HIS109Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 40: Autocracy, Consolidated Laws Of New York, Secret Police
Ibraheem Aziz Mar 14/2016
HIS109Y – L0101 Lec 40
The Russian Revolution
• Russia entered the 20th with a fossilized, unreconstructed state
• Pacific Ocean to Poland encapsulated the Russian state – largest landmass in Europe
• Poles revolted against the Russians often, as did Ukranians, Tartars, etc
• Traditions of the Russian Empire were superficially Western
o Middle class localized in large cities
o Nobility had the real power and were a mixed group of people
▪ Vied by the rest of society and loyal to the Tsar when it benefited them
o Military was known for its incompetence, inefficiency; officer corps were made of
nobles and were poorly-trained
o Military was weak based on talent as was the civil service
o Influence on Western European ideas was only felt in the late 19th century
o Russia was an autocratic, centralized and oppressive nation
• Majority of the population were serfs until 1861
• Property owners had a fear of the Russian poor
o Feared by the Tsar and nobility as well
o Small privileged class were afraid of revolution
• In 1825, a group of Decembrists revolted against the government – demanded a liberal
constitution and the right to manage the monarchy
o Defeated
o Tsar and his advisors grew even more repressive
o Ideas that animated the western world were seen as outlawed, dangerous, un-Russian
ideas in the state
o Only place where Russia and Western Europe connected was nationalism
▪ Manipulated by the power of the Tsar
• After the December suppression, Nicholas I (1825-1855) established a secret police to repress
opposition and guard against western ideals
• This was pan-Slavism; dependent upon Russia as the leaving Slavic state and the guardian of
Russian nationalism
• Culture of Orthodox religion and Slavic nationality was seen as holier and pure to the Russian
mind and experience
• Belief was that the Tsar was the father and the people were his children, and had to be obeyed
at all times
• Secret police were supported by the army and state and existed to keep Russia pure and holy
• Ideas, especially liberalism and freedom, were to be avoided because they were western and
therefore unholy
• The paternalistic autocracy of the Tsar was seen as a defense against the West
• Paranoia existed in Russia due to the growing British influence
o Russia began to fear for its Russia – Western fleets were spreading and the Ottoman
Empire fell
o Crimean War of 1844-1846 led to the defeat of Russia – turned inward even more
deeply
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Ibraheem Aziz Mar 14/2016
HIS109Y – L0101 Lec 40
o ‘ussia ifluee as eakeed y the surroudig of hostile poers to aitai a
kind of autocratic holiness
• Alexander II (1855-1881) admitted defeat and knew he had to modernize Russia according to
Russian standards with the Tsar at the helm
• Serfs were freed in 1861 – act of necessity
• Despite the lack of a constitution, Alexander II began to experiment with new form of state
organization
• Russia had no real enforceable laws – instituted a relatively sophisticated judiciary
• Law was dependent upon the autocracy of the independent Tsar
o Efficient way of defending autocracy
• Created a new profession of lawyers
• Idea of the rule of law made direct connection with Western ideas and a new class of urban
intellectuals was created in Russia, with shared characteristics with the west
• Russian, professional middle class began to develop in the cities and was recognized as a
potential vehicle for change
• Military service was made mandatory and the army was extremely abusive – brutality was part
of the Russian military tradition
o Noble officer class needed some measure of training
o Physical modernization of the state occurred
• Building of railroads was an obsession – money came from foreign investors eager to profit
• Harbours were modernized and port facilities were constructed
• Russia began to enter and participate in the European economy for the first time
• Raw materials and grain were produced in abundance, as were manufactured goods
• Mercantile classes and elites in the West developed connections with Russian merchants
• Russian economy exploded and the mercantile classes spread education in large numbers
• World was now seen as Europe – not Russia
• Western ideas entered Russia on a wholesale basis
o Western ideas were either seen as solutions to problems, but Russian nationalism
became counter-productive to find a unique Russian voice
o Russian mentality was developed through art and humanities
o Idea of bringing Russia into the Western world was seen as advanced through the
development of new ideas that had been defiled by Western ideas – had to be cleansed
by Russian experience
• Recognition and availability of Western values and ideas was present in the state
• Pan-Slavism (and Orthodox Slavs) would ultimately bury the western ideals according to the Tsar
o Poles revolted again
o Spoke of liberalism, constitutionalism, idealism
o Revolt was viciously suppressed
▪ Secret police was instructed to root out those who defied autocracy
o Ideas became underground movements and conspiratorial
o Degree of fanaticism changed people from reformists to revolutionaries
• Oppression increased the fanaticism of the revolutionaries who believed in violence
• Murder of Alexander II was the turning point – his murder led to the end of modernization
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
In 1825, a group of decembrists revolted against the government demanded a liberal constitution and the right to manage the monarchy: defeated, tsar and his advisors grew even more repressive. Empire fell: crimean war of 1844-1846 led to the defeat of russia turned inward even more deeply. Lec 40: ussia(cid:374) i(cid:374)flue(cid:374)(cid:272)e (cid:449)as (cid:449)eake(cid:374)ed (cid:271)y the surrou(cid:374)di(cid:374)g of (cid:858)hostile po(cid:449)ers(cid:859) to (cid:373)ai(cid:374)tai(cid:374) a kind of autocratic holiness, alexander ii (1855-1881) admitted defeat and knew he had to modernize russia according to. Law was dependent upon the autocracy of the independent tsar: efficient way of defending autocracy, created a new profession of lawyers. Idea of pan-slavism was threatened due to this occurrence. In 1919, lenin gave the germans ukraine, poland, finland and the baltic states: entire armies made of tsarist armies and the white russian armies united against the. Industrialists were killed and discipline was required by all russians.
