Two factors dominated the economy of Russia. The population was increasing rapidly and the overpowering majority of that population was involved in farming.
The emancipation of the serfs in 1861 did little to improve the agricultural efficiency of the countryside. Since landlords could not, or would not, pay labourers and since the peasants could not afford land themselves, almost a quarter of the previously cultivated area fell into disuse. The rapidly increasing population put great pressure of existing resources of food, especially in times of bad harvest. Famines, in which hundreds of thousands people died.
The economic shoot of the 1890’s put pressure on the political and social structure of Russia. The industrial growth rate at that time was higher even than rates in USA. In the last decade of the 19th century, the number of industrial workers in Russia increased by almost a million. This of course led to crises in urban space; new consumer demands. The shock waves of industrialisation spread from the towns to the overload peasantry. Moreover, the process of industrialisation was artificial, being forced by government policy rather than resulting from natural increases in demand. The relationship between the economic changes and the development of the opposition was evident: there was direct protest from those who suffered the most- factory workers in terrible slums, starving peasants in the countryside. And the economic boom brought increased contact with Western ideas about government and society.
The revolutionary events of 1905 were preceded by a series of decisions and accidents. There were signs of discontent among both the urban and rural poor. An increasing number of strikes were organised in the cities, like Petersburg, as a part of a campaign to win reduced hours and better wages.
In 1895, Russia had persuaded Japan to give up Port Arthur and the Liaotung Peninsula. The Tsar was hoping a short victorious war. But two countries could not find a compromise. In 1904 on the 8 of February the Japanese fleet torpedoed the Russian fleet stationed in Port Arthur while the Japanese army cleared the Korean peninsula of Russian troops. The war proved disastrous for Russia’s military pride. A second Japanese was landed on the Liaotung peninsula and cut off Port Arthur. The Russian armies fought bravely in spite of inept orders, short supplies and not enough reinforcements. In March 1905 they were defeated at Mukden. In the meantime, port Arthur had fallen to Japanese troops in January 1905 and in the course of ten months 100 000 Russian troops had been lost.
The war had a major impact of Russia. Socialist Revolutionaries blew up the city called Plehve in July 1904, prompting Nicholas to remark: “ I have a secret conviction that I am destined for a terrible trial” The winter of 1904-1905 had already brought discontent and news of the fall of Port Arthur coincident with a strike in St Petersburg.
On the 22nd of January protestants, led by Father Gapon, proceeded to the Winter Palace the Tsar’s residence in St Petersburg. As they marched, they sang hymns and carried pictures of the Tsar. When they reached Palace Square, they were met not by the Tsar, who was not in residence, but by the Cossacks and dragoons who fired on them. Officially about 96 protesters died and 333 were wounded. Probably 1000 died and thousands more were wounded. The Tsar himself described it as a “painful day!”
A wave of protests followed. Almost half a million workers came out on strike. There was no more terrorism. Tsar’s uncle, the governor of Moscow was assassinated in February, in March the Tsar promised a “consultative” assembly, religious toleration, language rights for the Polish minority and cancellation of a part of the redemption dues for the peasants. But still some strikes continued and the Tsar was worried about losing what support he had, so in August he pledged of March and promised the Duma will be elected. The only good thing happened was making peace with Japan, the treaty of Portsmouth. Finally he gave in and issued the October manifesto on 30 October. This promised: a parliament or Duma elected by the people, civil rights – e.g. freedom of speech and conscience, uncensored newspapers and the right form political parties. The liberals and middle classes believed they had won democratic government. They stopped their protests and supported the government. By December, with all the troops back in Russia, the tsar felt strong enough to take back control. He used force to close down the St Petersburg Soviet and crush an armed uprising in Moscow. He sent out troops to take revenge on workers and peasants who had rioted and bring them under control. The Revolution was failed
Made by: Tene Mäerand
Year 12 PF.
