imperial russia the problem of reform. ideology westerners: believed if russia wished to remain a...
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Local Government Reform Emancipation of the Serfs in 1861 (Alexander II) Emancipation of the Serfs in 1861 (Alexander II) Setting up of the zemstvos in 1864: Setting up of the zemstvos in 1864: Local councils elected by wealthy citizens Local councils elected by wealthy citizens Emphasis of the mir: Emphasis of the mir: Traditional village community to which people belonged to Traditional village community to which people belonged to Government officials saw this as a tool with which to keep order and collect tax & mortgages Government officials saw this as a tool with which to keep order and collect tax & mortgagesTRANSCRIPT
Imperial RussiaImperial RussiaThe Problem of ReformThe Problem of Reform
IdeologyIdeology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to Westerners: believed if Russia wished to
remain a great nation it would have to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features of the political & adopt the best features of the political & economic systems of Western Europe.economic systems of Western Europe.
Slavophiles: regarded western values as Slavophiles: regarded western values as corrupting – urged the nation to corrupting – urged the nation to preserve itself as ‘holy Russia’, by preserve itself as ‘holy Russia’, by glorifying its Slav culture and separate glorifying its Slav culture and separate historical tradition.historical tradition.
Local Government Local Government ReformReform
Emancipation of the Serfs in 1861 (Alexander Emancipation of the Serfs in 1861 (Alexander II)II)
Setting up of the Setting up of the zemstvoszemstvos in 1864: in 1864: Local councils elected by wealthy citizensLocal councils elected by wealthy citizens Emphasis of the Emphasis of the mir:mir: Traditional village community to which Traditional village community to which
people belonged to people belonged to Government officials saw this as a tool with Government officials saw this as a tool with
which to keep order and collect tax & which to keep order and collect tax & mortgagesmortgages
Alexander II Alexander III
Legal ReformsLegal Reforms In the late C19th a number of legal In the late C19th a number of legal
reforms were introduced to try and reforms were introduced to try and simplify the court proceduressimplify the court procedures
Alexander II relaxed the controls Alexander II relaxed the controls over the press and universityover the press and university
Greater freedom of expression Greater freedom of expression encouraged the development of an encouraged the development of an intelligentsiaintelligentsia
Limited nature of Limited nature of reformsreforms Alexander II was only supportive of reforms Alexander II was only supportive of reforms
which might lead to a lessening of opposition which might lead to a lessening of opposition to the tsarist regimeto the tsarist regime
To some extend emancipation and greater To some extend emancipation and greater freedoms of speech were met with enthusiasm freedoms of speech were met with enthusiasm by by progressivesprogressives
Alexander II was assassinated by the People’s Alexander II was assassinated by the People’s Will in 1881 which led to an abandonment of Will in 1881 which led to an abandonment of reformist policies by Alexander III (known as reformist policies by Alexander III (known as the ‘Reaction’)the ‘Reaction’)
When Nicholas II ascended the throne it was When Nicholas II ascended the throne it was obvious that he intended to continue with the obvious that he intended to continue with the repressive policies of his predecessor.repressive policies of his predecessor.
The ‘Reaction’ in detailThe ‘Reaction’ in detail Government-controlled courts were set up Government-controlled courts were set up
to run outside the existing legal systemto run outside the existing legal system Judges and officials who were sympathetic Judges and officials who were sympathetic
to liberalism were removedto liberalism were removed The powers of the Okhrana were extended The powers of the Okhrana were extended
and censorship of the press was tightenedand censorship of the press was tightened Universities were brought under strict Universities were brought under strict
government controlgovernment control The independence of the zemstvo was The independence of the zemstvo was
decreaseddecreased
The OkhranaThe Okhrana
Agents of Okhrana - Yevno Azef, Dmitry Bogrov, Father Gapon, Roman Malinovsky
The Early reign of Nicholas II, The Early reign of Nicholas II, 1894-19051894-1905
His upbringing and education made him His upbringing and education made him suspicious of changesuspicious of change
He continued the repressive policies he had He continued the repressive policies he had inherited which further angered the inherited which further angered the intelligentsiaintelligentsia
Nicholas was tutored by Konstantin Nicholas was tutored by Konstantin Pobedonostsev, who dismissed the idea of Pobedonostsev, who dismissed the idea of participatory governmentparticipatory government
The policy of Russification grew intensely under The policy of Russification grew intensely under Nicholas II – the Russian Jews were particularly Nicholas II – the Russian Jews were particularly victimised under this ideologyvictimised under this ideology
Anti-SemitismAnti-Semitism Over 600 new measures were Over 600 new measures were
introduced imposing heavy social, introduced imposing heavy social, political and economic restrictions on political and economic restrictions on the Jewish populationthe Jewish population
Pogroms increased sharply under Pogroms increased sharply under Nicholas IINicholas II
The ‘Black Hundreds’ were notorious The ‘Black Hundreds’ were notorious for carrying out anti-Semitic attacksfor carrying out anti-Semitic attacks
Most Jews lived in ghettosMost Jews lived in ghettos
Response to Nicholas’s Response to Nicholas’s policiespolicies
Despite greater police interference, Despite greater police interference, opposition became more organisedopposition became more organised
In 1897 Jews formed their own In 1897 Jews formed their own revolutionary ‘bund’ or unionrevolutionary ‘bund’ or union
Growing number of political parties Growing number of political parties formedformed
Economic Reform, 1893-Economic Reform, 1893-19141914
Sergei Witte
Peter Stolypin
BackgroundBackground In the 1890s Russian industry grew so rapidly In the 1890s Russian industry grew so rapidly
that the term the Great Spurt was used to that the term the Great Spurt was used to describe the perioddescribe the period
The acceleration was the result of private The acceleration was the result of private enterprise, sustained by deliberate government enterprise, sustained by deliberate government policypolicy
The motives of the tsar were military rather The motives of the tsar were military rather than economicthan economic
A growing economy would produce more and A growing economy would produce more and better guns, equipment and shipsbetter guns, equipment and ships
The main individual involved was Russia’s The main individual involved was Russia’s Minister of Finance (1892-1903), Sergei WitteMinister of Finance (1892-1903), Sergei Witte
State CapitalismState Capitalism Witte was impressed by the results of the Witte was impressed by the results of the
Industrial Revolutions of the UK and USAIndustrial Revolutions of the UK and USA He negotiated loans from abroad and He negotiated loans from abroad and
raised taxes at home to raise capital for raised taxes at home to raise capital for investmentinvestment
He limited the import of foreign goods and He limited the import of foreign goods and set up protective tariffsset up protective tariffs
In 1897 Witte put Russia’s currency on the In 1897 Witte put Russia’s currency on the gold standard, but this led to an increase gold standard, but this led to an increase on goodson goods
The importance of The importance of railwaysrailways
Much of the foreign capital was invested in the Much of the foreign capital was invested in the railwaysrailways
In 1881 there were 13,270 miles of track & by In 1881 there were 13,270 miles of track & by 1913 there were 43,850 miles of track1913 there were 43,850 miles of track
Witte’s special project was the Trans-Siberian Witte’s special project was the Trans-Siberian Railway constructed between 1891 and 1902:Railway constructed between 1891 and 1902:
The line stretched 3,750 miles between Moscow The line stretched 3,750 miles between Moscow and Vladivostokand Vladivostok
It was supposed to encourage migrants to work in It was supposed to encourage migrants to work in more remote areas where industry was picking upmore remote areas where industry was picking up
Led to improved communication and trade linksLed to improved communication and trade links
Trans-Siberian RailwayTrans-Siberian Railway
Improvements in FiguresImprovements in Figures
Coal Pig Iron Oil Grain
1890 5.9 0.89 3.9 36
1900 16.1 2.66 10.2 56
1910 26.8 2.99 9.4 74
1913 35.4 4.1 9.1 90
1916 33.8 3.72 9.7 64
Table: The Russian economy: annual production (in millions of tons)
In real termsIn real terms Not so impressive when we consider Not so impressive when we consider
that Russia was experiencing a massive that Russia was experiencing a massive growth in populationgrowth in population
Per capita production was lower than Per capita production was lower than official figures suggestedofficial figures suggested
Witte’s problemsWitte’s problems He made Russia too dependent on foreign He made Russia too dependent on foreign
loans and investmentsloans and investments In giving priority to heavy industry he In giving priority to heavy industry he
neglected vital light engineering areas such as neglected vital light engineering areas such as machine tool production, which would have machine tool production, which would have helped to modernise manufacturinghelped to modernise manufacturing
He paid no attention to Russia’s agricultural He paid no attention to Russia’s agricultural needsneeds
But Witte had to yield to the demands of the But Witte had to yield to the demands of the military commanders who stated their military commanders who stated their transport and equipment needs should have transport and equipment needs should have prioritypriority
continuedcontinued Witte’s freedom of action was Witte’s freedom of action was
restricted by resistance to change from restricted by resistance to change from the court and governmentthe court and government
Witte was disliked and not an easy man Witte was disliked and not an easy man to get on with but in ability he towered to get on with but in ability he towered above the other ministersabove the other ministers
In 1903 the tsar forced him to resignIn 1903 the tsar forced him to resign If his talents had been fully recognised If his talents had been fully recognised
Russia may have been led to peaceful Russia may have been led to peaceful modernisationmodernisation
The end of the ‘great The end of the ‘great spurt’spurt’
By 1900 there was a serious trade recessionBy 1900 there was a serious trade recession Earlier boom led to population rise in the cities, this Earlier boom led to population rise in the cities, this
was disorganised and resulted in acute was disorganised and resulted in acute overcrowdingovercrowding
Recession led to mass unemployment in the cities Recession led to mass unemployment in the cities and a presence of thousands of disaffected workers and a presence of thousands of disaffected workers on the streets of St Petersburg and Moscowon the streets of St Petersburg and Moscow
Few workers gained from the industrial and Few workers gained from the industrial and financial expansion and trade unions were weakfinancial expansion and trade unions were weak
The rate of inflation rose by 40% between 1908 & The rate of inflation rose by 40% between 1908 & 1914 but the average industrial wage only rose from 1914 but the average industrial wage only rose from 245 to 264 roubles a month. Disaffection loomed...245 to 264 roubles a month. Disaffection loomed...