World History Chapter 10 Section 5

“Russia: Reform & Reaction”

November 11 & 12, 2013Woodridge High School

Mr. Bellisario

Lesson Objectives

• Describe major obstacles to progress in Russia.• Explain why Tsar followed a cycle of

absolutism, reform, and reaction. • Understand why the problems of

industrialization contributed to the outbreak of revolution.

Conditions in Russia Affected Progress

• 1815 Russia was largest, most populated nation in Europe & world– 1600’s explorers

expanded across Siberia to Pacific

– Peter & Catherine the Greats added lands on Baltic & Black Seas

– 1800’s expanded into Central Asia

Conditions in Russia Affected Progress

• Looked on as a colossus (giant), but disliked by Western Europe because of autocratic government & ideas of expansion

• Russian czar’s need to be in absolute control, kept the nation from modernizing– Rigid social structure– Land- owning nobility did not want

to change– Most Russians were serfs

(peasants bound to the land) and were controlled by land-owning masters• Had no desire to work hard• Kept Russian economy backward

Czars Followed Cycle > Absolutism > Reform > Reaction

Czars had ruled with absolute power

• Alexander I (1801)– Seemed open to liberal

ideas– Eased censorship,

promoted education, talked about freeing serfs

– Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812, reforms stopped

– Tried to limit power of landowners over serfs

Czars had ruled with absolute power

• 1825, December Revolt– By army officers– Demanded constitution

Czars had ruled with absolute power

• Nicholas I– Suppressed Decembrists & cracked

down on dissenters– Used police spies, banned books– Russian liberals were shut up in mental

hospitals or 150,000 sent to Siberia– Three pillars of Russian absolutism:

• Orthodoxy – strong ties between Russian Orthodox Church & govt

• Autocracy – absolute control of govt by czar

• Nationalism – respect for Russian traditions & suppression of non-Russians

– New law code– Some economic reforms– Tried to limit power of landowners over

serfs

Russian Reform: Alexander II

• Crimean War – between Russia & Ottomans over lands on Danube River– Britain & France helped

Ottomans & invaded Crimean peninsula

– Russian defeat

Russian Reform: Alexander II

• Liberals demanded reforms; students demonstrated– 1861 Alexander II

emancipated (freed) the serfs

– Problems • Serfs had to buy land

they’d worked for so long• Too poor to do so• Led to discontent among

peasants

Russian Reform: Alexander II

• Alexander II set up local governments, elected Zemstovs (local assemblies)– Road repair, schools,

agriculture– Some self-government– Trial by jury, eased

censorship, tried to reform military,

• Encouraged industrial growth

Reaction: Revolutionary Groups • Revolutionary group –

People’s Will, bombed Alexander II’s carriage March 1881

• Alexander III Increased secret police, restored censorship & sent critics to Siberia (gulags)– Program of Russification – Suppress non-Russian cultures– One language = Russian– One church = Russian

Orthodox

Reaction

• Large Jewish population severely persecuted – pogroms (violent mob attacks & massacres on helpless people, like the Jews)– Limited number of Jews

allowed in universities & to be lawyers, doctors

– Forced Jews to live in restricted areas or to become refugees (people forced to flee from their homelands)

Problems of Industrialization Contributed to Growing Crisis & Outbreak of Revolution in Russia

• Building Russian industry– 1890’s finally entered industrial

age (100 years behind western Europe)

– Nicholas II’s finance minister, Count Witte, his key goal was economic development• Railroad building• Connect coal & iron mines with

factories• Move goods across Russia• Foreign money to build Trans-

Siberian Railroad

– Problems – slums bred discontent (Vladimir Ulyanov = Lenin)

Russo-Japanese War

• 1904, Russia was defeated & humiliated

Protestors & Bloody Sunday • After the Russo-Japanese war,

protestors, workers went on strike for shorter hours & better wages, wanted corrupt government out

• March let by Orthodox priest to Czar’s palace in St. Petersburg, Jan. 1905– Czar ordered soldiers to protect

palace– Hundreds were killed or injured– “Bloody Sunday” – people’s

faith & trust in czar gone

Results of “Bloody Sunday”

• More strikes• Workers took over local

governments • Peasants revolted &

demanded land, • Minorities wanted

independence, • Terrorists killed officials– Result> Led to minor

changes in Russia

Nicholas II’s Reforms October Manifesto

• Summoned Duma (elected national legislature)– Freedom of speech &

assembly

1906

• 1906 disbanded Duma & appointed new prime minister Peter Stolypin

• Arrests, pogroms, executions > 1st step to restore order

• Some reforms – Land reforms – to get

peasant support– Strengthened Zemtovs – Improved education