How Did the Tsar Survive the 1905 Revolution? (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE History)
Revision Note
Why was 1905 a Turning Point in Tsarist Russia - Timeline & Summary
The events of 1905 highlighted the weakness of the tsarist regime. This is because:
Japan defeated Russia in the war. The tsar believed the Japanese were an inferior race to the Russians. The defeat showed that Russia was not as strong a military power as it had been
The tsar could no longer rely on the divine right of kings. A growth in radical ideas and a decline in the influence of the Orthodox Church weakened the tsar. Tsar Nicholas II could no longer expect his people to obey him
The tsar had to reform. Russian tsars used repression to resist reform. However, in 1905, Nicholas could not rely on his military forces. The strength of opposition to the tsar from multiple areas of society pushed Nicholas to provide some democratic reform. When Nicholas attempted to reverse these reforms later, he was unable to.
Many historians call this period a revolution, even though it did not result in the overthrow of the tsar. This shows the amount of popular opposition to the tsar and the threat it posed to Tsarist Russia.
Causes of the 1905 Revolution
Long-term | Short-term |
|---|---|
Economic - From 1902, there were widespread disturbances in both towns and the countryside due to poor wages and famine | Russo-Japanese War - In 1904, Russia began a conflict with Japan over Manchuria. The war showed that Russia’s army was poorly organised and under-equipped. The important Russian military base of Port Arthur fell to Japan in January 1905 The war increased opposition to the tsar. It had caused issues with the food supply. Many Russians felt humiliated at the defeat |
Social - 1903 and 1904 were the Years of the Red Cockerel as peasants set fire to properties. Strikes, although illegal, occurred more in towns and cities. Non-Russian nationalities were unfairly treated by a policy called Russification. They wanted their independence | |
Political - The working classes fell into radical movements that wanted to overthrow the tsar. Opposition increased in the middle classes, who wanted constitutional reform | Bloody Sunday - On 22nd January 1905, Father Gapon led 200,000 protestors to the Winter Palace. He intended to hand a petition to the tsar asking for reform. The army opened fire on protestors, starting the revolution |
Events of the 1905 Revolution
How Did Tsar Nicholas II Survive the 1905 Revolution?
Nicholas used a combination of reform and repression to stay in control of the Russian Empire
Reform | Repression |
|---|---|
He introduced the October Manifesto and adapted the Fundamental Laws. This was aimed to win back the support of the middle classes | He used the army to suppress the strikes. This was made easier because the working-class opposition was not united |
The October Manifesto and the Fundamental Laws
October Manifesto
Witte, the prime minister of Russia, persuaded Nicholas to pass the October Manifesto
The October Manifesto promised:
An elected duma (parliament)
The duma would meet to pass laws
More political rights for people in the Russian Empire
A promise to loosen censorship
Freedom of speech and assembly allowed
A change to the system of government
The Tsar remained the head of the government and was advised by his Council of Ministers
The State Council was chosen by the tsar and the zemstva
All men were allowed to vote for their representative in the duma
People reacted differently to the October Manifesto
The Fundamental Laws
In 1906, Nicholas adapted his Fundamental Laws
They confirmed the reforms promised in the October Manifesto
They asserted Nicholas’s rights as tsar
This showed Nicholas’s reluctance to give up his autocratic powers
The Establishment of the Duma
The Tsar allowed four dumas between 1906 and 1914
Election Results for the Duma
Party | First Duma (1906) | Second Duma (1907) | Third Duma (1907-12) | Fourth Duma (1912-17) |
Bolsheviks | Did not stand in election | Did not stand in election | 19 | 15 |
Mensheviks | 18 | 47 | 0 | 0 |
SRs | 0 | 37 | 0 | 0 |
Kadets | 182 | 91 | 54 | 53 |
Octobrists | 17 | 42 | 154 | 95 |
Right-wing parties | 8 | 10 | 147 | 154 |
The first two dumas were radical
They demanded the tsar make more reforms
Nicholas quickly closed them down
The third and fourth dumas were weak
The government changed the voting laws to
Limit the power of peasant voters
Increase the number of right-wing parties in the duma
It showed the tsar’s lack of commitment to making Russia democratic
The tsar could have used the duma system to create a constitutional monarchy
Instead, the tsar made the duma powerless. This angered many people in the empire
Examiner Tip
Many historians argue that, if Nicholas had embraced the duma system, Tsarist Russia would have survived. Russia would likely have developed a government system similar to Britain. Therefore this event is important in understanding why Tsarist Russia collapsed.
Peter Stolypin
Tsar Nicholas chose Peter Stolypin as Prime Minister in 1906
Stolypin’s actions as Prime Minister highlight the ‘carrot and stick’ approach that the tsar used to maintain control of Russia:
Historians argue that both methods failed in the long term
There were very few kulaks
Poorer peasants only became poorer
Workers still suffered from poor conditions
Their pay after the 1905 Revolution was lower than in 1903
In 1912, there were strikes in Lena Goldfields which the government brutally repressed
Worked Example
Why was the October Manifesto issued in 1905?
6 marks
Partial answer:
The October Manifesto was issued to stop the disorder that had spread through Russia in 1905 (1). There was widespread violence in the countryside and the main cities were hit by a series of strikes. By September 1905, there were 800,000 workers on strike (1). Therefore, the tsar had to release the October Manifesto. It helped to stop the violence across Russia by gaining the support of key political parties and giving the impression of reform (1).
Examiner Tip
In Paper One, ‘explain why’ questions are worth either six or ten marks. For full marks in this question, an examiner is looking for two fully explained reasons as to why the tsar released the October Manifesto. Use the PEE structure in your answer:
P - Make a point about the question
E - Use evidence that supports the point that you have made
E - Explain why this evidence made the tsar release the Manifesto. Avoid repeating the point again. Explain how this factor made the tsar have to reform, rather than repress.
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