Paper 1 : Autocracy and Revolt in Russia, 1881 - 1914 : Problems facing Nicholas II, 1894 - 1905

Autocracy and Revolt in Russia, 1881 - 1914 
Problems facing Nicholas II, 1894 - 1905

Points in blue represent the specification point according to Edexcel History.

Points written in red represents the main point.
Points written in purple represents sub points.

       Elaboration on main point         Results          Definition

Weakness of Nicholas II as Tsar. 

• Viewed as ‘soft’ by his father
• Inherited throne suddenly – father died of kidney disease aged 49 (underprepared) 
• Strongly conservative – closest adviser & mentor, Constantin Pobedonostsev; inherited Romanov belief in divine appointment & moral rightness of autocracy

Witte and Industrial Growth. (1892 - 1903)

SUCCESSES ; 

• Work was sponsored, overseen by Government, nicknamed "Witte System"
• Government placed emphasis on production of capital goods (iron, steel, coal, machinery)
• Much of the expansion was financed from loans abroad (France)
• Overseas loans and investments aided industrial growth.
• Raised tariffs, tax, interest rates to increase capital.
• Limit on imported goods, encourage Russians to use Russian products. (also helps money circulate in the country)
• Expansion of the Trans-Siberian Railway system (1902)
• Rapid expansion of cities, as large scale manufacture attracted people seeking employment.
  St. Petersburg's population increased from 1 to 2 million in 1914.

FAILURES ;

• Industrial expansion was a global phenomenon at that time, it wasn't just work of Witte.
• Too dependent on foreign investments. 
• Lighter type of industry underinvested and agriculture ignored.
• Overcrowding in cities, led to poor living conditions and growth in dissent as a result.
• Poor working conditions because trade unions was made illegal.
• Still lagged behind other industrial powers.
  Austria-Hungary expanded national income by 79%, Britain by 70% and Russia with only 50%.

 Problems faced by Nicholas II including discontent of the peasants, town works and subject nationalities (ethnic minorities)

• Growth of the Urban Proletariat.
• 1900 - only 2-3 million industrial workers out of 110 million Russians.
  These workers were confined in 4 main areas.
• Factories were poorly lit & badly ventilated, had long working hours & brutal discipline. There was no job security.
• Living conditions were appalling - workers lived in unsanitary dormitories or rented rooms.
• In 1911, typhus, smallpox, typhoid & cholera were serious problems for industrial workers.
• All of these experiences created a militant working class.
• From the 1880s there was an increasing number of industrial strikes.
• 68 strikes in 1895.
• 125 strikes in 1900.
• 14, 000 strikes in 1905.
• There was a trickle of social legislation but it was often ignored :
• 1892 : No children under 12 to be employed.
• 1892 : No female labour allowed in mines.
• 1896 : 11 1/2 working day introduced.
  
• Overpopulation
• Factory investments and resettlement of farmers into towns built around factories as a way to improve economy. 
• Russian towns were not ready socially and politically for the sudden economic growth.
• There was 197% increase of population in Moscow, 253% in Warsaw, 827% in Lodz. 
• This led to urban overcrowding.
• This became a problem as there wasn't enough land and houses.
• Living conditions were squalid and severely inadequate.
• Existing houses were poorly built, no proper plumbing and heating facilities.
• Overcrowding in factory barracks/dormitory lead to an average of 3 workers sharing a bed.
• The barter system was re-introduced (was almost as if Russia was moving backwards), workers were paid with goods instead of money to improve working and living conditions.
• The problem with the barter system is that value of goods were hard to determine and most local people were being paid in "kindness" which led to lack of diversity in terms of merchandise.
• Conditions of Peasants.
• Life expectancy was under 40.
• Living conditions were poor.
• There were severe famines.
• Land shortage due to increasing population.
• Also only 6 % of the land could be farmed on so the lack of land and increasing population
• Caused severe case of land hunger; more food needed to be circulated as there are more people.
• Competitive farming; more peasants needed work.
• Peasants' thriving agricultural economy had failed to develop as it was ignored due to the focus on industrial growth.  

• Popular unrest & politics.
• Industrial instability 
• Between 1900 - 1903, almost 30% of the labour force were put out of work.
  These unemployed workers became hungry and bored with was dangerous.
• Labour concentration
• By 1914, 40% workers in factories employing a thousand men more.
• This could be easily mobilised for political disturbances.
• For the first time, large groups of people are working together.
• Frequency of strikes and disputes 
• Working & living conditions were low & poor.
• Wages led to disputes with factory owners.
• Russian troops were used against strikers.
• Trade unions were made illegal. (workers lose the right to strike)
• Strikes were made punishable by fines.
• Refusal to work could lead to arrest.
  
• NOT IN THE SPEC

• 4 Main opposition groups : (Populists, Social Revolutionaries, Social Democrats, Liberals)
• can be said to be ineffective because four different opposition groups want different aims, therefore they are disorganised and ineffective in penetrating the government. 
• Populists (Narodniks)
• First revolutionary movement in Russia during 1870s primarily led by students.
• They believed that change would only come from the peasants.
• Many were arrested after the Okhrana infiltrated their groups.
• By the late 1870s they had divided into two distinct groups;
• The People's Will - a terrorist organisation 
• Land and Liberty movement - who continued to work with the peasants.
• The movement was destroyed after Alexander II's assassination.
• Social Revolutionaries 
• Their main aim is to redistribute land to peasants.
• They appealed to peasants & youth and factory workers.
• Led by Victor Chernov.
• In 1901, they split into two groups;
  (operate out of Russia because political opposition was illegal)
• Left Social Revolutionaries - terrorists operating out of Berlin.
• Right Social Revolutionaries - dedicated to distributing propaganda operating out of Geneva.
• Between 1901 - 1905, Left murdered 2000 aristocrats.
• 1905, Right gained middle class professional support as well as support from the peasants.
• By 1906, comprehensive programme promising "revolutionary socialism" - but this meant giving all the land to the peasants with no compensation for the rich -- which was not an ideal immediate solution.

• The Liberals
• There was no single Liberal Party.
• They were largely middle class & loyal to the Tsar.
• They wanted a constitutional monarchy and Russia to westernise.
• Social Democrats
• They believed change would come to the proletariat because peasants showed little interest.
• They were attracted by Marxist ideas and the Communist Manifesto.
• 1880's - Young Marxists helped organise strikers in St. Petersburg. 
• 1898 - Social Democratic Labour Party was formed to unite Marxist groups.
• 1898 - Vladimir Lenin was exiled to Siberia for his activities.
• Many Marxists operated from outside Russia to avoid capture for printing and spreading of propaganda. 
• Lenin believed that rather than have a government suddenly overthrow the government, they needed a dedicated group of professionals to orchestrate a revolution (coup d' etat)
• In 1903, party splits into 2 groups 
• Bolsheviks - Majority followed Lenin
• Mensheviks - Majority followed Martov.