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27 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
What was Tsar Nicholas like and what were his beliefs? |
-Many inadequacies as an individual; indecisiveness, disinterest in politics, stubborn -Believed in Divine right -Didn't want a constitution -Democracy would undermine dynasty -Encouraged violence to destroy opposition -Ill equipped to modernise Russia |
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How did Tsar Nicholas II rule? |
-Absolute ruler all decisions were final -Had council and ministers who advised him and reported to him directly -Huge inefficient bureaucracy to rule empire -All decisions came from the top and were filtered down -Secret police Okhrana helped Tsar stay in power -Tsarists Russia was oppressive |
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Why was the 1905 revolution important? |
-Riots and peasant uprisings scared the middle classes so they returned their support for the Tsar -A Duma would be elected by the people -Freedom and speech and conscience -Right to form political parties -End to press censorship -Soldiers crushed soviet -Peasants brought under control |
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What was the October Manifesto? |
Promised right to political parties, freedom of speech and a Duma elected by the people. |
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How did the October manifesto change the Duma? |
- Still had limited power - Could not pass laws or control finance -Electoral system favoured the wealthy -Some parties boycotted the duma |
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How did the October manifesto change the Peasants? |
-Land reforms increased production e.g record harvest 1913 -Kulaks allowed to consolidate land into one piece |
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How did the October manifesto change the Workers? |
-Industrial boom e.g coal,iron,oil modern factories rose -Wages remained at 1903 level -Poor conditions in factories and home -Workers remained disillusioned |
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What was Russia like in WW1? |
-Low morale in army, soldiers were unwilling to fight many mutinied -Economy crashed, war led to inflation, unemployment and food shortages -Left Tsarina in charge when he was away -Discontent grew and Tsar failed to make concessions -Tsar became commander in chief |
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What was the economy like in Tsarist Russia? |
-Agriculture was backwards and inefficient and still had wooden farming tools -Overcrowding in farmland -Peasants faced huge levels of debt through redemption payments -Low level industry growing, Russia was 4th in the world for coal,iron and steel by 1914 -Modern methods of mass production -Factories created employment but wages low |
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What was the society like in Tsarist Russia? |
-80% were illiterate peasants and were prone to famine (1900) -Bourgeoisie more politically active -Nobility were 1% of population but owned 25% of land -1/3 of urban workers were young males more than 50% were illiterate -Poor conditions in home and factories -Women based in textile industry |
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Opposition and Discontent in Tsarist Russia |
-Political parties illegal before 1905 -newspapers and books censored -Anyone found organising strikes would be imprisioned -Populist movements wanted to bring down the government through terrorist acts -Marxist ideas of social democrats appealed to many -Liberals appealed to the bourgeoisie who wanted moderate political reform -secret police rooted out 'internal enemies' |
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Russian industry by 1917 |
-Push for industrialisation came from railway |
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Facts about Russian railway up to 1914 |
1885 - 16000 miles of track 1900 - 30000 miles of track 1914 - 56400 miles of track |
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Peasant based agriculture by 1917 |
-Rural population grew by 20%; 20 million by 1914 -Old fashioned methods hampered progress -Acts defiance by peasants was common due to famines -Agriculture output increased by 35% 1900-1913 |
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What payments did peasants have to pay and what should the Tsar have done to decrease likelihood of a revolution? |
Redemption payments , Tsar should have cancelled these payments |
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What were the causes of the February revolution? |
-Lack of political change -Tsars mistakes -Loss of military support -Rasputin -WW1 |
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Explain why WW1 was the cause of the February revolution |
-Huge amount of money spent 1914-17 e.g 17m roubles which led to increase in taxation, 200% inflation -Over prioritising the army caused food shortages -Lack of organisation in railway -15 million men taken from countryside & 1917 36.7 million were conscripted -1914 4 million killed |
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Explain why Lack of political change was the cause of the February revolution? |
-1905 October manifesto saved Tsar, but he failed to make concessions and lost trust of true reform e.g fundamental laws, electoral reforms and ignored Dumas |
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Explain why Rasputin was the cause of the February revolution? |
-He was a focus of hatred for Tsarist system -People found it difficult to defend Russian system when it was so easily taken over by a corrupt man -Tsarina relied on him which led to accusations -Bad reputation |
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Explain why the Tsars political mistakes was the cause of the February revolution? |
-Left Tsarina in charge as he went to front -Tsar ignored the Duma's advice -Made himself commander in chief of the army so he would be personally held responsible for war defeats -Lacked military experience |
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Explain why loss of millitary support was the cause of the February revolution |
-High number of desertions due to low morale and war defeats e.g Battle of Tanneberg 30,000 died -Lack of ammunition and uniform December 1916 |
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Why do you have to be careful about the dates when looking at Tsarist Russia |
Two calendars were in use; Jullian and Gregorian Jullian calendar is 13 days. So following the Gregorian calendar the february revolution was March 8th instead of 23rd |
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When did the Tsar abdicate ? |
2nd March - He tried pass crown to brother Michael who refused bringing 300 year Romanov dynasty rule to an end -Provisional Government declared |
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The Provisional Government -When was it set up? -What powers did it have? |
-Formed 2nd March 1917 Made up of leading figures of the liberal party and dominated by Kadets -Had popular acceptance -Had political experience -Support of high army command -Could not do anything without approval of PS |
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Petrograd soviet -When was it set up? -What powers did it have? |
-Formed 27th February -Popular backing from soldiers and workers -Controlled all weapons and soldiers -Controlled Russian infrastructure e.g railways,factories -Wanted to educate workers -Greater support base, popularly elected |
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When did lenin publish april thesis? |
7th April, 1917 |
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What did Lenin's April thesis say? |
-Immediate end to WW1 -Create revolutionary international movement to encourage worldwide socialist revolution -All power to the soviets -Wanted to combine the two revolutions as bourgeoisie were too weak -Unite all banks -Seizure of lands |