It would be argued by some that the First World War was the main cause of the collapse of the Romanov rule in 1914, as it created a pressure cooker of economical breakdown, social discontent, and political inadequacies. However, western countries survived the First World War without these crippling problems, therefore this is indicative of major existing flaws in the systems of Russia. Many had already been turned politically away from the tsar, including the Populists, Liberals, and Marxists. The war only provided the catalyst to shift the majority view to that of the opposition, thus destroying the last of the tsar’s support. Opposed to an accumulation of genuine hatred of the Romanovs forcing Nicholas to abdicate, it was an insidious discontent which ultimately tipped the scale in favour of revolution - "The Russian Empire was a powder keg, waiting to explode" . The war merely lit the explosion of revolution that would most likely have over time occurred anyway because of the backwardness of the Russian Empire. …show more content…
Making up the majority of the country – if things were seen to be improving for the peasant classes revolution would have been unlikely. Modernisation of areas of the country which affected peasants would create support for the tsar and stabilise the socio-political systems. Stolypin abolished redemption payments in the hope that peasants would be appeased – it is largely maintained that these were the main cause of peasant discontent and Stolypin’s actions stabilised the rural situation, “the countryside was quiet in 1914” . Additionally, “many peasant’s living conditions were actually improving” leaving the social stability of the peasant class in a favourable condition, and there were further advances in agriculture - “between 1861 and 1910 crop yield had increased by 50%” , supporting the ideation the war was the main factor in the breakdown of this
Modern History Research Essay: The Russian Revolution (Task 1) Assess the role of the Bolsheviks for the decline and fall of the Romanov dynasty. The beginning of the 20th century brought radical changes to the social and political structure of autocratic Russia. It was a period of regression, reform, revolution and eradication. Eradication of a blood line that had remained in rule for over 300 years; the Romanov Dynasty. The central figure of this eradication was Tsar Nicholas II, often described
factors attributed to the fall of the Romanov Dynasty in 1917. These factors include the first World War, social and economic hardship, revolutionary individuals and ideologies, as well as the inadequate leadership and reputation of Tsar Nicholas II. The Romanov Dynasty collapsed in 1917 after years of discontented citizens living in undesirable conditions under Autocratic rule. To quote Historian Orlando Figes “Collapse is certainly the right word to use. For the Romanov regime fell under the weight of
The Romanov Dynasty held the Russian Empire as one of the most powerful European states for over three centuries. In 1917, during Nicholas II’s contradictory reign, a revolution began that transformed the empire into the first ever communist nation, replacing the infamous autocratic rule and introducing the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The Russian people were ruled by an autocratic government since 1613 when the Romanov Dynasty began. The government was run by the Tsar who had unlimited power
1. Conquistador: It is the Spanish word corresponding to explorer or conqueror. It refers to the Spanish explorers who conquered new territories, especially the Americas, in the name of Spain. Examples of conquistadores were Hernando Cortes, who defeated the Aztec Empire and conquered Mexico in the early 16th century, and Francisco Pizarro, who triumphed over the Inca Empire. 2. Ptolemy 's Geography: It was the work of Ptolemy, an astronomer who lived in the Roman Empire in the second century. It
E SSAYS ON TWENTIETH-C ENTURY H ISTORY In the series Critical Perspectives on the Past, edited by Susan Porter Benson, Stephen Brier, and Roy Rosenzweig Also in this series: Paula Hamilton and Linda Shopes, eds., Oral History and Public Memories Tiffany Ruby Patterson, Zora Neale Hurston and a History of Southern Life Lisa M. Fine, The Story of Reo Joe: Work, Kin, and Community in Autotown, U.S.A. Van Gosse and Richard Moser, eds., The World the Sixties Made: Politics and Culture in