1.2.4

The Duma & Political Stalemate

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The Government and the Duma

Tsar Nicholas II and Peter Stolypin struggled to keep a good relationship with the Duma (the Russian parliament).

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First and second Dumas

  • The October Manifesto introduced the Duma to pacify the people.
  • But on the 8th of July 1906, after the Duma had been running 2 months, the tsar quickly dissolved the Duma because it was too radical. The Duma (Russian parliament) was meant to run for a term of 5 years.
  • On the 21st of July 1906, the tsar made Stolypin the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, effectively replacing the Duma.
  • The 2nd Duma was opened on the 20th of February 1907 but was abandoned after 3 months.
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'Duma of national anger'

  • The 2nd Duma was more radical than the 1st because the Socialists, Bolsheviks, and Mensheviks all decided to stand for election to the Duma.
  • There were twice as many radicals in the Duma as moderates, making law-making hard.
  • Stolypin & Tsar Nicholas tried to prosecute members of the Duma, thinking that they were encouraging a mutiny among Russia's military and naval forces.
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Reforming the Duma and election process

  • With the 2nd Duma being made up of very radical socialists, Stolypin changed Russian law to try to get a more moderate Duma.
  • Peasants' and workers' votes were downgraded so that peasants and workers were less represented (they had been voting for the extreme socialists).
  • Instead, the aristocracy, landowners and wealthy had more of a say in who became a representative in the Duma.

The Third Duma (1907-1912)

The third Duma was more moderate. It lasted the intended term of 5 years, instead of being abandoned after a few months.

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The Octobrists and moderates

  • The third Duma was called in November 1907.
  • It was made up mainly of Octobrists, who won 154 of the 509 seats. The socialist Trudoviks lost 91 seats in this election. The Octobrists were members of a political party called the 'Union of October 17'. These politicians supported the commitments made by the tsar in the 1905 October Manifesto.
  • Because peasant and worker votes were worth less in the selection of the Duma, the third Duma was more moderate.
  • The third Duma worked reasonably well and showed that a 'constitutional monarchy' could work.
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Facts about the third Duma

  • It was still difficult for the tsar to pass legislation through parliament, instead of forcing it through using emergency decrees or martial law.
  • In the 5 year sitting of the third Duma, only 200 of 2,500 pieces of legislation proposed were approved by the Duma.
  • Speaking about the dissolution of the second Duma was taboo in Russia. Nobody was permitted to talk about it.
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The ante-Duma

  • Stolypin created the 'Council on Local Economic Affairs', which was known as the 'ante-Duma'.
  • One member of the ante-Duma described the ante-Duma as a 'wise and undoubtedly useful' idea.
  • The proposed legislation was discussed by the ante-Duma before presenting it to the actual elected Duma.
  • This was an attempt to build consensus and seems to work a combination of a coalition and a pre-mortem (attempt to see what could go wrong before it does).

The Decline & Death of Peter Stolypin

Stolypin became more powerful. He was the Prime Minister of Russia, his reforms were working well, and he controlled the Duma and the ante-Duma.

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The naval budget of 1909

  • In 1909, Stolypin passed the 'Naval General Staff Bill' through the Duma.
  • The Tsar and monarch had traditionally controlled the military. Tsar Nicholas II vetoed the bill.
  • The tsar thought that Stolypin was over-reaching and trying to claim too much power.
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What were the zemstva?

  • Stolypin wanted to introduce 'zemstva' (local councils) in the west.
  • Stolypin threatened to resign over the matter but the tsar persuaded him to stay by agreeing to banish Stolypin's right-wing opponents (Durnovo and Trepov) who were undermining his 'zemstva'.
  • Everyone in the Duma waved Durnovo off at the train station in protest against Stolypin's abuse of power.
  • Stolypin also demanded confirmation of the decision in writing, destroying his relationship with Tsar Nicholas II by implying he did not trust him & his word.
Illustrative background for Stolypin's assassination in 1911Illustrative background for Stolypin's assassination in 1911 ?? "content

Stolypin's assassination in 1911

  • In 1911, Stolypin was ill and sickly.
  • On the 14th of September 1911, whilst watching the opera 'Tsar' Saltan', he was shot by Mordka Bogrov, a member of the Russian secret police.
  • World War 1 would put a halt to most of Stolypin's reforms.

Jump to other topics

1The End of Tsardom

2Lenin's New Society

3Stalin's USSR

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