The 1905 Revolution shook the Russian Empire's foundation bringing change to its autocratic government. But its outcome created a profound change in the course of Russian History. Explore more how the Russian Revolution of 1905 transpired and how it
changed Russia.
The
Russian Revolution of 1905 brought a wave of unrest in all sectors of the Russia's society. It aimed to change the age old autocratic regime under the Tsars.
Although it widely became known as the Revolution of 1905, the revolution transpired from 1905 up to 1907. It broke out in massive
proportions after the events of Bloody Sunday. But the revolutionary spirit to wavered after the Tsar issued the October Manifesto, a document which momentarily ended the absolute rule of the Romanov Tsars. Although the reform promised during the Revolution never lived on, it served as a premonition to a bigger and bloodier
revolution that emerged in 1917.
Before the Revolution
Tsarist Rule
The
Romanovs ruled as Tsars of Russia for three centuries. They wielded absolute
power over the destiny of millions of Russians. They flourished for centuries
much to the credit to the support of the landed gentry, whose wealth came from
the labor of millions of serfs. Thus, the serfs worked as the backbone of the
Russian economy.
The
status of serfdom and the autocracy came under threat in
1825 with the revolt of the Decembrist - young nobles and military officers
influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment during their Napoleonic campaign.
They came home inspired by liberal reforms and began to question and act on constricting
Russian society. Their ill-planned coup to realize their goals, however, failed
under the Russia’s conservative and reactionary Tsar Nicholas I.
Tsar
Nicholas I’s son, Tsar Alexander II, set in motion one of the greatest reforms
in Russian history and set the conditions for the Revolution of 1905. In 1861,
Tsar Alexander II signed the Emancipation Manifesto that freed all Russia’s
serfs. Alongside Emancipation Manifesto, he initiated numerpis liberal
reforms that gave civil rights, freedom, and political powers. In 1861, the mirs or village councils formed the
basis of rule within peasant villages.
In
1864, Alexander II issued a reform that gave rise to provincial assemblies
known as Zemstvos. Zemstvos included
representatives from various classes within a province, from free townsmen,
artisans, nobles, to even deputies from different mirs. It had powers over
local education, health, infrastructure, and taxation.
In
1870, Alexander allowed the establishment of Municipal Dumas. These Dumas
served as assemblies for towns and cities representing various classes based on
their wealth. The Dumas paralled with Zemstvos and Mirs
in towns and cities.
In
1881, Tsar Alexander II planned his greatest reform – the creation of a
constituent assembly to deliberate over the creation of a constitution and a
legislature. However, the plan never materialize under his reign. The effects of his emancipation act gave rise to disillusioned radicals who used terrorism as their main weapon. In
1881, a radical terrorist group known as the People’s Will assassinated Tsar
Alexander II, allowing the succession of the Tsar Alexander III.
Tsar
Alexander III’s rule became known for its repression of liberties and adherence
to conservatism and tradition. He surrounded himself with ultra-conservative
officials like the Procurator of the Holy Governing Synod Konstantin
Pobiedonostsyev, who tutored the future Tsar Nicholas II. Alexander III
reversed or curbed the reforms of the late Alexander II with the view that it caused
his father’s tragic demise. Many of the assemblies formed under the Era of Great Reforms
fell under the control of the landed gentry and the Tsar’s governors. He also
intensified the crackdown on opposition with the notorious secret police called
the Okhrana.
In
1894, Tsar Alexander III passed away leaving the throne to his son, Nicholas
II. Nicholas II followed the examples of his father. But the new Tsar lacked
his father’s strength and strong stewardship of the country giving
opportunity for instability.
Socio-Economic Developments
Russia saw tremendous social and economic changes over fifty
years before the Revolution of 1905. The emancipation of serfs and the
industrialization of the country created new social classes and challenges.
With new challenges, all new answers emerged, which various political groups
later exploited.
The
emancipation of the serfs in the 1860’s brought tremendous challenges both for
the newly freed serfs as well as for the government. Alexander II freed the
serfs from bondage but not from poverty. He lacked a major agrarian reform
aimed in giving former serfs land for livelihood. Freed serfs had the
opportunity to purchase the lands that they once tilled. However, they could
only purchase a part of the land in inflated or overpriced value. The
government did provided financial assistance in loans, but they had to repay it
under the form of redemption taxes. Facing difficulty financially and given the
smaller portion of land they had the chance to acquire, the newly freed serfs
had little to celebrate for their freedom. Thus, discontent followed.
Russia’s
industrialization on the other hand gave rise to an urban working class. Previously, the working class had been limited
to artisans and other craftsmen. But in the 1890’s, Finance Minister Sergei
Witte initiated a massive industrialization program aimed to make Russia an equal to other European powers. As a result of what later became known as the Great Spurt, many peasants moved to the
cities to work in newly established factories and mills. The industrialization
resulted to great economic progress, especially in the fields of iron and oil.
For
the workers, however, conditions turned out to be dismal, with poor working
condition, long working hours, and meager wages. These then became a source of
strength for some political parties, in particular the Marxists.
Along
with the working class, Russia’s industrialization also paved the way for the rise
of capitalist bourgeoisie. The capitalist owned the industries that drove
Russia’s industries and provided employment for many Russians. With power over
the economy, they wield tremendous influence in Russian center wing in the
political spectrum.
With
economic development, many had the money to send their children to schools and
graduate as professionals. These professionals became intellectuals or better
known as the Intelligentsias. From their newly earned money, they studied in
universities, giving them new knowledge and ideas. They began to question
the establishment that they lived on. Many if not all of them criticized the
constraint and lack of freedom in Russia. Many of them fought for those freedoms and changes through political activities.
The
only class that seemed to be prosperous and flourishing was the nobility. They
continued to hold tremendous power and influence over the Tsars. Not to
mention, the Tsars relied on the landed nobility ever since the inception of
the Tsardom. They provided numerous officials for the government effectively
making them a strong pillar for Tsarist autocracy. Hence, many of the nobles
wanted to preserve the status quo alongside with their wealth, power, and influence.
Nevertheless, some of them saw the needs for reform in order to survive in a
changing world and some expressed it carefully in front of the Tsar – men like
Sergei Witte and Vladimir Kokovtsov.
The
effects of the socio-economic developments in Russia for the past fifty years before the Revolution spelled the goals and desires for each class. For the peasantry, they
desired land and better standards of living. For the workers, better working
conditions and share in wealth. For the capitalist, they desired political
participation or at least representation. The intelligentsia also desired reforms
especially liberties and participation in the governance of the country as well.
Within the nobility, a riff formed as some desired reform to the establishment
while other wanted to preserve the present situation. Each of their objective
then fell under the influence of various political ideologies and materialized
in form of political parties.
Explore also:
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Online Newspaper Articles:
A Russian Correspondent of The New York Times. "Russian Tells Story of Sunday's Massacre." New York Times (January 25 1905). URL: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9505E0D6173AE733A25756C2A9679C946497D6CF
"Troops Overawe St. Petersburg." New York Times (January 24, 1905). URL: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9C07EFDF1F3BE631A25757C2A9679C946497D6CF
"Iron Ruler for St. Petersburg." New York Times (January 25, 1905). URL: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9907E0D6173AE733A25756C2A9679C946497D6CF
"Revolution?" The Manchester Guardian (January 23, 1905). URL: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2013/1/4/1357302276132/Russia-1905-uprising-001.jpg
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Ascher, Abraham. "Revolution of 1905." Encyclopedia of Russian History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Feb. 2016. http://www.encyclopedia.com.
Trotsky, Leon. “1905.” Marxist Internet Archives. March 12, 2016. https://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1907/1905/
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