Chapter 1 Russian Autocracy – political context Political context continued… Economic context Social context
• Divided between privileged land-owning elite
• 1855, Russia was an autocratic empire; Tsar head • Strikes forbidden, censorship at every level of • Economic backwardness – much of Russian
and serf majority. The former consisted of
of Russian Orthodox Church; local tradition + govt existed, secret state security network was land inhospitable – frozen land at top of Russia,
nobility, civil + military officials, clergy, royal
loyalties retained greatest influence; Christianity run by the ‘Third Section’ of the Emperor’s no crops can grow; very remote areas in east,
court etc. Addition to the serfs, there were
practiced worldwide – Russian Orthodox not Imperial Council – surveillance over population. isolated, ack of imports, over 90% Russians
some urban artisans, manufacturers and
accepted universally It had unlimited power to arrest, carry out born + bred in countryside. Mid 19th century
merchants but there was an absence of any
• Church and state entwined – Patriarch of Moscow raids, imprison or exile anyone suspected of Russia was Europe’s main exporter of
middle class. Small no of professionals
provided spiritual guidance and the Over- anti-tsarist behavior agricultural produce, much of its potential
(doctors, teachers, lawyers etc) some of
Procurator of the Holy Synod was a govt minister • Nicholas I, Tsar 1825-55 rejected giving any remained untapped and communications were
whom comprised an educated intelligentsia
app by Tsar to run church affairs power away and sought to distance Russia from poor across the county
but these were often sons of nobles
• Tsar chose his ministers + his main advisory bodies the west • Serf-based economy; most serfs only just
• Many members of intelligentsia opposed
were the Imperial Council or Chancellery; the • Leading intellectuals argued for a civil society managed to survive on produce they grew for
state for various moral, cultural, religious,
Council of Ministers; and the Senate based on rule of law, Nicholas tightened themselves son land available by their
philosophical and political reasons
• Tsar + central govt based in St Petersburg but censorship and set up secret police (Third landlords and cottage industries (work done in
• Almost impossible for serfs to escape
regime depended on provincial nobility for Section) worker’s home or small workshop) provide
serfdom and leave. They paid direct and
support. Civil servants who made up the little extra cash for taxes and purchases
indirect taxes to govt and nobility and clergy
bureaucracy were paid noble officials, selected • Often suffered starvation in winter and system
were exempt from payment of any direct
from a table of ranks that laid down the of land management within serf communes
monetary taxes
requirements for office – 14 levels. Each rank had (mirs) meant individual serf families worked
• Poll tax paid by all except merchants – main
own uniform, form of address + status scattered strips and had to follow communal
form of direct tax. This and the ‘obrok’ paid
• Bureaucracy was riddled with internal corruption + pattern of farming
by state serfs made up 25% of ordinary govt
incompetence but through it orders were passed • Little incentive or opportunity, Markets existed
income. Indirect taxes incl tax on salt +
down from central govt to provincial governors and but business was small scale. In peasant
vodka- represented 30% ordinary govt
so on.. Was a one-way operation, no provision for markets money was not usual form of payment
income by 1855 – suggesting change was on
suggestions to travel upwards from lowest rank – exchanges
way
• Tsar had world’s largest army of around 1.5m • Small landowning elite, obtained most from
• Overall, taxes hit hard at peasantry who,
conscripted serfs, each forced into service for 25 their serfs in form of service + feudal duties; no
with the urban workers and tradesmen,
years and made to live in a military colony opportunity for capital accumulation since
provided around 90% of Imperial finance
• Huge army and much smaller navy got around 45% income generally falling – thanks to population
• Life was backwards, about 21 villages to
of govt’s annual spending – higher ranks reserved growth and agricultural changes in western
every town during British Industrial rev
for nobles who brought and sold their commissions Europe that increased productivity of European
• Serfs were mostly illiterate and deeply
but for lower ranks discipline was harsh and army markets
religious, superstitious and hostile to change.
life tough • Many landowners forced into debt and had to
Country is so big, there was a difference in
• Tsar had service of elite regiments of mounted take out mortgages on estates; sometimes
culture/religion etc. sense of nationalism is
Cossacks, with special social privileges – acted as a even on serfs but no alternative ways of
lost, which raises tension between Russian
personal bodyguard to tsar and as police making money since money was of little use in
people
reinforcements – came from Ukraine and Southern Russia’s under-developed economy
• Hard to send communications between cities
Russia. They had strong military tradition and each • Still used strip-farming, very unpractical
and across country, communications very
rode a highly trained horse • Over 50% Russian population were
poor and capitals all on the west of Russia
• Country ahd developed into a poice state, closely serfs/peasants; just over half privately owned,
• Only time Russians came together was in
monitoring actions of people – prevented freedom remainder were state serfs
times of war
of speech, press + travel abroad
