However in many respects Witte’s reforms hindered Nicholas’ security. This is because industrialisation created the working class, which moved to the cities. These people were deeply unhappy due to their poor, cramp, and dirty living conditions. It was these people who rose against him in the 1905 revolution and obviously did not support him. This meant that his position wasn’t secure. Although it could be argued that because Witte died before 1914 his affects on Nicholas’ position at this time was small.
The Russo-Japanese war in 1904 certainly made the Tsars position volatile. The war was started by Russia itself but their military was unprepared and unable to transport supplies to soldiers. This led to their surrender in 1905. With news of the surrender the already unhappy people of Russia felt humiliated, especially due to the fact that Japan was an inferior country. The war was an inevitable cause of the 1905 revolution and the incompetence of the government was not forgotten, this meant that even 9 years later the position of Nicholas was not totally secure.
It could be argued that the 1905 revolution was the main event which hindered the position of the Tsar by 1914. This is because his own people stood against him and were clearly unhappy with him in power. It also led to the Dumas which was a parliament given to Nicholas’ opposition groups.
However the 1905 revolution was not a complete failure because Nicholas managed to maintain all of his powers and came out of it in a secure position. Also the people of Russia were shown that the government was strong; this was because they had the support the army. This almost meant that opposition groups lost confidence due to their failure. Also despite the creation of the Dumas Nicholas was free to do what he wanted. This is due to his creation of the fundamental laws, which meant that the Dumas had to pass acts through Nicholas himself limiting their powers hugely but increasing Nicholas’ control. He also did this by dissolving many of the Dumas but re-making them some time later. Another way that the Dumas helped Nicholas’ security was through the 3rd Dumas between 1907-1912, this is because his minister Stolypin, who replaced Witte when he died, obtained a harmonious relationship with it. He was therefore able to pass many land reforms, which in turn help Nicholas’ popularity. Therefore the Dumas helped Nicholas in the short term.
However the Dumas also cause long-term problems with the Tsar that deeply affected his security. His continuous dissolving of the Dumas angered members and made people loose hope in them, this in turn led to a huge increase of strikes which went from 24 to 2101 in 3 years. This lack of support made him very fragile. This wasn’t helped by Stolypin’s policy of hanging all those who are against Nicholas, which led to hangings themselves being called ‘‘Stolypin’s Necktie’’. Stolypin’s inability to work with any Dumas except the third added to this. The reason he could work with the third was because the voting system for the Dumas was changed for the third so that only 1 in 6 could vote meaning that the Dumas had more supporters of Nicholas within it. Overall the Dumas made Nicholas more secure in the short term when the first started in 1905; however once they became ‘’an ineffectual body’’ by 1914 the position of Nicholas was extremely vulnerable because there was a lack of support but huge amount of strikes.
To conclude the position of Nicholas II was made stronger by 1914 in some respects due to him coming out strong of the 1905 revolution, having control of the Dumas and improvements to the country through industrialisation with Witte’s reforms. However all of these things in some ways also hindered Nicholas’ position because the revolution showed that people were against him, the Dumas led to a huge amount of strikes by 1914 and Witte’s reforms led to the 1905 rise against him. Also Nicholas’ untrustworthy personality and surrender in the Russo-Japanese war led to him being hugely unpopular. Therefore Nicholas’ position was not secure in 1914 however it wasn’t completely vulnerable because a revolution did not take place in Russia for another 3 years.
