17.2.4

Reforming Russia

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Peter Stolypin

Peter Stolypin was the driving force behind reform after 1905.

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Stolypin's background

  • Stolypin had been governor of several provinces in Lithuania before the 1905 uprisings.
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Stolypin's rise

  • In April 1906, the tsar appointed Stolypin Minister of the Interior.
  • In July 1906, Stolypin replaced Goremkyn as the Chairman of the Council of Ministers (chief minister in Russia).
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Continued instability and the socialist threat in Russia

  • The Socialist Revolutionary Combat Organisation assassinated political figures like Sergei Alexandrovich, the tsar's uncle and Vyacheslav von Plehve, the Minister of the Interior.
  • Paul Avrich estimates that 4,000 government workers were murdered by socialist organisations in 1906 and 1907.
  • Stolypin asked the tsar to create a reserve cabinet in case ministers were killed.
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Restoring order

  • Stolypin survived a bombing attack on him in August 1907. He announced a state of emergency and introduced martial law.
  • Field court-martials (special military courts) were used to deal with these socialist terrorists.
    • Roughly 4,000 were executed within 1 year.
    • They faced secret trials immediately after being captured and were sometimes executed the next day.
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'Stolypin's necktie'

  • The executioner's noose was known as 'Stolypin's necktie' because it was used so often.
  • Stolypin was meant to reform the state, however, his regime became even more autocratic.
  • Stolypin was condemned by the Kadet party in the Duma.

Peter Stolypin's Land Reforms

Peter Stolypin is best known for reforming agriculture (farming).

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Helping the peasants

  • Under Sergei Witte's industrial reforms in the 1890s, the peasants had been largely ignored.
  • Railroads and electrification were good for factories, industry, and exports (as well as foreign investors).
  • 80% of the population were still peasants and little had changed since the emancipation of the serfs (peasant slaves) in 1861.
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Law of November 1906

  • The Law of November 1906 allowed peasants to create their own small farms.
    • They were allowed to own their land and Witte hoped this would kill the support for socialism.
  • If people owned their own property, they would be less likely to want to revolt and make every asset in society communal.
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Peasants' Land Bank

  • The Peasants' Land Bank had existed since the 1880s, but Stolypin scaled it up.
  • The loans from the Peasants' Land Bank allowed peasants to buy their small farms.
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Resettlement

  • The government also encouraged resettlement (moving to other parts of the country).
    • The Russian government wanted to get people out of really overcrowded cities.
  • From 1906 to 1910, over 600,000 people per year moved to Siberia.
    • 10 million people lived there by 1915. However, the climate is extreme in Siberia and life is hard.

Jump to other topics

1Empires East & West: 1000 AD

1.1The Rise & Fall of Ancient China’s Empire

1.2The Medieval Greatness of the Byzantine Empire

1.3The Golden Age of the Islamic Empire

1.4The Politics & Power of the Holy Roman Empire

1.5Medieval Religion

1.6The Influence of the Church in Medieval Times

1.7How Religion Tested the Power of Kings

1.8Dynastic Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.9Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.10Revolts, Rebellions & Rights

1.11Medieval England & Her Neighbours

1.12European Renaissance

1.13Norman Conquest & Control

1.14Historical Skills

2The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

2.1Anglo-Saxon England

2.2The Contest for the English Throne

2.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

2.4King John

2.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

2.6The Black Death

3Worldviews

4The Empire of Mali: 1076-1670 AD

5The Renaissance & Reformations: 1500-1598 AD

6The British Empire: 1583-1960 AD

7The Peasants' Revolt: 1381 AD

8Religion in the Middle Ages

9Slavery: 1619-1833 AD

10The English Civil War: 1642-1660 AD

11The Industrial Revolution: 1750-1840 AD

12US Independence: 1775-1783 AD

13The French Revolution: 1789-1815 AD

14The British Empire: 1857–1930 AD

15Suffrage: 1840-1928 AD

16World War 1: 1914-1918 AD

17The Russian Revolution: 1917 AD

18The Inter-War Years: 1919-1939 AD

19World War 2: 1939-1945 AD

20The Cold War: 1947-1962 AD

21Civil Rights in the USA: 1954-1975 AD

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