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Autocracy, Orthodoxy, Nationality

Autocracy, Orthodoxy, Nationality. AUTOCRACY – God’s appointed ruler on earth. The ‘Little Father.’ Tsar Paul I (1796-1801) ‘noone is important in Russia except the man who is speaking to me, and then only when he is speaking to me.

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Autocracy, Orthodoxy, Nationality

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  1. Autocracy, Orthodoxy, Nationality • AUTOCRACY – God’s appointed ruler on earth. The ‘Little Father.’ Tsar Paul I (1796-1801) ‘noone is important in Russia except the man who is speaking to me, and then only when he is speaking to me. • Moscow was head of the ORTHODOX Church from 1453 (after Constantinople fell to the Turks). The Patriarch of Moscow worked closely with the Tsar • Around 170 different ethnic groups. Clear preference for Russian nationality – policy of ‘RUSSIFICATION’ in 19th Century.

  2. Reform before Nicholas II? Parliamentarianism is the triumph of egoism • Some reforms under Alexander II (1855-1881) ‘tsar liberator’? EMANCIPATION OF SERFS, ZEMSTVA. But after his assassination in 1881, return to conservatism. • Westernisers vs Slavophiles • Influence of Pobedonostsev as tutor to Alexander III and Nicholas II. Universal suffrage is a fatal error Freedom of the press? Ha! One of the falsest institutions of our time’

  3. Nicholas II and the crisis of Tsarism • Came to throne at age 29. • Historians agree he was unprepared. Wept and said ‘I’m not ready!’ • Little knowledge or experience, timid, yet stubborn belief in moral rightness of autocracy and god-given powers.

  4. Causes of 1905 Government policy Weak Tsar Repressive govt No political reform No concessions to nationalities Frustrated middle class: desire for National assembly Revolutionary groups (SDs and SRs). Russo-Japan War 1904 Defeats shock public Loss of Port Arthur Incompetence Of Tsar’s govt. War causes shortages and unemployment Bloody Sunday Nationalities wanted end to Russification Agriculture still backward. Peasants restricted by Mir Witte’s economic Policies Industrialisation – Low wages Economic slump and Poor harvests after 1900, 1902 Poor working and living conditions in cities

  5. 1905 Revolution: ‘there is no god there is no Tsar’ (Father Gapon). • 22 January 150,000 people demonstrated in front of Winter Palace. • 1,000 killed by Imperial troops. • Undermined people’s allegiance to Tsar. • February: 400,000 workers went on strike. Over 2 million by end of year.

  6. Political response: ‘first repression, then reform’ • Stolypin’s necktie: over 1,000 death sentences before May 1907. • October Manifesto: Creation of Duma: ‘a constitution has been given but the autocracy remains’ (Trotsky) • Stolypin’s land reform: peasants could remove themselves from Communes and own land privately. Pyotr Stolypin, Chairrman of Council of Ministers

  7. How stable was the Russian regime before WWI? Historiographical debate. Marxist-Leninists vs Western Historians Western historians have been less ready to accept the idea of ‘inevitable’ revolution: an era open to many possibilities The revolution was inevitable: reform therefore doomed to failure.

  8. World War I military failures Rasputin Autocracy of Nicolas II Causes of the February 1917 Revolution Difficult living conditions – food and fuel shortages Unemployment And Industrial Unrest. Role of political groups

  9. Key events of February 1917 Revolution • 23rd February: International Women’s Day. Thousands take to streets to protest about food shortages. • 25th February: A general strike. Troops fire on demonstrators but lose morale. • 26th February: Duma refuses to disband; troops join demonstrators. • 27th February: Provisional Duma Committee and Petrograd Soviet set up. • 28th February: Widespread looting and violence. • 2nd March: Tsar abdicates. Provisional government set up. Soviet Order No.1 gives control of the army to the Soviets. Interpretations: ‘one of the most leaderless, spontaneous, anonymous revolutions of all time (Chamberlin). ‘We may not live to see the revolution in our lifetime (Lenin, January 1917)

  10. How did the Bolsheviks seize power in October 1917? • Use the handout to complete the timeline sheet and check your knowledge of the keyword grid.

  11. The lead up to October 1917 • 3rd-4th April: Lenin returns. Publishes April Theses. • May 1917: Mensheviks and SRs join a new coalition Provisional Government. • June 1917: First All Russian Congress of Soviets. Kerensky launches disastrous offensive against A-H. • 3rd-6th July: July Days. Failed uprising. Lenin flees. Kerensky made Prime Minister. • August 1917: Kornilov Coup. Bolsheviks released from prison by P.G. and given weapons. • 7th October 1917: Lenin arrives back in Petrograd. • 24th October 1917: Kerensky closes Pravda in response to Zinoviev and Kamenev article. • 25th-27th October 1917: Bolsheviks storm Winter Palace and seize power.

  12. Interpreting the October Revolution: popular revolution or coup d’etat? WESTERN VIEW after 1945 (during Cold War) A coup d’etat led by a minority group who then imposed their evil ideology on the Russian people. Also called the Liberal view – Richard Pipes, Leonard Schapiro, Robert Conquest SOVIET VIEW: A popular uprising of the working class and poor peasants guided by the leadership of Lenin. REVISIONISTS: Suspicious of Cold War historians or ‘cold warriors’. Identified active role of people in the lower ranks of Bolshevik party. Lenin a ‘weak dictator?’. Veers back towards ‘popular uprising’ theories Sheila Fitzpatrick RECENT VIEWS: Element of both Western and Revisionist. Evidence of a definite coup, but also of some independent action at local levels. Chris Read, Robert Service

  13. How did Lenin consolidate his power?SPLINTER • SOVNARKOM Lenin closed Constituent Assembly and formed Sovnarkom made exclusively of Bolsheviks. • PRESS All opposition press was banned. • LAND Decree on Land gave peasants the right to take over land • INDUSTRY Workers Control Decree gave factory committees the right to control production. • NATIONALITIES ‘Rights of People of Russia’ gave self-determination to peoples of Russian Empire. • TERROR Iron Felix and CHEKA. • ENDING WAR Treaty of Brest Litovsk. • RED ARMY Red Army formed to fight Civil War against ‘Whites’.

  14. How did the Bolsheviks win the Civil War? PLUGS Propaganda Leadership Unity and organisation Geography Support

  15. PROPAGANDA Bolsheviks used powerful images for posters and AGITPROP trains LEADERSHIP Trotsky an outstanding leader. Discipline tough – as opposed to White’s discipline UNITY Bolsheviks had a unified command structure. Whites had many different groups fighting for different causes. GEOGRAPHY Reds controlled Moscow and Petrograd. Railways, troops, supplies easier. SUPPORT Peasants and nationalities favoured Red policies. Not happy with War Communism though.

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