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THE “GREAT SPURT” 1892-1903Driven by Sergei Witte

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In Russia after the Great famine of 1891, the reason for hundreds of thousands dead, as the government

was blamed for incompetence.

With it’s backwards economy compared to

other accelerating European nations and its

ancient outlook on Tsarism, a small middle class with a

huge gap in its public classes.

The Great Spurt 1892-1903History Research Topic

The Poor State of Russia

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Then from 1892-1903 the process of

industrialisation began, which was driven by

one man, Sergei Witte the Minister of Finance,

he opened Russia’s factories to large

numbers of European experts to help guide Russia through the

industrial revolution.

The Great Spurt 1892-1903History Research Topic

The Reformer

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He helped create a stable currency, especially from the Gold rubble. Sergei

Witte used foreign loans and investments to build

railways, speeding up transportation and

developing industry.

The Great Spurt 1892-1903History Research Topic

What did he introduce?

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So the 1890s saw the ‘Great Spurt’ of

modernisation and industrialisation in Russia,

from the increase in production of coal in

Ukraine, oil in Caucasus, Iron, chemicals,

engineering petroleum and steel industries; were all

established within 10 years.

The Great Spurt 1892-1903History Research Topic

The Great Spurt

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A new social and industrial working class

appeared, with a modern economic position

holding better living conditions; more

peasants were leaving poverty and a large move

of people from stricken farms to huge developing cities increased such as

Moscow and St Petersburg.

The Great Spurt 1892-1903

History Research Topic

From poverty to working class

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Despite Russia’s rapid modernisation and social institutions, its politics remained in age of Tsarism.

The growth of the new industrial working class demanded better working and living conditions and political rights, since workers didn’t effectively gain from the industrial revolution, wages remained as low as currently.

The Great Spurt 1892-1903History Research Topic

The effects.

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And as the government attempted to print more money, inflation struck.

There were no trade unions, no working support, workers could be fired and hired at the whim of the employer.

There was absence of workers protection and

wages. Hence the demands for political and social reform

saw the formation of a number of political parties

that turned to extreme measures to demand

reformation.

The Great Spurt 1892-1903History Research Topic

The start of political conflicts