Transcript The Decline and Fall of the Romanov Dynasty

The Decline and Fall of the
Romanov Dynasty Part 2
Case Study
Modern History Preliminary Course
By
S. Angelo
History Head Teacher
East Hills Girls Technology High School
2007
FORCES OF CHANGE & FORCES OF CONTINUITY
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Intelligentsia
Education
Revolutionary Ideas
Liberal ideas of Tsars
Gradual growth of middle
class
Gradual growth of working
class
War
Industrialisation
Nationalism among
oppressive minority groups
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Illiterate peasantry
Censorship
Conservative ideas of nobles and
peasants
Repressive policies of the Tsars
Weak middle class due to
economic structure
Weak working class due to no
industrial development
Poor military leadership and lack
of industrial development
Serfdom and bonds which tied
peasants to the land
Russian nationalism and
Russification policies of the Tsars
Liberalism
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government should have limited powers
Rights and freedoms of individuals should be
protected
Individuals should act as responsible citizens
Freedom of thought
Supply and demand will control prices and interest
rates
Linked to democracy and capitalism – freedom of
choice by individuals
Priority of the individual not the state
From the French Revolution to
Alexander II
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Liberal governments had formed in Europe
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Britain -> Bill of Rights 1689 (James II) CM
France -> Charter of Liberties 1814 -> Louis XVIII -> July Revolution
1830 -> Republic CM
Italy -> various movements -> Carbonari V Ferdinand IV (Naples &
Sicily 1820)
Germany -> Metternich system (38 States) -> Carlsbad Decrees 1819
Russia resisted any attempts at Liberalism
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Alexander I -> appearance only -> council set up to make laws was subject
to his decisions -> Decembrist Revolt
Nicholas I introduced measures to crush liberal ideas –secret police;
network of informers -> Third Section; western ideas banned; -> Crimean
War (1853 – 1856)
Alexander II -> signed Treaty of Paris 1856 – shattered illusion of imperial
power; revealed corruption; highlighted opposition to imperial rule
19TH Century Attitudes
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1846: Belinsky
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“The people feel the need for potatoes, but none
whatsoever of a constitution – that is desired only by
educated townspeople who are quite powerless”
1826 - 1855: Third Section
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You could not
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Discuss government, church, peasant uprisings, working
man, strikes, emigration, army prisons, censorship,
anarchism, schools, civil marriage, fights, theft by officials
Use the words constitution, socialism, political freedom,
meetings, bureaucracy, reaction, revolution
1825 Decembrists’ Revolt
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Alexander II’s death
Decembrists
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a group of young officers who had served in the Napoleonic
wars
Mostly indebted landowners
Supported abolition of serfdom
Emphasised political reform
Wanted power for the landowners
14th December 1825
Failed - lack of popular support, poor organisation, divided
leadership
1861 Edict of Emancipation
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READ THE EXTRACT FROM THE EDICT
Alexander aimed to curtail some of the unrest
Freedom not full civic rights
Aim was to replace class privilege with legal equality
Did not really happen until after 1905
REALITY
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Until this time about 90% of the land was held by the imperial family &
nobles & millions of peasants worked the land
The edict freed the peasants and divided the arable land
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One part was retained by the landowners
As second part - less fertile - was given to village communities to be held in trust
- peasants paid for this in instalments over 49 yrs
Bondage to a landlord was replaced by a huge debt
Division of land meant decreasing plots and a concurrent inability to make
payments
PROGRESS
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Zemstvo – 1864 – district & provincial assembly – elected
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DISTRICT = relatively equal representation from nobles & peasants
PROVINCE = majority nobles
Provided the basis for training the people in self government
Local communities had responsibilities of welfare, education, public works
– primary schooling; open university
Law reform led to independent judicial system; laws applied to all classes
equally; but summary arrests could still occur
1874 – all males subject to military service = harsh training
Compensation for land was turned into commercial agriculture - grain
Railways helped Industry developed – pig iron production doubled
between 1862 – 1886
Russian society under Alexander II suffered from less inequality
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Grievances still existed – nobles lost prestige & land & free labour
Growth of middle class – education; expansion of trade & commerce
However, riots still occurred – the people were still not satisfied – relaxing
of censorship allowed the rise of radical political opposition