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Russian Revolution

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Russian Revolution
Modern history essay-half yearly

Explain the reasons for the growth of revolutionary activity in Russia prior to WW1:

Prior to world war one, there was a definite increase of revolutionary activity in Russia. A majority of this activity began when Tsar Nicholas the II came into power as autocratic ruler of Russia in 1894. His position as absolute monarch began to enrage the Russian people as they became unhappy with the inequality of the Feudal system. The weak economy of Russia and the lack of Industrialisation agrarian did not help this factor, as the people were not seeing any improvements in the growth of Russia as an economy. The Tsar poor leadership and unpopularity was too a leading factor to the growth of revolutionary activity, especially after bloody Sunday, the people needed a strong leader and felt that the tsar was not one. The fact that the countries military was weak did not provide comfort to the people as it became hard for Russia to stand as one united nation.

The long-term inequality of the feudal system and the Tsars autocratic system of parliament was one of the contributing factors for growth of revolutionary activity in Russia prior to WW1. The feudal system placed all of the Russian population into distinct classes. Most Russians did not question the Tsars system of government, believing he was appointed to rule by god. However some people refused to accept this, wanting to get rid of the Tsar and make big changes to the Russian society. There was a vast comparison between the royalty and the working class. The royalty lived a fine life, as did the army and the upper class, working shorter hours and working hardly at all. However the peasants or the “urbanised workers” worked extremely long hours and were paid little, most often being ordered around by the upper classes. This resulted in restlessness in the lower classes, those making easy money, such as the capitalists, were doing little to improve the conditions of their

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