This meant trade to other countries went down bringing the economy to yet another low and this lack of agricultural workers meant a lack of food across Russia, especially in towns and cities where there was no easy access to farms; and as is with most things in demand, the prices went through the roof, leaving peasants starving on a mass scale. The only short term fix that was established for this whole issue, was a series of loans from Russia’s allies, Britain and France; these loans are especially important when it comes to the provisional government’s role in the second revolution in 1917. The other major issue that was gained from the World War is the amazing show of incompetence from Russian military leaders, most notably Nicholas II. This led to a decreasing
When Nicholas was first crowned Tsar in 1894, the whole country rejoiced and had a new hope for a brighter future, that things would be better than they were before. However, if anything, maybe things got worse. Peasants living in the countryside made up 80% of Russia and their living/working conditions were horrendous. Those who supported the opposition, the Social Revolutionaries, mainly opposed the Tsar because of land. Some peasants left to work in the cities as the Tsar wanted Russia to be an industrial power, however the living conditions there hardly improved, which matched their dreadful working conditions.
“BLOODY SUNDAY WAS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CAUSES OF THE 1905 REVOLUTION” To what extent do you agree? Although Bloody Sunday marked the breakdown of the Tsar and autocratic government, there were many other long and short term causes that provided the build up of tension and ultimately led to the revolution of 1905; Bloody Sunday was the final straw for the peasants and the other groups in Russian life, rather than a key cause. The most significant causes were mostly long term. Firstly, there was the terrible work and living conditions of the peasants, alongside the low wages they received. The lack of usable land in Russia and the subdivison of land between families both resulted in an incredibly low income, especially for larger families.
Serfs who for centuries had worked the land for little or not pay, suddenly began to demand higher wages and, increasingly, revolted against a nobility that sought to work them for lower wages of the past. Social Effects - The greatest social impact of the plague was that the rigid feudal system, in place in Europe for a thousand years, was dismantled. Feudalism was based on the nobility controlling land and the peasants who worked it. With immense labor shortages, serfs were free to leave the lands of the lords to seek higher wages. Additionally, land that had traditionally been the primary source of wealth was now worthless.
Poverty and Living Conditions in the 1890s In the nineteenth century, attitudes to poverty tended to be: • Poverty was often blamed on the individual. • The cause of poverty was often blamed on idleness. • Many politicians believed that each individual was responsible for his/her own welfare so people should work hard and save for their old age. • The only way to get help if you were poor was to enter the workhouse. Conditions in the workhouse were deliberately harsh in order to discourage people from seeking help.
The reasons for agrarian discontent in the late 19th century were derived from trusts and monopolies, railroad freight costs for transportation of produce, and the circulation of money. Arguably, some of their complaints were not valid. The agricultural depression at the time in question could not solely be blamed on the government. Come to think about it, it was simple economics that mostly brought the farmers down. They grew too much too fast during a time where it wasn’t as required.
Since the serf population had gotten ridiculously low, plantation owners were forced to start paying workers to tend the farms. (Gottfreid, pg. 55) The same effect was applied to factories, and the wages rose in attempt to get more workers. The poor were moving into deserted houses, and many began to live better. On farms that had become vacant, peasants took ownership and started making more money.
The only people who enjoyed the black plague were the peasants as said in the quote “As the Black Death swung the balance in the peasants favor” (Routt). Before the disease hit Europe many people had jobs and the wages were quite low and prices very high, with a high rent too. When the Black Plague intruded Europe the opposite happened, high wages, low rent, and very low prices. This quote supports this by saying “[…] enabling laborers to negotiate better terms for prices, rents and wages” (Recker). Not only were shops greatly affected but feudalism was as well.
This meant serfdom was already coming to its own natural end, and for Alexander II to support his nobles he had to emancipate the serfs so they could go start increasing their wealth and get out of debt. Serfdom was also holding Russia back, with the rest of Europe liberalising and making vast economic progress Russia’s economy was starting to look inferior and for them to advance as a nation they had to increase productivity of the serfs and the simple solution was to emancipate them. The serfs were inefficient and had a low productivity due to poor farming methods and constantly being oppressed by their nobles. This oppression and poor farming was caused by the extremely conservative rule which refused to modernise, had the Tsar modernised the farming techniques and stopped the
This frantic poverty and gross inequality marked the Russian society. The Czar and the aristocracy, as well as Russia’s capitalist class, lived in opulent luxury in palaces such as the Hermitage, while most Russians literally did not have food, and suffered from skyrocketing costs. In the countryside most farmers still used wooden ploughs. Hundreds of thousands died from epidemics on a regular basis. 1/3 of all Russian babies died before their first birthday.