Economy under Alexander III and Nicholas II (including Witte):

Economy under Alexander III and Nicholas II (including Witte):

1. WITTE (1892-1903)

   • Economic development was directed and sponsored by government
   • Currently a subsidence agriculture
   • Russia taxed the already over taxed peasants
   • Trans-Siberian railway was built - 7000km
   • Received loans from abroad - Belgium, France and Britain
   • A debt of 8 billion - LARGEST IN EUROPE
   • St Petersburg doubled in growth
   • Coal, iron and oil production rose
   • Large cities started to grow resulting in poor working and living conditions - lack of people in the country as they tried to find jobs.
   • Developed military power
   • Development of social unrest and radical alternatives to Tsarism
   • Russia behind Western Countries
   • Extra taxation caused resentment and uprisings were common among peasants.
   • No political reform to match economic modernisation
   • Other forms of communication lagged
   • Little attention to agriculture

2. STOYLPIN

   • Wanted to modernise Russia Agriculture
   • Create a layer of class of peasants that were loyal to the Tsar
   • Brought in agricultural education
   • Encouraged people to move to underdeveloped land
   • Peasants Land Bank to give cheap loans
   • Redemption payments abolished in 1907
   • Laws to free peasants from communes
   • Agricultural production rose from 45.9 million tonnes (1906) to 61.6 million tonnes (1913)
   • 3 Million Peasants were relocated
   • Number of peasants who owned their own land went from 20% to 50%