To what extent do the sources agree that Russian government policy on agriculture consistently failed and that peasants resisted it under both Tsarist and Communist rule?

To what extent do the sources agree that Russian government policy on agriculture consistently failed and that peasants resisted it under both Tsarist and Communist rule? Source 1 acknowledges that the emancipation 'conferred freedom on many millions of men, women and children'. Serfdom had prevented the industrial growth and introduction of modern agricultural methods. The abolition of Serfdom was in their mind the only method of preventing a peasant's revolt. Source 1 however states that the majority of peasants were still 'bound to their village communes' after the emancipation, emphasising the failure of land policies that had been set up after the end of Serfdom. Source 1 states the peasants did resist because they felt that the policies did not suite their needs and because they had to pay money for their land, it can be argued that this demonstrates that the policies were a failure because they were designed so that the peasants could not afford the repayments anyway. The source also contains a negative tone with verbs such as 'resented' and 'resisted'. The peasant's resistance was aroused during the emancipation due to unpopularity of the policies. This is mentioned in Source 1 and Source 2. In Source 1 Ronald Hingley states that 'special community courts ordered the flogging of recalcitrant peasants' and mentions that they were later sent to Siberian exile. The

  • Word count: 996
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Geography
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Three Gorges Dam

Dam the Three Gorges The Three Gorges are known to be a famous tourist attraction for its beautiful scenery, located in northeastern China along the Yangzi River. The Yangzi River runs 3700 miles long, being the third longest river in the world after the Nile and Amazon Rivers. The Qutang Gorge, the Wuxia Gorge, and the Xiling Gorge are the three Yangzi River gorges that make up the Three Gorges. The Three Gorges are not only famous for its scenery, but also its disastrous flooding. Within a century, five major floods have occurred killing over 300,000 people living in cities along the bank of the river. This is due to the constant sediment deposits along the river, causing the river bed to continuously rise six metres to seventeen metres higher than the plains. In 1992, the Chinese National People's Congress approved the project of constructing a dam at the upper and middle reaches of the Yangzi River by the Xiling Gorge. The purpose was to adjust the water flow of the Yangzi River in hope to prevent more serious flooding. The dam is expected to be the largest hydroelectric project in the world, being 185 metres (606 feet) high and 1,983 metres (6500 feet) broad, with a reservoir that will fill a level of 175 metres above sea level.1 The 17-year construction of the dam is estimated to use 10.8 million tons of cement, 1.9 million tons of rolled steel, and 1.6 tons of

  • Word count: 1383
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Geography
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What the current issues are in the next 25 years and what policies should we encourage.

What the current issues are in the next 25 years and what policies should we encourage The United Kingdom In the next 25 years, looking at the population pyramid, there will be an influx in the United Kingdom's population, but currently, the UK has reached stage 5 in the demographic transition model. The main reason being is because as fewer children are being born, the birth rate is similar to the death rate. For a stable population growth, an average birth rate of at least two children per adult female is required. At the moment it is 1.7. There are many reasons for this. They are firstly, more people choosing to stay single, the further emancipation of women giving females the choice of whether to have children or not: or later in life - influencing them to have only one child, and the change in views about lifestyle ie. Wanting material possessions rather than incurring the costs of raising a family. However, the general increase in the quality of life has resulted in people living longer, which also have an effect on the overall population figures. Free national healthcare has improved, both of which have had a direct influence on increasing the ageing population. A better overall standard of living e.g. Housing, food etc... - has also eliminated many of the problems which caused early death. The UK therefore has an increasing population over the ages of 65 and 69 in

  • Word count: 1482
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Geography
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What were the causes and consequences of the demographic change between 1750 and 1900?

What were the causes and consequences of the demographic change between 1750 and 1900? Introduction Between 1750 and 1900 the population and its distribution changed dramatically, with the population rising by almost 700%. In this change, many people moved from rural areas to the towns, in search of jobs, this is one of the main demographic changes. In this essay I will be writing about the causes of this change and what the consequences were. Health, medicines and laws A big part of the demographic change was due to the change in laws and taxes. With the removal of window tax, dwellings which had previously been dark, cold and damp, became brighter and this encouraged people to keep their homes cleaner. The damp, dirty homes of the past provided an ideal environment for the spread of disease. Soap prices became a lot lower, making it easier to afford for the average poverty stricken family. With their new, warm houses people were inclined to wash more regularly, this may have made it socially unacceptable to smell. Previously, many common diseases, such as cholera, were spread when wastewater was allowed to contaminate drinking water. It became obvious that many diseases were spread through drinking contaminated water and something had to be done. This change in water quality was partially due to the fact that human faeces and urine were taken from the water system and

  • Word count: 1267
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Geography
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What are the consequences of an ageing population?

What are the consequences of an ageing population? When a country has a high number of elderly people (people aged 65 and over), it is said to have an 'ageing population.' The proportion of elderly people in the world is steadily increasing: by 2025, it is predicted that nearly ( of the world's population will be 65 or over. This is happening most rapidly in the rich countries of the economically developed world. Rich countries have growing numbers of elderly people, because of declines in fertility rates and high standards of living and healthcare, which enable people to live well into their old age. In Europe and America, the post World War II baby boom generation will reach retirement age late next decade. The number of elderly dependents will rise rapidly for many years. Most developed countries and some developing countries have ageing populations. Sweden has the highest proportion of elderly people in the world: In 1750, only 6% of Sweden's population was over 65, yet now, it is over 20%. In the UK, the 2001 census showed that the proportion of people over 60 had increased from 16% in 1951 to 21%. For the first time ever in the UK there are now more over 60 year olds than there are under 16s. The ageing of the population in the UK is especially evident when you look at the number of people over 85. This number has increased, over five fold, from 0.2 million in 1951 to

  • Word count: 1074
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Geography
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What are the effects of Deforestation?

Deforestation Vegetation, in particular trees, absorb carbon, in the form of carbon dioxide throughout their lives by the process of photosynthesis. This carbon is stored in the carbohydrates produced. Although some of this is used up quickly in respiration, which returns the carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, some is changed to fats and proteins. As man has evolved, however, he has slowly overrun the forests. Some figures say that at the moment, and area of woodland the size of Wales is destroyed every week. This causes several problems: * Less carbon dioxide is absorbed form the atmosphere * When trees are burnt or decay through the action of microbes, this carbon and methane is released * More carbon is being released than is being absorbed So the amount of carbon in the atmosphere has increased. So what? Well, it is thought by many scientists that this increase in the percentage of carbon dioxide could enhance the Greenhouse effect. On a smaller scale, the destruction of trees destroys habitats and can lead to the expansion of deserts as the nutrient rich soil around the trees is held together by the tree roots. Without these, the soil is erroded away. The levels of CO2 and methane are slowly rising. These gases thicken the atmosphere, reducing the amount of energy radiated by the Earth's surface and keeping it warmer than it would be otherwise. Increased levels

  • Word count: 6686
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Geography
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Tourism In Kenya.

TOURISM IN KENYA Geography Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania. Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 38 00 E Area: total: 582,650 sq km land: 569,250 sq km water: 13,400 sq km Area - Comparative: Slightly more than twice the size of Nevada Land boundaries: Total: 3,446 KM Border countries: Ethiopia 830 KM, Somalia 683 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km. Coastline: 536 KM Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM Climate: Varies from tropical along coastline to arid in interior Terrain: Low plain rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west. Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Indian ocean 0M Highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199M Natural Resources: Gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barites, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife & hydropower. Land use: Arable land: 7% Permanent crops: 1% Permanent pastures: 37% Forests and woodland: 30% Other: 25% (1993 est.) Irrigated land: 660 sq KM (1993 est.) Natural hazards: Recurring drought in northern and eastern regions; flooding during rainy sessions. Environment - current issues: Water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water

  • Word count: 1754
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Geography
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Tourism in LEDC's creates environmental and social problems whilst bringing limited economic benefits. How far do you consider this statement to be true

Tourism in LEDC's creates environmental and social problems whilst bringing limited economic benefits. How far do you consider this statement to be true? Tourism is now the world's biggest industry. It may be defined as the temporary visit of people to a region in which they do not live, for a period of more than 24 hours. Tourism has been promoted by the wealth of the developed countries, aided by the cheap flights offered by low cost airlines, and peoples increased leisure time and their desire to visit more exotic locations. The very nature of tourism brings large numbers of people to an area about which they may know very little. Many regions suffer environmental and social problems and this can be exacerbated by tourism. Tourism to Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDC's) is generally by wealthier people from More Economically Developed Countries (MEDC's). There is often a vast disparity between the relative poverty of local people in LEDC's and the wealth of visitors from MEDC's. The vast gap in wealth and a lack of respect for the natives by the tourists can cause resentment, but the LEDC's depend upon the income, which the foreigners bring to the areas they visit. LEDC's as the term implies, suffer from weak economies. Tourism is therefore particularly valuable since it is an export earner, bringing new money from foreign countries. Many LEDC's are

  • Word count: 2403
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Geography
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Walton on the Naze

Walton on the Naze a) Describe and explain the natural processes operating on the Naze cliffs. All along the exposed side of the Naze cliffs, and to a smaller extent on the managed areas, erosion is constantly taking place. These are as such: Slumping The Naze cliffs are made up in layers. The base off the cliffs is a thick layer of very soft but impermeable London clay. Sitting on top of this are two permeable layers. The first is the Red Crag. This is made of reddish coloured sand and shells, which are the remains of an ancient seabed from 3 million years ago. The next thinner layer is of Glacial Materials, deposited from the last ice age. Slumping occurs when it has been raining heavily. The top two permeable layers become totally saturated with water and become very heavy. The water then seeps down and reaches the impermeable London clay. Now as it cannot seep through this layer it runs out of the cliff at the intersection between the layers. This causes mini streams and fountains to be seen on the cliff. This and the weight of the material on top causes it to slip off the clay onto the beach, where the loose material is quickly taken away by normal coastal deposition. Examples of this can be seen all along the unmanaged section of the Naze. Hydrostatic pressure (Hydraulic action) Waves breaking onto the face of cliffs can exert large amounts of pressure. This has a

  • Word count: 1868
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Geography
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Water Pollution

Water Pollution Water pollution occurs when a body of water is adversely affected due to the addition of large amounts of materials to the water. The sources of water pollution are categorized as being a point source or a non-source point of pollution. Point sources of pollution occur when the polluting substance is emitted directly into the waterway. A pipe spewing toxic chemicals directly into a river is an example. A non-point source occurs when there is runoff of pollutants into a waterway, for instance when fertilizer from a field is carried into a stream by surface runoff. Types of Water Pollution Toxic Substance -- A toxic substance is a chemical pollutant that is not a naturally occurring substance in aquatic ecosystems. The greatest contributors to toxic pollution are herbicides, pesticides and industrial compounds. Organic Substance -- Organic pollution occurs when an excess of organic matter, such as manure or sewage, enters the water. When organic matter increases in a pond, the number of decomposers will increase. These decomposers grow rapidly and use a great deal of oxygen during their growth. This leads to a depletion of oxygen as the decomposition process occurs. A lack of oxygen can kill aquatic organisms. As the aquatic organisms die, they are broken down by decomposers which lead to further depletion of the oxygen levels. A type of organic

  • Word count: 947
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Geography
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