OCR Russia and it's Rulers: 1855-1964

OCR Russia and it's Rulers: 1855-1964

1. Nature of Government

   • Ideologies
     • Alexander II
       • Autocracy
       • Despite social reforms, there were no changes to his power
     • Alexander III
       • Autocracy
       • Suppressed people to increase control
     • Nicholas II
       • Autocracy
       • After the 1905 revolution the Duma was introduced in the October Manifesto but no power was lost
       • The Duma ended up with no power anyway after the Fundamental laws
     • Lenin
       • Dictatorship
       • Believed Marxism could be sped up by having a government in place to support workers until the uprising
       • Used war communism
     • Stalin
       • Totalitarianism
       • Wanted to destroy the base of society using a 'superstructure' led by a dictator with no opposition
     • Khruschev
       • Destalinisation
       • Increased freedoms and dismantled Stalin's cult of personality
   • Central Administration
     • Pre-1905
       • Tsars in the centre of all government organs
       • Personal Chancellery of His Imperial Majesty: Tsars' secretaries, legal advisers and the secret police
         • Council of Ministers (1861-1882): Officials nominated by the Tsar to draft legislation
       • Senate: acted as a Supreme Court
       • Imperial Council of State: Appointed by the Tsar and advised on legal and financial matters
       • Committee of Ministers: Ministers in charge of ministries for particular aspects of Russian affairs. Each minister had connections to departments with very specific responsibilities, but had purely administrative roles. There were problems due to lack of communication.
     • 1905-1917
       • After the October Manifesto
       • Tsar: continued to rule autocratically
         • Council of ministers:
           • State Council: previously the imperial council of state, it oversaw the Dumas. Members were appointed by the Tsar or chosen as representatives.
             • Dumas: Elected by social groups
       • Dumas:
     • Provisional Government
       • Made up of the PG and opposition - the main being the Bolsheviks
       • Temporary until a Constituent Assembly could be designed and elected
     • Communists
       • Under the Bolsheviks, government consisted of the Executive Committee, the Council of People's Commissars, and the Cheka
       • Under Stalin and Khrushchev, government consisted of the Supreme Soviet, Soviet of the Union, and the Soviet of Nationalities
   • Local Government
     • Tsars
       • Mir (Before 1861): linked central government with the provinces owned by nobles
       • Zemstva (After Emancipation of Serfs): covered areas of 'Great Russia'
       • Duma (After 1870): Urban equivalent of Zemstva
       • Courts introduced a Jury system, hierarchy of cases, reduced corruption, and allowed public access to courts in 1864, but this didn't work
       • In 1877, police were centralised, new courts were introduced for political cases, and justices of the peace were replaced by land captains
     • Provisional Government
       • Labelled the Duma and Zemstva counter-revolutionary so replaced them in 1917
       • Set up Soviets in 1917 - workers who organised strikes and organised services including the army
       • The 'Third Element' wanted the central government to be remodeled based on the Duma and Zemstva
     • Communists
       • Dominated by Soviets
       • Used 'Revolutionary Justice' and legalised the use of terror in 1921
   • Opposition
     • Pre-1905
     • 1905-1917
     • Provisional Government
     • Communists
   • Reforms
     • Alexander II
       • Ended reforms after an unsuccessful assassination attempt
       • Emancipation of the Serfs allowed peasants to be freed from nobles
       • Reformed education by altering the curriculum and introducing private schools and inspectors
       • Introduced the Zemstva (elected local council)
       • Allowed greater freedoms by reducing censorship
       • Was assassinated due to radicals wanting an end to autocracy, as although he made reforms he still had absolute power
     • Alexander III
     • Nicholas II
       • Reforms after 1905 revolution, still remained absolute ruler
     • Provisional Government
     • Lenin
     • Stalin
     • Khruschev
   • Repression
     • Khrushchev
     • Stalin
     • Lenin
     • Provisional Government
     • Nicholas II
     • Alexander III
     • Alexander II

2. Impact of Dictatorial Regimes

   • Economic Change
   • Social Change
   • Urban Life
   • Rural Lifew
   • Freedoms

3. Impact of War and Revolution

4. Russian Empire, Nationalities and Satellite States