SGQ2

RUSSIA: Modern World History p. 339-343


Were the revolutions of 1917 inevitable?


A. Reforms under Nicholas II
1. How was Nicholas able to survive the 1905 revolution?

i. his opponents were not united

ii. there was no central leadership

iii. he had been willing to comprimise at the critical moment by issuing the October Manifesto

iv. most of the army remained loyal


2. What reforms did Nicholas institute?
i. improvements in industrial working conditions and pay

ii. cancelation of redemption payments

iii. more freedom for the press

iv. genuine democracy in which the Duma would playan important part in running the country

3. What happened to the Dumas?

The firt Duma was not democratically elected, the second suffered the same fate, the third and fourth were much more conservative and therefor lasted longer


B. Strengths of the regime
1. how did Stolypin gain support of some peasants?

i. redenption payments were abolished

ii. peasants were encouraged to buy their own land

iii. what is a kulak? comfortably off peasants

2. how did the regime gain support among industrial workers?

Improved working conditions, industrial profits, worker's insurance

3. other positive signs for the regime

i. universal education programme

ii. revolutionaries lost heart



C. Weaknesses of the regime
1. why were Stolypin's land reforms failing?

i. population growth

ii. inneficient farming methods
2. what was the trend with industrial strikes in the years leading to WWI?

they rapidly increased

3. what three groups did the government especially target for repression?

i. university students

ii. university lecturers

iii. jews



4. revolutionary parties - what did each hope for?

i. Bolsheviks - small, disciplined party of revolutionaries

ii. Mensheviks - proletarian revolution

iii. Social Revolutionaries - agrarian society



5. How was the royal family tainted by scandal?

i. Stolypin's death - the tsar was rumored to ave had a hand in it

ii. Rasputin - they allowed him to stay despite his unruly behavior



D. World War I
What were considered failures in Russia's effort in WWI?

i. the troops became mutinous

ii. poor transport organisation

iii. low arms and ammunition at the front lines

iv. food shortage in cities

v. nicholas ran the army into the ground