Industrialization+Outside+the+West

1. What was the Decemberist uprising? What were its causes and effects?

revolt of Western-oriented army officers because of censureship of intellectuals who tried to incorporate liberal or radical political views/ideas. Nicholas I, the new tsar, stilled more adamant conservatism, and repression of political opponents stiffened, alongside the secret police gaining more power. Political criticism was monitored in schools and newspapers, and only managed to flourish outside of Russia.

2. What were the weaknesses of the Russian economy? not as industrialized as other Western European nations. They remained largely an agrarian nation w/ little improvement to their economy, unlike the West.

3. What caused the Crimean War? What were its major effects?

The Crimean War was caused by a religious conflict between Russia and the Ottoman Empire. Russia asserted its right to protect Christian interests in the Holy Land, but England and France did not want a major power coming in and taking over the Ottoman Empire due to a possible threat to India and pride in being a supporter of Christianity, respectively. Russia lost to the West, and it was because of this loss that Russia realized that they had to make reforms in military and in the economy.

4. Why were serfs emancipated? How did their emancipation differ from the emancipation of slaves in the U.S.? What changes did it create?

Serfs were emancipated because Russia wanted to develop a more vigorous and mobile labor force and be able to industrialize like the West. Their emancipation differed from the emancipation of slaves in the U.S because the serfs actually got most of the lands that they were working on, albeit, not the most fertile land. Changes from the emancipation included the creation of a larger urban labor force, but with that, came more uprisings as a result of discontent from being taxed and the like.

5. What were the Zemstvoes? How successful were they?

The Zemstvoes were local political councils that had power in regulating roads, schools, and other regional policies. They were in ways a local government, with no national power, for the people, now that the nobility no longer ruled the peasantry. They were successful in providing the middle class with some power; the middle class people, such as lawyers and doctors, gained political experience as a result of the Zemstvoes.

6. What was the significance of the Trans-Siberian railroad?

The significance of the Trans-Siberian Railroad is that the railroad boom directly helped to stimulate the expansion of Russia's iron and coal sectors by connecting Russia to the Pacific, as well as the export of grain to the West. It opened Siberia up for new development, increasing Russia as a nation with a high Asian role.

7. What economic reforms were enaced by Sergei Witte?

Sergei Witte enacted high tariffs to protect the bustling new Russian industries, improved banking system, and encouraged Western investors to build great factories with advanced technology.

8. What were the signs that Russia was headed to revolution? (think about - intelligentsia, anarchists, Marxists, Bolsheviks.)

The signs that Russia was headed to revolution first occurred with the intelligentsia and other people advocating for social and political rights; their desire for these rights often prompted them to conduct radical attacks on facilities. Other radicals that soon came after were the anarchists who wanted to abolish the government of Russia completely. Terrorism here was also a common trend due to failure to unify the peasants in a massive revolt. The Marxists brought new doctrines from the West to Russia, offering the idea of a proletariat revolution, an idea that appealed to many. In response, the Bolsheviks were a group of Russian Marxists who strongly and actively advocated this idea within the government, being a minor party.