The Tsarist System of Government in Russia
The Tsarist System of Government in Russia (Based on Autocracy)
The Tsar and the Bureaucracy
The Tsar had absolute power and could do whatever he wanted. He had the bureaucracy, which helped him carry out his plans and collect taxes. However, it was mostly corrupt.
The Aristocracy and the Orthodox Religion
The aristocracy owned most of the land and followed the Orthodox religion.
The Okhrana and the Peasants
The Tsar owned the Okhrana, his own police force, which controlled newspapers and censored books. Eighty percent of the population were peasants who lived in dreadful conditions, and starvation was common. Life expectancy was 40 years.
The Emergence of Capitalists
A wealthy class called capitalists emerged.
Opposition Groups
There were three main opposition groups:
The Liberals:
Aristocrats who wanted democracy.The Social Revolutionaries:
A radical peasant movement that wanted to overthrow the nobility.The Social Democratic Party:
A smaller, Marxist party that split into two groups:The Bolsheviks:
Led by Lenin, they wanted to start a revolution.The Mensheviks:
Opposed to the Bolsheviks’ revolutionary ideas.
These were illegal parties, and their members had to live abroad to avoid execution. In 1903, they led a wave of strikes.
The Russo-Japanese War and Bloody Sunday
To distract from the strikes, the Tsar declared war on Japan in 1904, which resulted in many defeats for Russia. Bloody Sunday occurred when 200,000 people went to the Winter Palace to petition the Tsar. He wasn’t there, and the palace guards shot into the crowd without permission.
The 1905 Revolution and the Duma
In September 1905, a general strike broke out, and Lenin and Trotsky returned to Russia. The Tsar offered a Duma (an elected parliament). The general strike was crushed in 1906, and its leaders were killed or exiled. The army remained the only force capable of a successful revolution.
Peter Stolypin and Rasputin
Peter Stolypin became the new Prime Minister and gave land to the peasants. He was murdered in 1911. Rasputin, a Siberian monk, gained influence over the Tsar but damaged his image.
World War I and the Tsar’s Abdication
World War I briefly unified the Tsar and the Russian people. However, the war led to a shortage of workers, strikes, and other problems. Eventually, the Tsar abdicated.
The Duma’s Provisional Government and Lenin’s Return
The Duma established a Provisional Government until the next elections. Lenin returned to Russia and led the Bolsheviks, who gained popularity by promising “Peace, Land, and Bread.” The Provisional Government ordered Lenin’s arrest for organizing a strike in Petrograd, but he escaped to Finland.
General Kornilov, Kerensky, and the October Revolution
General Kornilov attempted to restore the Tsar and the army, targeting the Provisional Government. Kerensky, the leader of the Provisional Government, turned to the Red Army (the Bolshevik army) led by Trotsky for help. Trotsky saw Kerensky’s weakness and led the Bolsheviks in seizing the Winter Palace on November 7th, arresting the ministers. The Bolsheviks took control of the country.
Lenin’s Rule and the NEP
Lenin held free elections but retained power. He gained enemies, known as the Whites, who opposed his policies. He introduced the New Economic Policy (NEP), which allowed peasants to keep some of their grain after paying a tax. This boosted the economy. Lenin suffered strokes and attacks that left him paralyzed and eventually led to his death.
Stalin’s Rise to Power and the Five-Year Plans
The next leadership contest was between Stalin and Trotsky. Trotsky wanted to spread the revolution worldwide, which meant more war (something the people didn’t want). Stalin focused on building a strong economy and socialism in Russia. Stalin tricked Trotsky by giving him the wrong date for Lenin’s funeral, causing him to arrive late. Stalin ultimately won and implemented the Five-Year Plans, which set ambitious production targets. The first plan was inefficient, but the second was more successful, modernizing the state. Stalin used propaganda and slogans extensively.
Alexei Stakhanov and the Hero of Socialist Labor
In 1935, Alexei Stakhanov, a coal miner, mined 14 times the usual amount of coal in a shift and became the “Hero of Socialist Labor.” Women entered the workforce in the 1930s, making up 70% of workers at one point. People were well-paid, and there was no unemployment. However, discipline was strict, and punishments were harsh. People could lose their homes for being late. Jews, kulaks (wealthy peasants), and political opponents were sent to labor camps to build canals and dams. 100,000 people died during the construction of the Belomor Canal. Heavy industry was prioritized over consumer goods.
Collectivization and Its Consequences
Stalin aimed to increase revenue by improving agriculture. He persuaded peasants to abandon traditional farming methods and adopt collectivization (using machinery and collective farms). The kulaks held power, and Stalin turned the people against them. This escalated from a war of words to violence, with kulaks burning their crops to prevent the communists from taking them. Food production plummeted, and millions died.