Restoration of Order, 19056

1
Restoration of Order, 1905-6

• How did the state restore control in 1905/06?

2
October Manifesto

• Witte managed to convince the Tsar to make
  concessions.
• 17th October 1905. Promised
• Freedom of Speech
• Freedom of Assembly
• Freedom of Press
• Creation of a bicameral legislative (law making)
  parliament by 1906.
• Revolutionary?
• The October Manifesto did not include any
  reference to the point that the Duma could not
  initiate legislation.

3
Nicholas II, 19/10/1905

• I constantly met Witte. We met in the early
  morning and parted at night fell. Two options
  crush the rebellion by sheer force. That would
  mean rivers of blood, and in the end we would be
  where had started. The other is to give to the
  people their civil rights, freedom of speech and
  press, laws conformed by a State Duma - a
  constitution. Witte defends this very
  energetically.
• Almost everybody is of the same opinion. Witte
  put it quite clearly to me that he would accept
  the Presidency (of the Duma) only on the
  condition that his programme was agreed to, and
  his actions not interfered with. We discussed it
  for two days and in the end, invoking God's help
  I signed. There was no other way out but to cross
  oneself and give what everyone was asking for.
  (edited)

4
Appeasement(?)

• Wittes suggestion was shrewd
• Miliukov and the Union of Liberals were quiet and
  reserved criticism for when they would see the
  constitution.
• Split the opposition and isolated the militant
  workers.
• Even so, workers rioted, striked, burnt property,
  
• 5-day worker strike in Moscow (Oct, 1905)
  Peasant rising and bloody attacks (Nov and Dec
  1905)
• Non-Russian protests and disturbances Riga,
  Lodz, Baku, Finland, Jews.

5
Restoration of Order

• Three factors
• Nicholas resolves to use force creates Union of
  the Russian People reactionary, right-wing and
  (almost) Fascist. Nicholas was a member.
• Appoints Durnovo to restore order on the streets.
• Liberals halt protests to support the state
  fearful of losing progress already made.

6
Reaction/Activities

• Dec 1905 St Petersburg closed by troops.
• Dec 1905 Moscow rising bloodily supressed.
• What did these actions show?
• After Bloody Sunday and October Manifesto, State
  was no longer on the run.
• Powers of repression were recovering.
• State had regained political initiative.

7
Stolypin Replaces Witte

• Wittes policies in 1905/06 damaged the Tsars
  reputation Nov/Dec rebellions.
• Stolypin set about restoring order in the
  countryside.
• Imposes martial law, extensive use of the death
  penalty esp. Volga region. c.3,000.
• Hangmans noose referred to as Stolypins
  Necktie.

8
Constitutional Monarchy

• Fundamental Laws
• The Duma
• 1st nationally elected assembly.
• Lower house peasant and most urban dwellers
  voted too.

The supreme autocratic power is vested in the
Emperor of all the Russias. It is God's command
that his authority should be obeyed not only
through fear but for conscience's sake
No new law can be enacted without the approval of
the State Council and the State Duma, and it
shall not be legally binding without the approval
of the Sovereign Emperor
9
So what role was the Duma to have in Russian
politics?

• Indispensable and muted.
• Overseen by an unelected upper house Council of
  State.
• Balance of power tilted towards Tsar.
• Dissolve parliament
• Rule by decree (Art 87)
• Forbidden to discuss military budget.

10
Question

• Did the 1905 Revolution leave the tsarist system
  weaker or stronger?
• Why did the state use the methods it did after
  1905?