HIS109Y1 Lecture Notes - Autocracy, Secret Police, Decembrist Revolt
Document Summary
In order to understand 20th c - look at russian rev. Ideas institutionalized in state founded by lenin and stalin => spread. Where had russia begin and how did it develop (compared to other europe) Fossilized state - e. borders of prussia (poland) to pacific. Poles, ukrainians, germans => dozens of nationalities put together in inefficient empire. Small professional middle class until late 19th c - concentrated in citires. => poorly-educated, loyal to czar when they felt they were threatened. Russian army - noble, poorly trained, no natural advancement - your rank and connections got you senior positions. W. ideas were only felt until later 19th c. State laborers => serfdom survived in russia until 1871. Great fear of mass of humanity that constituted to russian land-workers => nobles and czar if they should rise, there"s nothing to stop them. 1825: liberal nobles and army officers - coup d"etat => death of alexander with no heir, went to nicholas.
