Additional Information : What was Russia like in 1905?

Additional Information 

• Difficult to Govern.
• Russia covered 1/6 of the world's land surface.
• Population of 125 million people.
• Many different nationalities ; ethnic groups.
• Autocratic ruling
• Omnipotent authority ; could pass any laws he wanted at anytime.
• No parliament and all political parties are banned.
• Received advice from ministers that he handpicked strictly from the "nobility" class.
• No opposition to the Tsar.
• Extreme censorship of the press and publications.
• Brutal secret police service, Okhrana, they helped eliminate all political oppositions.
• Most opposition groups were exiled to Siberia.
• Overruling of upperclass and nobility.
• Nobles formed 0.1% of the Russian population.
• However, they owned 25% of land.
• Middle class (bourgeoisie) formed following the industrialisation and demanded democracy.
• Peasants
• 80% of Russian population were peasants.
• Old-fashioned farming methods and poor crops meant that food shortages were a norm.
• Lack of technology and infrastructure meant that Russia was well behind.
• Living conditions were horrible.
• Unsanitary - epidemic of diseases were frequent.
• Cramped - most families had to share 1 room.