The situation had continued to deteriorate; Tsar confirmed no interest in the petition which led to a procession of workers marching towards Winter Palace. They were acting as non violent protesters trying to get their word across, nevertheless, a riot began and within minutes it was attacked by the police and the Cossacks who were working upon the order of the tsar. This peaceful, unarmed procession was met by gunshot. More than one thousand people were killed, and almost five thousand were injured. The incident, known as Bloody Sunday, started a series of events that became known as the 1905 Revolution. Strikes took place all over the country which can be used as evidence that we can call this period in time a ‘revolution’. Some argue that it was not, but I believe that the events of Bloody Sunday provoked even more hatred and anger amongst the Russian people, consequently causing this revolution.
Sergi Witte, the new Chief Minister, advised Nicholas II to make concessions. He eventually agreed and published the October Manifesto (17th October 1905) which seemed to transform Russia into a constitutional monarchy. This granted freedom of conscience, speech, meeting and association. He also promised that in future people would not be imprisoned without trial. Finally he announced that no law would become operative without the approval of a new organization called the Duma. As this was only a consultative body, many Russians felt that this reform did not go far enough. Leon Trotsky and other revolutionaries denounced the plan. In December, 1905, Trotsky and the rest of the executive committee of the St. Petersburg Soviet were arrested. In late 1905,
Nicholas II, under pressure from Witte, issued the ‘October Manifesto’, giving Russia a constitution and proclaiming basic civil liberties for all citizens. The constitution envisioned a ministerial government responsible to the tsar, not to the proposed national Duma--a state assembly to be elected on a broad, but not wholly equitable, franchise. Those who accepted this arrangement formed a centre-right political party, the Octobrists. The Kadets held out for a ministerial government and equal, universal suffrage. Because of their political principles and continued armed uprisings, Russia's leftist parties were in a quandary over whether or not to participate in the Duma elections. At the same time, rightists, who had been perpetrating anti-Jewish pogroms, actively opposed the reforms. Several monarchist and groups wishing to subvert the new order also arose. Nevertheless, the regime continued to function, eventually restoring order in the cities, the countryside, and the army. In the process, several thousand officials were murdered by terrorists, and an equal number of terrorists were executed by the government. Because the government was successful in restoring order and in securing a loan from France before the Duma met, Nicholas was in a strong position and therefore able to dismiss Witte, who had been serving as Russia's chief minister.
The first meeting of the Duma took place in May 1906. Several changes in the composition of the Duma had been changed since the publication of the October Manifesto. Tsar Nicholas II had also created a State Council, an upper chamber, of which he would nominate half its members. He also retained for himself the right to declare war, to control the Orthodox Church and to dissolve the Duma. The Tsar also had the power to appoint and dismiss ministers. At their first meeting, members of the Duma put forward a series of demands including the release of political prisoners, trade union rights and land reform. Nicholas II rejected all these proposals and dissolved the Duma.
Due to events which took place prior to and post 1905, I am inclined to believe that this particular period in time was not a revolution. This is due to some reasons such as; the Duma being dissolved (making it an unsuccessful proposal), the continuous strikes that affected the country and Witte being made to resign. Without Segei Witte’s assistance, the ‘October Manifesto’ would not have been introduced causing even more conflict between Tsar, the workers and the remaining part of Russia. So therefore, 1905 in Russia was not the revolution which many people call it.
