How Did the Tsar Survive the 1905 Revolution? (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE History)

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.

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

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

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