , political factions began to emerge within Russia that sought to address the discontent and demands for change among the populace. The events of the 1905 Revolution, which was fueled by widespread dissatisfaction with autocratic rule, socioeconomic disparities, and military failures, ignited a wave of activism and reformist ideas. Groups such as the Constitutional Democrats (Kadets) pushed for constitutional monarchy and civil liberties, while more radical factions, including the Socialist Revolutionaries and Bolsheviks, advocated for more radical systemic change, including the overthrow of the Tsarist regime. This proliferation of political thought and action created a complex landscape of competing ideologies, ultimately contributing to the growing momentum for revolution and the desire for a more representative form of governance in the years leading up to the 1917 revolutions. The political turmoil reflected the deep-seated issues within Russian society and marked a significant turning point in the struggle for political representation and rights among the Russian people., political parties gained power and a parliament appeared.

• Conservatists represented the privileged people of Russia.

• Liberals represented the middle class and wanted western-style political change, including a constitution and parliament to limit the Tsar's power.

• Social Revolutionaries were a large political group, eventually becoming the biggest Russian political party before WW1, who wanted revolution in the peasant revolution style and inherited Russian populist ideas.

• The Social Revolutionaries used terrorist tactics.

• Social Democrats based their beliefs on Karl Marx and advocated the proletariat overthrowing the rich.

• There were few hundred members, mostly in Siberia or abroad, and were very vocal.

• The Social Democrats split into Bolsheviks and Mensheviks, with Lenin rising with the Bolsheviks, in 1903.

• Class consciousness allows for revolutionary consciousness.

• The proletariat are against the bourgeoisie.

• Perception of the world will change.

• Marx promised Heaven vs paradise.

• The goal was going west to liberate the proletariat in other industrialized countries.

• Germany seemed ready for revolution, needing Russia's push.

• Russia was passed to Nicholas II in a good state.

• The rural urban problem grew as the population doubled and tripled within 70 years, due to a demographic boom.

Specific Things During Nicholas II Rule: Economic Factors

• Heavy taxation on workers with low wages caused discontent.
• There was an International Economic Slump in 1902.
• Bad harvests in 1900 and 1902 increased the burden on workers.

War with Japan

• War with Japan was pursued to divert attention from domestic problems.
• Japan was modernizing and wanted to avoid being exploited by western powers.
• Japan was overpopulated and had no resources, driving them to expand.
• His advisors said Russia needed a quick victory to unite the people and that there was no need to be afraid of the Japanese.
• Construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway had been completed.
• During the Siege of Port Arthur, Russia had to resupply the garrison.
• The shortest route through the Mediterranean and Suez Canal was blocked by the UK, who wanted Russia weaker.
• Port Arthur surrendered, putting Russia on its knees.
• The peace treaty was negotiated by Americans: Korea was in Japanese hands, as well as Port Arthur.
• Resupplying was slow since the railway was one way.
• Racial language was used to fuel nationalism, making the loss even more humiliating.

The Bloody Sunday - January 1905

• Similar to the Crimean War, the Russo-Japanese War created a situation that needed change.
• The workers complained about appalling working conditions.
• Specific demands included employers discussing needs with employees, reducing the workday to 8 hours, agreeing on wages, abolishing overtime, increasing wages for unskilled workers and women to one ruble a day, providing medical care, building shops, and electing a representative government to express needs and establish a constitution.
• Workers respected the Tsar and believed he was a father and god-like creature.
• The petition was humble and not a coup.
• Batiushka Tsar represented the idea of a good Tsar and bad ministers.
• Bloody Sunday caused outrage, with people from all walks of life joining the workers marching.
• Outrage reached broader sections of society, including anger from not only workers but people from all kinds of lives.
• Strikes spread across Russia as a Consequence of Bloody Sunday.
• There was mutiny in certain parts of the army.
• Soviets (councils of representatives) emerged, with the Petrograd Soviet being the largest one.
• Stolypin was appointed as new minister
• Stick and carrot (using brutal reaction)
• Stolypin's necktie became a metaphor for hanging.
• Soviets were dispersed, and the army was used against peasant rioting.
• Most of the army stayed loyal to the Tsar in 1905, but not in 1917.

October Manifesto

• Key promises made by the Tsar included freedom of speech, the right to strike, unions allowed, political parties allowed, parliament established, people able to vote, and that there would be no delay to the Duma elections.
• No law could be introduced without the Duma's approval, which limited the autocracy.
• Disturbances and unrest in St. Petersburg, Moscow, and other parts of the Empire filled the Tsar's heart with sorrow.
• The Tsar's oath compelled him to use strength, intelligence, and power to end unrest.
• Authorities were ordered to deal with disorder and violence to protect those who wanted peace.
• The government must be unified to pacify the country. Fundamental civil freedoms would be granted, including personal inviolability, freedom of conscience, speech, assembly, and association.
• Participation in the Duma would be granted to classes previously deprived of voting powers, and such would lead to the development of universal franchise.
• There would be no delay to the Duma election. No law would come into force without the Duma's approval.
• Representatives of the people would participate in supervising the legality of government.
• True sons of Russia need to remember the homeland, to help stop the unprecedented unrest, and work to restore peace to their native land.
• Radicals and moderates divided with divide and rule, so they need to be split to be ruled since the only thing unifying them is that they all want change.
• Some workers want better wages, while others want to kill the imperial party.
• Stick and carrot means dividing the society.
• Bloody murder didn't happen as prestige of the Tsar is falling.
• The Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom stated that it would remain autocratic.
• In democracy, the people are sovereign.
• There would be Dumas, but a law could only be passed after ratified by the Tsar
• What was promised in 1905 was covered by the Fundamental Laws.
• 1905 meant loyalty of the troops, while 1917 meant unloyal troops.

Government Policy

• Alienated Intelligentsia: Middle-class liberals wanted to participate in government and wanted some form of elected national assembly.
• Revolutionaries: Socialist Revolutionaries aimed for peasant revolution to create socialism based around peasant communes.
• National Minorities (e.g., Finns, Poles, Jews): National Minorities wanted more autonomy and independence, ending policy on russificiation.
• Peasants: Peasants faced poverty, lack of land, high taxes, redemption payments and periodic famines.
• Workers: Workers faced long hours, low pay and terrible conditions and yearned for political power.
• The Russian Empire was under a Tsarist regime with a weak indecisive Tsar and repressive government.
• Denied basic freedoms such as a free press.
• No concessions were made to nationalities leading to protests getting repressed.

Witte's economic policy

• Under Witte, urban workers and peasants were squeezed by high indirect taxes and low wages.
• The economic slump after 1902 led to unemployment and social tension in towns,
• Poor harvests in 1900 and 1902 led to starvation and violence.
• Catalyst: Outbreak of Russo-Japanese War in February 1904
• Defeats shocked the Russian public, and war caused food and fuel shortages.
• There was a Huge upsurge of discontent as Tsar's government was perceived to be incompetent.

Bloody Sunday, January 22, 1905

• Spark!: Tsar's troops fired on peaceful demonstrators.
• The Tsar was at war with his own people during most of 1905.

Failure in 1905

Peasants

• Lack of land ownership and demand for redistribution of land led to creation of Peasant Land Banks and abolishment of redemption payments.
• Despite improvements, peasant unrest continued sporadically and overall conditions remained difficult.

Landowners

• Largely Retained control of their estates, as land
• In the years before 1905, they feared losing land and power due to Peasant unrest and Redistribution .

Intellectual and Middle Classes

• "Intellectual and Middle Classes desired political reform and constitution.
• Their situation Gains included the establishment of the Duma, but its powers were limited."

Industrial Workers

• They had Harsh working conditions, Low wages, and Long hours.

• Repression of strikes and workers' movements continued; Long-term dissatisfaction persisted.

• The 1905 Revolution can be seen as both a failure and a partial success.

• It failed to achieve its main goal of ending autocracy and did not significantly improve the lives of peasants, workers, or national minorities.

• It forced Tsar Nicholas II to issue the October Manifesto, leading to the creation of the Duma and some limited political reforms.

• The reforms were rolled back as the Tsar maintained control.

Assassination of Alexander II (1881) and Reactionary Policies of Alexander III

• Alexander II's assassination by the People's Will marked a turning point for the autocracy.
• Alexander III responded with harsh measures, increasing police surveillance and establishing the Okhrana.
• Opposition was driven underground, radicalizing movements, with moderate reform stifled.

Economic and Social Changes: Industrialization and Urbanization

• Sergei Witte's policies from the 1890s industrialized the economy creating an urban proletariat, which became a key base of opposition movements
• Harsh conditions led to increased strikes, with the Social Democrats gaining support for Marxist ideas.

The Role of Peasants and Agrarian Unrest

• Peasants faced hardship under redemption payments and the mir, fuelling support for the Socialist Revolutionaries which was fueled further by state agricultural policy failure.

The Rise of Revolutionary ldeologies and the Role of Intellectuals

• Marxism and anarchism spread among intellectuals, developing into vanguard party approaches. Universities became hotbeds of radical thought.

The 1905 Revolution and the Rise of Political Parties

• The events of 1905 marked a shift in the nature of opposition movements.
• Political parties like the Constitutional Democrats (Kadets) and the Octobrists sought to achieve reform through the Duma
• The Duma itself became a platform for opposition, particularly after the 1906 Fundamental Laws.

The Role of Repression and the Failure of Concessions

• "After the 1905 Revolution, Stolypin's ""wager on the strong"" sought to modernize agriculture through land reforms.
• However, these reforms were only partially successful."

Discontent Among Workers, Peasants, and National Minorities

• National minorities faced Russification. Discrimination against Jews was prevalent.
• Labor unrest increased after 1905.

The Role of Leadership and the Appeal of Revolutionary Groups

• The Bolsheviks, under Lenin's leadership, focused on centralized leadership and clear goals.
• The growth of opposition in Russia between 1881 and 1914 was due to social, economic, and political factors. The weaknesses of the Tsarist regime, defeat in the Russo-Japanese war, and the failed attempts to reform contributed to rising revolutionary momentum that culminated into the 1917 revolutions
• The last nail in the Imperial coffin was the impact from WW1

Causes of WW1

The development of a modern state created the means for conscription, militarization, and radical nationalism. The alliance system in Europe included ententes (France, Russia, Britain) and the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy.) Ethnic problems in the Balkans and disputes over colonial and territorial conflicts contributed to WW1.

Military Plans WWI

• Germany planned to attack France quickly, then Russia due to the Russian army being weaker and less capable of mobilization.
• Despite this, Russia had reformed its army after the Russo-Japanese War.

Nature of Fighting - Eastern Front

• Mobile warfare characterized the Eastern Front with fluid front lines and combat across diverse terrain. Difficulties included logistical challenges, industrial shortcomings, command issues, low morale plus economic discontent, food shortages and accusations of treason.
• Successful Russian military operations included early advances in East Prussia and the Brusilov Offensives, but this was hampered by many military failures.
• Failures from the Eastern Front included the Battle of Tannenberg in 1914, and Great Retreat (1915).

Tsardom

• Harsh winter conditions in Petrograd led to misery and protests.
• The building's canal systems in Petrograd made it easy to cut of sections from each other.
• Stolypin was the last statesman with a vision for Russia and was assassinated in Kiev.
• The October Manifesto raised expectations of the middle classes, but they were suppressed as they did not get delivered.
• New political elites appeared and questioned the need for a centralized government.
• Agrarian reforms such as by Stolipyn could not prevent urban rural divide - they couldn't deal with expansion and urban problems
• Peasants still desired more land.

Tsardom - Reluctance to defend from soliders

Contributory Factors:

• Tsar = indecisive
• Political outdated
• Middle wanted more government
• Workers alienated and disaffected
• Peasants poor and Landless.

War - Inperial Collapse

• Defeats hit the morals

• Tsarina and Rasputin are scandalous

• The generals betrayed there duty as they could not deal the situation with the army

• Urban problems increased and was visible to the cities

• Morality of the nation dropped.

• Urban problem got huge momentum during the war and had visible outcomes

• Nicholas II's leadership was seen as weak, contributing to discontent. His decision to take the army command worsened the situation.

• The Tsar ordered troops to attack the general public, making it protest in a hostile nature

• The Tsar's german wife, and over reliance on rasputin made her as an unpopular figure to the russian people.

• The War brought much disullisionment to soldiers which sympathised with the revolutionaries.

• Duma Leaders Frustrated by the Tsar's refusal to implement reforms, forming the Provisional Government.

Explore the instability and political landscape of Russia under Nicholas II's rule, including factors contributing to unrest, the goals of political parties like the Social Revolutionaries and Social Democrats, and the Russo-Japanese War. Understand the role of the Tsar according to the Fundamental Laws.