Paper 1 : Autocracy and Revolt in Russia : 1881 - 1914 : The Dumas and Stolypin

Attitude of Tsar II towards the first four Dumas

• Only to be elected from the nobility.
• The first duma met in 1906, but was closed after 72 days.
• The first two Dumas were openly critical to the Tsar which lead to the Tsar dismissing them.
• Nicholas II retained the title of autocrat and continued to appoint and dismiss ministers as he pleased.
• Laws continued to be promulgated by the government without reference to the Duma as Stolypin and Nicholas II changed the electoral system without the Duma in session.
• This defied the purpose of the October Manifesto as the democracy promised to the people was not fulfilled.
• Oppression continued in the power of the Tsar's secret police, Okhrana.
• Again this renders the October Manifesto ineffective.
• This was because Nicholas II only promised to the October Manifesto as a desparate measure and a sign of weakness.

Stolypin's policy of repression and land reform

• Stolypin established military tribunals as a policy of repression
• He proposed public execution of thousands to suppress ongoing revolutionary activity.
• He convicted 16,500 people of political crimes and 3,500 of them to a death sentence.
• As a result, political assassinations dropped to 365 in 1908 compared to 1,200 in 1907.
• When the first 2 Dumas refused to pass the Tsar's legislation, he advised the Tsar to dissolve them.
• In 1907, he changed the franchise to prevent the poor from voting for the third and fourth dumas.
• Suspended voting in areas where the population had not reach civic development lead to fewer representatives from the lower classes, ie. peasants, urban wokers. 
• This created Dumas who were more obedient towards the Tsar.
• With the peasants excluded from voting, thus eliminates 78% of the population as the peasants formed the majority.
• This encouraged the autocratic regime to continue on as the upperclass would vote for a Duma from the nobility without opposition.
• Stolypin carried out land reforms such as breaking up the Mirs and setting up a peasants bank.
• The peasant bank enabled the poor to purchase land for agriculture.
• This benefitted about 15% of the peasants who established larger and more productive farms.
• Other peasants sold their land and ended up in the cities, which increased industrial work force.
• He abolished redemption payments which reduced the burden of peasants.
• By 1915, 50% of the peasants had ownership of land.
• Agricultural production raised from 46 tonnes in 1906 to 61 tonnes in 1913.

Lena Goldfield strike

• Lena Goldfield was a mine containing substantial mineral resources.
• Several thousand workers were hired and transported to the mine from Siberia.
• Workers failed to live up to the exorbitant promises made by company officials.
• As a result, workers had to work for 14-16 hours a day in a risky work environment without safety equipment.
• 70% of the workers succumb to injury and illness on a monthly basis.
• Workers would be fined for trivial offences and their already low wage would be deducted.
• The company manipulated basic necessities of the miners. 
• These commodities are purchased from canteens in the mine operated by the company.
• The company would raise the prices of these basic necessities and miners had to be an exorbitant price for low-quality goods.
• In 1911, the company reduced workers' pay and instead pay them with canteen coupons which narrows the worker's shopping outlets to only the canteen in the mine.
• In 1912, the company served rotten horse meat disguised as beef.
• AS A RESULT :
• This sparked a widespread strike amongst the workers.
• 6,000 miners formed a strike committee and handed the company a list of demands.
• They demanded for a 8 hour work day, higher wages, abolition of company fines as well as improved quality of goods sold in the canteen.
• The strike continued and thus, froze mining production.
• The company requested troops and arrested the leaders of the striking committee.
• This led to an increase of strikes and 2,500 miners marched to the company headquarters demanding release of their leaders.
• They were met with a brigade of soldiers and 250 men were killed.

4 mark question : Write one effect about the Lena Goldfield massacre.

One of the effects of the Lena Goldfield massacre was the widespread of strikes nationwide. 6,000 miners formed a striking committee for better working conditions such as an 8 hour shift instead of a 16 hour shift and higher wages. The mining company acquired troops to arrest striking committee leaders. This led to 2,500 miners marching to the company headquarters to demand the release of the leaders. The brigade of troops then shot and killed 250 men. This soon spread to urban workers as they relate to the long working hours and low pay. This then led to a nationwide strike.