However, the Russo Japanese was not the only factor leading to Bloody Sunday, the start of the Revolution, other factors such as the Great Spurt and Alexander III’s manifesto – ‘the reaction’ also led to the start of the revolution. Short term causes of the war are that people wanted change. There was a growing population in Russia, but conditions were only getting worse. The proletariats (urban workers) had to endure harsh working conditions as well as appalling hygiene standards. Another cause of the war was that Russia wanted to continue its expansion into the Far East and obtain a free port.
Being knocked down a peg in society brings us back to wishing we could just accept or afford the little house with the picket fence. As soon as we are able to fulfill that dream again, if ever, we become greedy again. People crave for more and I believe it is only human to feel this way; this helps us to fit into society and feel as though we are living the American dream. For some people they struggle to live the American dream and tend look to the government for help. Feeling helpless due to the economy they become addicted to claiming help from other sources other than themselves because it just seems easier.
There are many cases in which the Tsar’s position and the government’s position are genuinely threatened such as the mass demonstrations leading to many strikes which had the potential of economic failure. On the other hand there are also cases where they are not seriously threatened the mutinies of the armed services for example did not carry on after the war. The revolutionary’s aims had no intentions to threaten the position of the Tsar or his government however some people could argue that it did because of the misinterpretations of their demands. The Tsar and his government faced three main opponents the industrial workers, peasants and the reformist middle class. The fact that peasantry took part in the 1905 revolution (also known as Bloody Sunday)shows that the suspicions of the peasants changing were true and to the Tsar and his government this could have appeared to be a threat because they always feared peasantry development, the Tsar and the Empress especially.
From 1856-1964 in Russia there were many reforming leaders who some may suggest significantly changed the nature of Russian government and society, certainly intentionalist historians stress the significance these individuals played in changing Russia. However a structuralist approach evaluates how circumstances such as, the state of the economy, war, famine, revolution and opposition, influenced how Russia developed, from a backward state to a world superpower. This resulted in significant changes to government and society, however despite this we can also see a lot of continuity, for example by 1964 the Russian population was still ruled by autocracy, and all leaders used repression to control the population. The reign of Alexander II reflected a more liberal age as he made numerous reforms, including the emancipation of the serfs which is described by intentionalist historian Tim Chapman as "the single most important law or decree issued by any tsar in nineteenth-century Russia". However it created land ownership problems which with the redemption fee system created bitterness amongst peasants and became known as ‘the great disappointment’ .
For example, there were some upper class such as Alexander Cassatt, who was in charge of the Pennsylvania Railroad also supporters of regulation and political Reform. Second, the Populist movement was fighting for money while the Progressives were pursuing higher profit. People who made up primarily of poor farmers just want to have a common life with others; they found that movement did influence the economy and politics. Then the Populist Party started to fight for moral regeneration, political democracy, and anti-monopoly. In weekly reading, The Common People Are Being Robbed, Mary indicated that “The Puritans fleeing from oppression became oppressors”, and so did the farmers.
The utopians were people unsatisfied with America's normal society and as a result created their own societies where their ideals could be lived and taught. In all of the reforms of 1825-1850, America's democratic ideals were reinforced and spread as people became involved in different causes and movements. The temperance movement of this time was the result of disgusted citizens and abused wives. As seen in document H, drunkards were not thought highly of, and though wives were still struggling for equality, society did not look kindly on the drunken husband who beat his family. By the reformer's propaganda and rallies, democratic ideals were strengthened as people left their personal lives and fought to enlighten the government and others of the problems resulting from alcohol.
They loved the Tsar and believed he would help them, so protested for better living conditions. Their protest was brutally put down by the Imperial Guard since they were shot down by the czar’s troops. This incident “Bloody Sunday” destroyed the people’s faith in the Czar. Strikes and revolts exploded around the country. • In response to massive protest he created the October Manifesto (propositions) and promised to grant more rights, such as freedom of speech, meeting and association.
Corporations? Oh yeah, they are people too, aren’t they? Not really, but the law says they are. So they think they can buy elections and control the lives and the pursuit of happiness; driving the people into slavery to produce more wealth for them and the people get to eat the crumbs. Just think, they get upset when one wants to stop them, their feelings get hurt when one talks of “class warfare (Frank p.A25)”.
The 18th amendment contributed to the rise of organized crime because it created a lot of underground business. From killings to people living in poverty, that’s what the prohibition caused. If people really thought that prohibiting alcohol to be sold leally were going to help the way that people lived during this time, they were wrong. A lot of people were against the law, they argued that if they banned alcohol legal businesses were going to go broke and that was not going to help the economy get better. But alcohol was not the only thing breaking families apart they said, after the war, soldiers would come home and find themselves in a whole, struggling to find jobs.
The Russian Revolution The Russian Revolution Why did it happen? The Russian Revolution was due to the culmination of repression and unrest over a great period of time. In the late 19th/ early 20th century Russia was an enormous empire home to over 170 million people of many different cultures, languages and religions, stretching from the Pacific to Poland. It was difficult ruling such a massive state and the complications within Russia caused a revolution which swept the old system away. A variety of long term and short term factors caused this revolution.