Russia Notes as/A2 1881-1914
Russian History 1881 – 1914
What was Russia like in 1881?
• 82% of the population were illiterate peasant farmers. • No technology was used on farms – subsistence farming. • Largest standing army in Europe. • No political parties and the press was heavily censored. • Fierce loyalty to the Tsar – often enforced by brutal secret police. • Royalty owned most of the land – Tsar’s estate was larger than some countries. • 1861 – Tsar Alexander II freed serfs but peasants still tied to land. • Aristocracy could no longer buy/sell peasants and they could freely marry. • Government loans given to peasants to buy land – 49 year loans. • Aristocracy still owned two thirds of Russian land. • 1861 – new village councils called Mirs controlled the peasants giving out land using the Open Field System and providing permission for peasants to travel. • 1864 – town councils set up called Zemstva where all classes of voters chose who represented them for issues such as road maintenance, prisons, poor relief and the army – but the nobles had more power than most. • 1870 – urban areas given councils called Dumas. • New industrialisation created a working class and intelligentsia. They could not vote.
Russian Society in 1897
• Ruling Classes (royal family, court, govt, nobility, army, clergy) - 12.5% • Commercial Class (factory owners, merchants and bankers) - 1.5% • Working Class - 4.0% • Peasants - 82%
• Early Russian Economy
• Russia was economically backward and industry was small scale. • St Petersburg and Moscow had some large textile factories. • The Urals had a substantial iron industry. • The size of Russia, her poor communication & transport network restricted industrial growth. • Russian banks were ineffective and loans were not readily available for investment. • Most peasants worked from home to
What was Russia like in 1881?
• 82% of the population were illiterate peasant farmers. • No technology was used on farms – subsistence farming. • Largest standing army in Europe. • No political parties and the press was heavily censored. • Fierce loyalty to the Tsar – often enforced by brutal secret police. • Royalty owned most of the land – Tsar’s estate was larger than some countries. • 1861 – Tsar Alexander II freed serfs but peasants still tied to land. • Aristocracy could no longer buy/sell peasants and they could freely marry. • Government loans given to peasants to buy land – 49 year loans. • Aristocracy still owned two thirds of Russian land. • 1861 – new village councils called Mirs controlled the peasants giving out land using the Open Field System and providing permission for peasants to travel. • 1864 – town councils set up called Zemstva where all classes of voters chose who represented them for issues such as road maintenance, prisons, poor relief and the army – but the nobles had more power than most. • 1870 – urban areas given councils called Dumas. • New industrialisation created a working class and intelligentsia. They could not vote.
Russian Society in 1897
• Ruling Classes (royal family, court, govt, nobility, army, clergy) - 12.5% • Commercial Class (factory owners, merchants and bankers) - 1.5% • Working Class - 4.0% • Peasants - 82%
• Early Russian Economy
• Russia was economically backward and industry was small scale. • St Petersburg and Moscow had some large textile factories. • The Urals had a substantial iron industry. • The size of Russia, her poor communication & transport network restricted industrial growth. • Russian banks were ineffective and loans were not readily available for investment. • Most peasants worked from home to