An in depth look into the 1905 Russian revolution and its effect with key dates and figures. Summary notes are included at the end of each important section as well as a timeline at the start of the document in order to visually summarize the key events of the 1905 revolution. This document is help...
CIE A Level History 9489 Paper 4 Dictators/European Option Stalin's Russia TOP IN THE WORLD ESSAY PLANS/NOTES
The 1917 Russian October Revolution
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THE 1905 REVOLUTION
CREATION OF THE DUMAS
The Tsarsist Regime
, The 1905 Revolution
Causes of the 1905 revolution:
IMMEDIATE SPARK: Bloody Sunday January 1905
A peaceful march of peasants who were marching to the Tsar to give him a petition asking for better
working conditions. They marched towards the winter palace with posters of the Tsar to showcase their
support for him. It was also lead by an Orthodox priest who held up a Cross, showcasing his support for
the orthodox soldiers who worked at the palace. These protestors were shot at, killing almost 1,000
people. This brutal attacked showcased how the regime had turned upon its own workers. The Tsar
Nicholas II was held directly to blame. Richard Charques stated: “This did more than perhaps anything
else during the whole of the reign to undermine the allegiance of the common people to the throne”
SHORT TERM CATALYST: Defeat of Russia in the Russo-Japanese War in 1905
The war was fought because Russia refused to remove their “temporary soldiers” form Manchuria. This
caused Japan to attack a Port and in response Russia declared War – which they lost. This led to increased
opposition to the Tsar who was viewed as incompetent. The war also intensified and worsened the
longer-term social and economic problems in Russia, as it caused food shortages, high prices and
unemployment. These factors motivated many to take part in the march that resulted in Bloody Sunday
, LONG TERM:
Long term social and economic problems: Witte’s industrialization drive had led to a greater pressure on
workers and peasants, in terms of higher taxes and low wags. This worsened long-standing problems and
caused resentment, which resulted in tension, violence and riots.
Long term political problems: Refusal of Nicholas’ regime to make any political concessions towards
representative government and a less oppressive rule meant there was growing political opposition to
the regime – from both middle class liberals and the more revolutionary socialist
Nature of the Revolution:
After the events of Bloody Sunday, over 400,000 workers went on strike in the capital and by the end of
January, this strike spread to other cities and countryside’s. During June 1905, mutiny abroad the
Battleship Potemkin took place where sailors refused there captains orders to shoot protesting sailors.
Additionally, local peasant disturbances spread across Russia, with over 3,000 of these needing the army
to control them and causing almost 30 million roubles of damage. By the end of the year 2.7 million
workers had been on strike, while the railway workers’ strike in October almost brought the economy to
a standstill. Politically, various opposition groups believed that the time had come to force the autocracy
to change. Middle class liberals, many involved in the zemstvo at a local level, established the “Kadets”
party and demanded universal suffrage to a national assembly. On the left, Leon Trotsky and the
Mensheviks established the St. Petersburg Worker’s Soviet in October and by the end of the year, 50 of
these had been formed across Russia
How and why was the Tsar able to survive?
The Tsar survived due to the army who was able to contain the resistance. The regime was also able
to state instrument of oppression through the police, army and strikebreakers. Examples of this can
be seen through:
• Trotsky’s arrest
• The crushing of a strike in Moscow which lead to the death of 1,000
To the tsar’s advantage, the rebels also lacked any unity and direction. The peasants, workers and
middle class liberals all wanted different things.
• Most wanted concessions from the Tsar, not outright revolution
• The left lacked leadership, as Lenin was in London and Stalin in Siberia
• The uprisings were largely spontaneous and uncoordinated
As a result to these uprising, concessions were grated to liberals and peasants, thus dividing the
opposition. This decision was made after receiving advice from Witte and they were announced
through the October Manifesto, which promised a legislative Duma and liberal freedom of expression.
This helped split the moderate liberals form the revolutionaries and secure the loyalty and support of
these liberals for the regime. Nicholas also made concessions to peasants by cancelling redemption
payments.
Consequences of the revolution:
Bloody Sunday served to severing the bond between the Tsar and his people. He lost popular
support, however regained this through his political reform of the introduction of the Duma in 1906 –
even though he limited their power greatly through his Fundamental Laws introduced in 1906. This
still however represented the possibility of the development away from autocracy and towards a
limited monarchy in Russia.
The St. Petersburg Soviet was established, an impressive show of working class solidarity giving an
example of future revolutionaries. This Soviet only lasted 50 days, and the strike it called for in
November failed comprehensively.
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