The Difficulties of Ruling Russia up to 1914 | History for GCSE/IGCSE - Year 11 PDF Download

What Nicholas II Was Like as a Tsar? - Overview

• Nicholas II became Tsar of Russia in 1894, following the death of his father, Alexander III. Alexander III was a towering figure at 6 foot 4 inches, known for his patriotism and ruling Russia through violence and fear. Nicholas II, in contrast, never gained his father’s approval. When his father fell ill, Nicholas feared succeeding him and remarked, "I am not prepared to be a tsar. I never wanted to become one. I know nothing of the business of ruling." This statement effectively summarizes Nicholas II’s reign.
• Nicholas attempted to emulate his father’s autocratic style but lacked Alexander’s natural abilities. He often ignored his advisers and displayed indecision during critical moments. Although a devout Russian Orthodox, he resorted to repression to maintain control. Nicholas assumed that the divine right of kings would ensure his subjects’ obedience, but his resistance to reform and the evolving political environment in Russia undermined his position.
• People close to Nicholas exploited his personality. Unlike many royal marriages, Nicholas and his wife, Alexandra, genuinely loved each other. Nicholas often heeded Alexandra's advice over that of his trained advisers, which proved detrimental. Alexandra’s influence, coupled with the couple’s relationship with the controversial mystic Rasputin, exacerbated Nicholas's challenges and contributed to his eventual downfall.

Geographical Challenges

• Tsar Nicholas governed an expansive empire stretching 5,000 km wide.
  • The Ural Mountains acted as a geographical barrier dividing the empire.
    • West of the Urals housed the major industrial centers and population of Russia. Nicholas resided in St Petersburg, the capital city.
    • East of the Urals lay Siberia and disputed regions bordering China, far from Nicholas with limited transportation to Western Russia.
• The empire comprised diverse nationalities, languages, and religions, with only 40% of the population being ethnic Russian.
  • Communication and legal enforcement posed significant challenges due to this diversity.
  • Various nationalities such as the Poles aspired for independence from the empire.
  • Jewish people were mandated to reside in the Pale of Settlement by the Russian Empire.

The Largest Nationalities in the Russian Empire

Social Difficulties

• Russia's social structure was notably complex and posed significant challenges.

How Did Each Social Group Challenge the Stability of the Empire?

Economic Challenges in Russia

• Russia saw some economic development.
  • Finance Minister Sergei Witte spurred the 'Great Spurt' in the 1890s.
    • Russia began constructing the Trans-Siberian Railway.
    • Production in heavy industry rose.
    • The rouble became a gold-standard currency, boosting foreign trade.
    • Witte attracted foreign investment into Russian industry.
    • Witte improved infrastructure by building roads and telegraph lines.
  • Industrialisation had some positive impact on the economy.
• Despite progress, Russia's economy remained backward.
  • The economy still heavily depended on agriculture.
    • Peasant farmers used unproductive medieval farming techniques.
  • Only certain regions, like European Russia, were suitable for farming.
    • These regions could face famine, impacting the economy and food supply.
  • Russian industry focused on quantity rather than quality.
    • Despite investments, Russia's industry was outdated and needed modernisation.

What Did Russia Produce?

• The table illustrates Russia's reliance on agriculture.

Political Challenges

• The Fundamental Laws of the Empire outlined that:
  • The Emperor of all the Russias held absolute power as an autocratic monarch.
• Conceptually, the tsar presided over a hierarchically organized government.

• The government had numerous weaknesses.
  • No government bodies possessed real power.
    • The tsar appointed individuals to serve in these bodies.
    • Their role was limited to advising or handling administrative tasks.
  • There was no elected parliament or duma.
  • The tsar did not think his people should have the right to vote.
    • The upper classes viewed most Russians as uneducated and uncivilised.
    • Tsarina Alexandra believed the Russian people should be "under the whip."
• Political parties existed but were not acknowledged by the tsar.

Political Groups prior to 1905

• Several rural communities had zemstvos, which were local councils where representatives were elected by the populace. However, this system wasn't truly democratic as a noble's vote held more weight than a peasant's.
• The zemstvos were responsible for various aspects including education, healthcare, social welfare, food distribution, road maintenance, and government functions. Initially, officials supported the zemstvo concept as they believed it could help manage rural populations and facilitate tax collection.
• As of 1905, zemstvos began advocating for constitutional changes. Many zemstvo members, predominantly from the middle and upper classes, sought suffrage rights.

Rise in Extremism

What is Marxism?

• Karl Marx, a German philosopher, collaborated with Friedrich Engels to formulate the theory of Communism outlined in two pivotal works:
  • "The Communist Manifesto" (1848) - focusing on the political and social aspects of Communism
  • "Das Kapital" (1867) - delving into the economic facets of Communism
• Marxism posited that all nations progress through a sequence of five distinct historical stages.

Growth of Marxism in the Russian Empire

• Plekhanov translated Marx's works into Russian in 1883.
• During the 1890s, the rise of industrialization fostered the emergence of various elements:
  • Formation of workers' organizations.
  • Emergence of illicit trade unions.
  • Establishment of Marxist discussion groups such as the Tchaikovsky Circle.
• These entities contributed to the wider dissemination of Marxist ideologies across the Russian Empire.
• In Russia, the prominent Marxist political factions were:
  • The Mensheviks.
  • The Bolsheviks.

How did the Mensheviks and the Bolsheviks differ in their interpretation of Marxism?

How did the Tsar combat extremism?

• The government imposed strict censorship measures, including the restriction of artistic expressions like works by Marx.
• The Okhrana, the secret police of Tsarist Russia, was instrumental in maintaining order by:
  • Investigating Communists, socialists, and trade unionists.
  • Surveillance of government officials.
  • Arresting and interrogating suspects.
  • Exiling political dissidents to Siberia.