Attempts to strengthen - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Attempts to strengthen Tsarism 1905-14Slide2

Intro

Context –

Attempted revolution broke out in 1905.

Forced Tsar to introduce changes to try and ensure another revolution did not happen.

Stolypin

made PM in 1906 – Makes most of changes

Note

–Background should

mention that in Oct 1905 at the height of the revolution, Tsar introduced October Manifesto which introduced an elected

Duma

and improved civil rights – This split the opposition forces as it gave the middle class what they wanted. Slide3

Factors

Repression

Agriculture reforms

Industrial reforms

Relationship with the DumasSlide4

Argument

Some measures to strengthen Tsar’s position from 1905-14 were effective in the short term but they were not effective as long term measures of ensuring

Tsarism

survived.Slide5

Repression

Stolypin

had a reputation for being a hard leader and was not scared to use violence.

Used

Okhrana

, police and army to locate opposition groups – arrested, court

martialed

and executed anyone suspected of revolutionary activity. (KU)

1906-1909 : 3000 revolutionaries hanged (KU)Slide6

Repression analysis

Brutality and publicity of executions scared many people and stopped them revolting - – Worked on ‘fair weather’ revolutionaries (A)

Effective in reducing the number of protests and rebellions, especially in rural areas

Robert Service states that these hangings “reduced the countryside to quiescence” (A+ - Historiography)Slide7

Evaluation

Repression was effective in quickly stopping ordinary people from revolting as it struck fear into many Russians. However, it was not effective in the long term as fanatic revolutionaries continued to oppose the Tsar and repression only hardened their resolve – There is an increase in political assassinations which shows this. Slide8

Agricultural Reforms

Stolypin

also believed that it was necessary to improve peoples’ conditions in order to protect

Tsarism

– especially peasants (Carrot and Stick)

His aim was to create a wealthier class of peasant – kulak – who would have too much to lose if they revolted (KU)Slide9

Agricultural Reforms

Stolypin

cancelled redemption payments – 49 year mortgages (KU)

Peasants were now allowed to leave their village commune and could own their own land (KU)

Peasant land bank was created to give loans to peasants who wished to buy their own land (KU)Slide10

Agricultural Reforms - Analysis

Some peasants bought into the reforms and were happy that they could own their own land. Therefore, the reforms were successful to some extent in the short term. (A)

However, many were resistant to change and did not like the new reforms – preferred idea of the village commune (A+ - Counterargument)

Also,

Stolypin

did not deal with the real issues facing peasants – land hunger and outdated farming tools meant there was no real improvement in agriculture (A+ - Counterargument)Slide11

Evaluation

Stolypin

knew it would take at least 20 years for his reforms to work. A new wealthy class of peasant would not develop overnight. He hoped over time this would be the case. However, he was assassinated in 1911 and his reforms did not get the 20 years to work. Therefore, they were not effective in the long term in strengthening

Tsarism

. Slide12

Industrial reforms

Stolypin

also knew that he could not neglect the workers in the cities.

He encouraged further industrialisation to create jobs and boost Russia’s economy (KU)

He also introduced reforms that slightly improved working conditions and introduced a system of national insurance. (KU)

The

Okhrana

were still used to find any revolutionary activity in Russian cities/factories (KU)Slide13

Industrial Reforms - Analysis

His focus on industrialisation created jobs in Russia which was beneficial for many and made them less likely to revolt. (A)

However, this put even more strain on the cities in terms of housing and conditions as more people came to the cities looking for work (A+ - Counterargument)

By 1911, strikes and protests in cities had fell suggesting a happier workforce (A)

However, it could be argued that this was due to a ban on strike funds which made it nearly impossible to properly strike (A+ - Counterargument)

McColgan

suggests this drop in strikes is purely coincidental and not necessarily because of industrial reform. (A+ - Historiography)Slide14

Evaluation

Industrial reform was a double edged sword. It provided work but the strain put on the cities made it a hot bed for revolution. Mainly, in order to industrialise effectively, Russia had to borrow money from France. This tied them to the French and forced them to enter into WW1 which ultimately caused the Tsar’s downfall. Therefore, industrialisation actually proved to be counterproductive in the long term. Slide15

Relationship with the Dumas

The way

Stolypin

dealt with the Dumas has to be examined too. The October Manifesto created an elected

Duma

to, supposedly, give more say to the middle classes.

Stolypin

worked with these Dumas as long as they served the Tsar.

He advised the Tsar to dissolve them if they went against him and then illegally altered who could vote – His aim was to make sure that full power still resided with the Tsar. Slide16

Structure of Duma

Bicameral – Two chambers

Lower chamber – Made up of elected deputies – They could propose law.

Upper chamber – Made up of people appointed by Tsar – Could veto any proposed laws.

Tsar could dissolve

Duma

and order new elections under Fundamental Laws.

Ultimately, this meant the Tsar still controlled the laws and running of the country. Slide17

First Duma (KU)

Mixture of left and right wing deputies elected.

Proposed land reform, military funding and amendment to Fundamental Laws.

Too radical – Tsar dissolves them in June 1906.Slide18

Second Duma

The Tsar also never agreed with what this

Duma

was asking for.

June 1907 – Dissolved Slide19

Stolypin alters electoral role

Stolypin

knew that the

Duma

had to work if

Tsarism

was to survive.

He also realised that this would require pro-Tsar deputies to be on the

Duma

.

He therefore decided to illegally change who could vote to only the richest in Russia – 1 in 6 men.

This led to a

Duma

made up of pro-Tsar deputies.Slide20

Third Duma

More successful – Worked with the Tsar and some reforms were passed in agriculture, education and industry.

Duma

ran for it’s full 5 year term.Slide21

Dumas - Analysis

The creation of the Dumas worked in general because it created the illusion that the middle class would have some more political say which made them happy. (A)

The third

Duma

helped to strengthen

Tsarism

as it showed that the Tsarist system was not totally opposed to change but reaffirmed the Tsar’s authority and made people realise he was in charge. (A)Slide22

Evaluation

Dumas and the way

Stolypin

and the Tsar dealt with them would help to keep people at bay in the short term. However, in the long term the people of Russia would realise that

Stolypin

had illegally changed who could vote and would therefore become angry at the Tsar once again and more likely to revolt.Slide23

Conclusion

The attempts to strengthen

Tsarism

from 1905-14 were unsuccessful in the long term. Achieved some short term success as repression kept the fair weather revolutionaries at bay and the creation of a

Duma

made some believe they were having more say in how the country was run. However, in the long term

Tsarism

was not strengthened as industrial reform created a ripe situation for revolution and the peasants did not buy into

Stolypin’s

agriculture reforms. Crucially,

Stolypin

and the Tsar did not deal with the fundamental issues facing the Russian people so in reality their situation and lives were not really improved which therefore drove them to revolution by the end of WW1.