imperial russia the problem of reform. ideology westerners: believed if russia wished to remain a...

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Imperial Russia Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform The Problem of Reform

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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 & mortgages

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Page 1: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

Imperial RussiaImperial RussiaThe Problem of ReformThe Problem of Reform

Page 2: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

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.

Page 3: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

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

Page 4: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

Alexander II Alexander III

Page 5: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

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

Page 6: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

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.

Page 7: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

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

Page 8: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

The OkhranaThe Okhrana

Agents of Okhrana - Yevno Azef, Dmitry Bogrov, Father Gapon, Roman Malinovsky

Page 9: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

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

Page 10: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

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

Page 11: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

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

Page 12: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

Economic Reform, 1893-Economic Reform, 1893-19141914

Sergei Witte

Peter Stolypin

Page 13: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

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

Page 14: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

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

Page 15: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

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

Page 16: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

Trans-Siberian RailwayTrans-Siberian Railway

Page 17: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

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)

Page 18: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

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

Page 19: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

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

Page 20: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

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

Page 21: Imperial Russia The Problem of Reform. Ideology Westerners: believed if Russia wished to remain a great nation it would have to adopt the best features

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...