Imperial RussiaImperial Russia

Russian Empire in last half of Russian Empire in last half of nineteenth century - vast expanse of nineteenth century - vast expanse of land; Siberia rich in natural land; Siberia rich in natural resourcesresources

1891 Trans Siberian Railway1891 Trans Siberian Railway

1891 widespread famine - “Golodnyi 1891 widespread famine - “Golodnyi Khleb” Peasant conditions extreme - Khleb” Peasant conditions extreme - high taxes; speculators export grainhigh taxes; speculators export grain

little organized rebellionlittle organized rebellion

Alexander IIIAlexander IIITsar - autocratic regime; Tsar - autocratic regime; Alexander - rejected any Alexander - rejected any form of constitutionalism; form of constitutionalism;

““Father to all the Father to all the Russians”Russians”

anti-semitic anti-semitic

his father assassinated by his father assassinated by the People’s Will, March the People’s Will, March 18811881

supported new military supported new military alliance with France in alliance with France in 18831883

Russian PeasantsRussian Peasants

Russia in 1890’s - 80% of Russia in 1890’s - 80% of peasants lived in tiny villagespeasants lived in tiny villages

short lifespanshort lifespan

peasants - “Narod” - dark peasants - “Narod” - dark peoplepeople

intermarriage - genetic intermarriage - genetic disordersdisorders

““izby” - cottage - dark, filthyizby” - cottage - dark, filthy

ikons, vermin, ikons, vermin, “cockroaches”?“cockroaches”?

PeasantsPeasantsvillage communes - insufficient village communes - insufficient land to support familiesland to support families

low technology; inefficient low technology; inefficient farmingfarming

bad diet - high mortality rate; bad diet - high mortality rate; vodkavodka

incessant laborincessant labor

superstitious, fatalistic, superstitious, fatalistic, ignorant, and illiterateignorant, and illiterate

Tsar viewed as “little Father”Tsar viewed as “little Father”

Peasants and Peasants and IntelligentsiaIntelligentsia

educated Russians ignorant educated Russians ignorant of realities of peasant lifeof realities of peasant life

Turgenev - revealed grim Turgenev - revealed grim lives of peasantslives of peasants

1874 - young radicals go into 1874 - young radicals go into the countryside; many the countryside; many believe village commune believe village commune would be the basis for a new would be the basis for a new socialist societysocialist society

1891 - experts carry out 1891 - experts carry out research on peasant life and research on peasant life and suggest solutionssuggest solutions

Industrialization Industrialization by early twentieth century Russia by early twentieth century Russia had expanded its heavy industry had expanded its heavy industry

Sergei Witte - 1892 finance Sergei Witte - 1892 finance ministerminister

proletariat lived and worked in proletariat lived and worked in dire conditionsdire conditions

workers - long hours, low wages, workers - long hours, low wages, child laborchild labor

emergence of intelligentsia emergence of intelligentsia among the working class - among the working class - adopted puritan lifestyleadopted puritan lifestyle

Russian MarxismRussian Marxism1883 - Plekhanov establishes first 1883 - Plekhanov establishes first Marxist groupMarxist group

Plekhanov criticizes terrorist Plekhanov criticizes terrorist approach of “People’s Will” - need to approach of “People’s Will” - need to educate the masseseducate the masses

workers viewed as source of workers viewed as source of revolution, not peasantsrevolution, not peasants

Plekhanov helped prepare the way Plekhanov helped prepare the way for Leninfor Lenin

Plekhanov in exile in SwitzerlandPlekhanov in exile in Switzerland

LeninLenin

Lenin - expelled from university; Lenin - expelled from university; later studied law; convinced later studied law; convinced Marxist; his brother executedMarxist; his brother executed

1895 - arrested for political 1895 - arrested for political activities and exiled to Siberia. activities and exiled to Siberia. Wrote “Development of Wrote “Development of Capitalism in Russia”Capitalism in Russia”

1896 - widespread strike action 1896 - widespread strike action

1898 - Russian Social Democratic 1898 - Russian Social Democratic and Labor Party founded in Minskand Labor Party founded in Minsk

Lenin’s Political Lenin’s Political PhilosophyPhilosophy

newspaper founded newspaper founded “Iskra” - The Spark; Lenin “Iskra” - The Spark; Lenin and Plekhanov disagree and Plekhanov disagree on political strategyon political strategy

1902 - Lenin writes “What 1902 - Lenin writes “What is to be Done?”is to be Done?”

Lenin believed party must Lenin believed party must consist of professional consist of professional revolutionaries, an elite revolutionaries, an elite conspiratorial groupconspiratorial group

the party would guide the party would guide the working class to the working class to victoryvictory

1903 Brussels Congress 1903 Brussels Congress - party split between - party split between Mensheviks and Mensheviks and BolsheviksBolsheviks

Lenin authoritarian Lenin authoritarian approach to party approach to party disciplinediscipline

Russo-Japanese WarRusso-Japanese War

changes in nineteenth changes in nineteenth century warfare - century warfare - repeating rifles, long- repeating rifles, long- range artillery, range artillery, railroads and costs - railroads and costs - placed Russia at a placed Russia at a disadvantagedisadvantage

building of the TSR building of the TSR increased Russia’s increased Russia’s involvement in the involvement in the affairs of the Far East - affairs of the Far East - China, Korea and JapanChina, Korea and Japan

Russian Russian involvement in involvement in Manchuria and Manchuria and Korea led to Korea led to conflict with conflict with JapanJapan

Japan in the late Japan in the late nineteenth nineteenth century had century had modernized her modernized her economy and economy and militarymilitary

Japan short of natural Japan short of natural resources - oil, ironresources - oil, iron

Japan had already Japan had already defeated China in 1894defeated China in 1894

minister Witte had minister Witte had warned against a war warned against a war with Japanwith Japan

Nicholas II decides on Nicholas II decides on war - “ little short-tailed war - “ little short-tailed monkeys”monkeys”

Japanese fleet attack Japanese fleet attack Port Arthur - January Port Arthur - January 19041904

patriotic outpouring in patriotic outpouring in support of the warsupport of the war

Russian navy - ships and Russian navy - ships and tactics lead to catastrophe tactics lead to catastrophe

Japanese lay siege to Port Japanese lay siege to Port Arthur - Russians finally Arthur - Russians finally surrenderedsurrendered

war continued until August war continued until August 1905, when peace terms 1905, when peace terms were finally agreedwere finally agreed

Nicholas II humiliated by Nicholas II humiliated by defeat defeat