Decline and Fall of the Romanov Dynasty PDF

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Modern History Study Notes The decline and fall of the Romanov dynasty Autocracy: Absolute rule or government by one person. Serf: Peasant slaves. Tsar: Russian ruler. Proletariat - Workers Nicholas II as autocrat ● Brief history of the Romanov Dynasty ○ For over 300 years, the Romanov family ruled over Russia. The autocratic government ended in 1917 with the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II. Family was killed in 1918. ○ Nicholas wanted to preserve the autocracy, but lacked the needed skills to rule. ● Nicholas early life, marriage, children ○ Father was Tsar Alexander III. ○ Became Tsar at age 26 ○ Married German princess Alexandra ○ Father of 5 daughters and 1 son - Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and Alexei ○ Alexei was heir to the throne; was born with hemophilia, which meant his blood did not clot when he was injured. A single scratch or bruise could be very dangerous for him. Was treated by Rasputin. ● Pyramid structure of classes in Russian society ○ Governing family/royals - ruled over Russia as an autocratic government. ○ Nobles - Individuals of higher authority who possessed power over the countryside. Land was given by Tsar. ○ Working class - Individuals who work in factories, mines, tradespeople, etc. Population were primarily forced to live and work in poor conditions. Lodging houses were cramped and unhygienic, with several people forced to live in the one house. ○ Peasants - 80% of the Russian population were peasants in 1900. Most of the population were deeply in debt and were living on the brink of starvation. Many couldn’t afford to buy a house, so instead made one out of local materials. ■ Held up the autocracy. ● Nicholas’ role as an autocrat – rights and responsibilities ○ Rules without limitations to his power. ○ Total control over Russia ● The character of Nicholas II – positive and negative ○ POSITIVES ■ Devoted husband and father ■ Loved his country ■ Wanted to maintain the autocratic government

○ NEGATIVES ■ Little understanding of constitutional, social and economic problems ■ Did not possess the needed qualities to rule a country ■ Could not find an even balance in rule that would please majority of citizens ■ Did not address problems of workers and peasants ■ Did not understand complexity of ruling a country ■ His rule only benefited those of the higher class ■ Unwilling to grant political reforms ■ Wanted to maintain and preserve the traditional autocracy. ● Nicholas’s forms of repression ○ Banned political parties and unions ○ Forms of punishment for opposition of Tsar: exile, house arrest and death penalty ■ Prevented spread of revolutionary ideas. ○ Unwillingness to grant concessions or political reforms ○ The pillars of autocracy - repression of the population. ■ Orthodox Church - influential among peasants. Presented Tsar as ruler appointed by God. “Little father” ■ The Civil Service - Officials who carried out Tsar’s instructions. Appointed and paid by Tsarist state, therefore loyal. ■ The Police - Arrested those who were deemed enemies of the Tsar. ● Okhrana (the secret police) - worked undercover to infiltrate organisations and groups that could present danger. ■ Censorship - Books and newspapers were censored from anything potentially dangerous or anything containing socialist ideas. ■ The Law - Legal system supported autocratic authority. Standard punishment was exile to remote Siberia. ■ The army - Huge army meant that people were kept in line ■ Size of Russian empire - Most peasants (majority of population) were illiterate and lived in remote areas. Lack of communication also made it difficult to spread revolutionary ideas. ● Feudal social structure - peasants work on land for nobles. Nobles become rich from this work. Political, social and economic grievances in early twentieth-century Russia ● Political Aspects ○ Was unwilling to grant reforms ○ problems associated with autocratic rule ○ lack of political representation ○ no freedom of person, conscience, speech, assembly, union ○ lack of civil liberties ○ no universal suffrage.

● Social Aspects ○ Rapid growth of cities led to an increase of needed workers ○ lack of landownership of peasants ○ poverty of peasants ○ poor sanitation ○ lack of food ○ poor factory conditions ○ living conditions continued to worsen ○ cities overpopulated ○ minimal educational facilities ● Economic Aspects ○ Modernisation burdened peasants and workers - led to increase in tax. ○ Country spent 17 billion roubles on war ○ Food and fuel prices quadrupled ○ Tsar’s economic mismanagement ○ Shortages of food and materials ○ Riots and strikes for better working conditions The Tsar’s failure to address the problems of Russia ● Failure to address the problems of: ○ Peasants ■ Desired lower taxes, land reforms and end to autocratic rule. ■ Taxes were collected after harvest, when grain prices were lowest. Peasants forced to give more grain to government to pay taxes. ● Led to starvation ● Peasants forced to leave their land and become workers in growing industrial sites in order to make money for necessities. ■ Redemption payments - handed from parents to children. Payment of land given to them when emancipated. ○ working class (proletariat) ■ Wanted improved working and living conditions, 8 hour working days and political reform. ○ Nobility ■ Problems were not are serious compared to lower classes. ■ Wealth came from agriculture - reduction in agricultural farming meant loss of wealth ■ Felt their problems were not being heard by assemblies and the Tsar ■ Emancipation of the serfs meant loss of land ● Lost authority of up to 90% of population (peasants) ■ Loss of faith in autocracy after sense of isolation not addressed in reforms ● Events leading to 1905 Revolution ○ workers strikes ○ dissent among workers

○ growth of political parties (revolutionary) ○ 1904 – Russo-Japanese War (Russia’s defeat) - undermined credibility of autocracy. ○ Economic hardship ○ 1905 Revolution – Father Gapon’s march to the Palace. Consequences of “Bloody Sunday” ■ Led by Father Gapon. Thousands of men, women and children marched to the Tsar’s winter palace to peacefully demand for reforms for working conditions. Palace guards panicked and began shooting at the citizens. More than 130 people were killed, with up to 1000 dead. ■ Bloody Sunday led to a series of riots and revolts, with many of these bringing the country to a standstill. ■ Led to creation of October Manifesto. ● Some demands were met ● Led to further riots ● Consequence: further repression ○ Reasons to change perception of Nicholas II ■ Tsar was believed to have been sent by God, and was therefore willing to help the population. This perception would have changed when protesters were fired upon. No longer seen as someone who wanted to help these people. ○ Why the revolution failed ■ Did not impact soviets and lower classes of Russia ■ Did not address living and working conditions ■ Led to separation of revolutionary groups ■ No single leader to orchestrate revolution, lack of organisation.

● October Manifesto ○ Forced upon the Tsar to avoid further riots and revolution ■ Unsuccessful, as Nicholas undermined Manifesto and still had control over all elements outlined in document. ○ Granted universal suffrage - all men could vote, no matter the class. ○ creation of the Duma ■ All laws would be passed through parliament ■ Most Dumas were unsuccessful as they were dissolved by Tsar ○ role of Stolypin in undermining the rights of the peasants ■ Supporter of the Tsar ■ Ordered hanging of 17,000 people, resulted in drop of terrorist assassinations. People were afraid to confront the government. ■ Changed laws regarding who had the right to vote ○ lack of promised political representation ○ failure of the Duma’s ○ lack of any gains for the proletariat ■ Manifesto did not address their problems ■ Only pleased Liberals ■ Felt they were disadvantaged

○ growth of Revolutionary Parties – Marxist, SR’s. Liberals ■ Socialists - delayed reforms ■ Marxists (communists) - violent in nature, increased industrial unrest ■ Liberals - used propaganda and held meetings, lacked support and were weak. Ignored by government. ○ reasons for their growing influence within Russia ■ Attracted young people of talent ■ Had no interest in reform ■ Held worker demonstrations ■ Use of propaganda ○ Leon Trotsky - leader of Soviets. ● Other matters ○ 1912 – Lena Goldfields Massacre ○ Rise in number of strikes ○ Tsar’s inability to cope with demands of industrialisation, modernisation

The role of World War I in the fall of the tsarist regime ● Poor organisation: ○ Strain on Russian economy ○ Country experienced expensive defeats ○ nationalistic fervour ○ poor military commanders ○ armed forces suffered from poor organisation, arms, equipments ○ Shortage of ammunition ○ Clothing and equipment often defective. ● Military defeats ○ 6 million casualties by end of 1916 ○ Desertions ○ Constantly defeated. ○ Lack of strong, central leadership ● Economic problems ○ demands of total war ○ Russia spent 17 billion roubles on the war → led to inflation of taxes ○ Inflation ■ Wages increased,, but price of necessities rose dramatically ■ Fuel and food prices quadrupled ○ wartime food shortages ■ Grain production fell 20% ○ failure of transport system ■ Led to food shortages ● Role of Rasputin ○ negative influence in government administration

○ influence on Tsarina ■ Relished opportunity to be involved in autocratic rule, yet had no understanding. ○ believed to heal the hemophilic son of Nicholas ○ peasant monk ○ his role in the fall of the Romanov Dynasty ○ Rumors of an affair between Rasputin and Alexandra were spread ■ Led to belief of government being unstable ○ Tsarina was widely disliked, led to dislike of Tsar. ○ Tsarina’s relationship with Rasputin affected reputation of government. ○ Controversial figure ○ Death in 1917 ● Role of Nicholas ○ his ministers were ineffective ○ failed to work with the Duma ■ Did not agree with Duma, and dissolved the entire assembly twice. ○ did not want reform ○ Nicholas lost confidence of the elites ○ poor leadership of WWI ■ Decided to take on role of chief commanding officer on the front line, leaving inexperienced Tsarina Alexandra to rule Russia. Thought he could improve conditions and uphold Russia’s pride. ● Tsarina was highly influenced by Rasputin. ● Abandoned Russian population when they needed him most. ○ Problematic decisions ■ Decision to become army commander during WWI ■ Lacked needed skills to rule ■ Changeable, anxious, distrustful of few able ministers ■ Did not cooperate with Duma ■ Bad judge of character - Rasputin ● Role of Petrograd and the 1917 Revolution ○ collapse of Romanov Dynasty ■ Full scale riots throughout Russia, namely Petrograd. ■ Loss of faith in Tsar throughout army and soldiers ■ Tsar abdicated for himself and his son in 1917 - only way to save monarchy ■ Nicholas’ brother --- did not accept the role of Tsar, and therefore Dynasty collapsed. ○ Death of Nicholas and his family

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