The Long-Term Causes Of The 1905 Russian Revolution

Under the sovereignty and tyrannical rule of Peter the Great, the Russian Empire demonstrated sweeping reforms of westernization, which established Russia as a principal European power. The reign of Nicholas II saw Imperial Russia transposed as one of the foremost great powers of the world, into an economic, societal and military collapse. Although Tsar Nicholas’ rule was ridden with discontent, the culmination of decades of pervasive adversity from the peasantry and the rising urban proletariat led to the 1905 Russian Revolution. The widespread famine that consumed Russia in 1891, the economic repercussions of the Great Spurt, the incompetence and the Tsar’s general disregard for the needs of his people encompassed the long-term causes. While

The ‘great spurt’ employed by Sergei Witte (1893-1903), Minister for Finance, generated substantial economic reform within the country. In order to modernize Russia to the extent of European standards, the national currency, the rouble, was placed on the gold standard in 1897, in an attempt to promote capital and foreign investment. Witte’s intentions were to promote modernization, while remaining in favour of the Tsarist system, to show that Russia can remain an empire, whilst adopting a European outlook on industry and economy. His venture in the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway was designed to connect the remote and isolated provinces of central and eastern Russia with the mechanised west. The railway, however, served as a reminder of the failed attempt to modernize a technologically unsophisticated empire, as it remained unfinished at the outbreak of World War 1 in 1914. With industrialisation, came increased urbanisation. The population of Russia’s major cities increased by approximately 500,000 (St. Petersburg) – 600,000 (Moscow) from 1891 – 1900. In spite of a severe economic depression at the end of the century, Russia’s coal, iron, steel, and oil production tripled between 1890 and 1900. Despite the positive outcomes of reforming this antiquated empire , the following of a worldwide recession coupled with the unexpected rise of the urban population led to growing public discontent with the regime, which would ensue to contribute to revolutionary action in 1905. The burden of land ownership, following the Emancipation Act 1861, saw many peasants flock to the major cities of Russia with the emerging urban proletariat. However, appalling conditions for industrial workers plagued their desire for social betterment. Cities became severely overpopulated, resulting in