The Tsarist regime in Russia had begun deteriorating in the early 1900s due to widespread political, social, and economic instability. Both the Russo-Japanese War and WW1 exacerbated the situation, leading to higher levels of discontent amongst the people. Below I will analyse the fall of Tsarist Russia from 3 aspects: the political, social, and economic before and after the wars, and explain how each of these factors played a crucial role in the collapse of the Tsarist regime.
The extent of political instability in Tsarist Russia became apparent in the 1900s. The sheer number of strikes, protests and demonstrations carried out during the revolution of 1905 was proof of the general dissatisfaction in the country, especially with the massacre …show more content…
Many opposition groups, for instance, the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks, disagreed with each other, leading to even more instability and disorganisation. The Tsar, realising this, attempted to answer the people’s requests for change by forming the Duma. However, the ‘democracy’ of the Duma was trumped by the Tsar’s insistence on total control. His decisive authority over the supposedly democratic council served only to intensify the protests of the people. Tsar Nicholas II then attempted to alleviate the damage done by introducing Stolypin as the Prime Minister of the country, who focused on reforming existing land policies to boost the social and economic situation.
Stolypin’s land reforms mainly constituted allowing peasants to own, sell and trade land. Before long, an ‘upper class’ of peasants emerged - the Kulaks. The Kulaks were pleased with the new policy as it benefited them, and many reinstated their support for Tsar Nicholas II. The newly industrialised Russia also brought about more labour opportunities for Russia, appeasing the formerly oppressed peasants. The wave of industrialism led to mass migration to major cities, like St Petersburg and Moscow, as those were the hubs of industrialism in Russia. The influx of workers brought about two main issues:
The extent of political instability in Tsarist Russia became apparent in the 1900s. The sheer number of strikes, protests and demonstrations carried out during the revolution of 1905 was proof of the general dissatisfaction in the country, especially with the massacre …show more content…
Many opposition groups, for instance, the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks, disagreed with each other, leading to even more instability and disorganisation. The Tsar, realising this, attempted to answer the people’s requests for change by forming the Duma. However, the ‘democracy’ of the Duma was trumped by the Tsar’s insistence on total control. His decisive authority over the supposedly democratic council served only to intensify the protests of the people. Tsar Nicholas II then attempted to alleviate the damage done by introducing Stolypin as the Prime Minister of the country, who focused on reforming existing land policies to boost the social and economic situation.
Stolypin’s land reforms mainly constituted allowing peasants to own, sell and trade land. Before long, an ‘upper class’ of peasants emerged - the Kulaks. The Kulaks were pleased with the new policy as it benefited them, and many reinstated their support for Tsar Nicholas II. The newly industrialised Russia also brought about more labour opportunities for Russia, appeasing the formerly oppressed peasants. The wave of industrialism led to mass migration to major cities, like St Petersburg and Moscow, as those were the hubs of industrialism in Russia. The influx of workers brought about two main issues: