Question

What were the sources of social discontent and agitation in Russia in the late nineteenth century? How did the government respond? What events led to the Russian Revolution of 1905? What was the outcome of this revolution?

Answer 1

There were several reasons for their discontent.  One was that peasants were often assigned to lands that they would work on but an individual peasant cannot sell the land he was working on since the land is part of whole territory where other peasants worked.  Their income was not enough to buy food or other things that they need and this led to hunger and discontent among them.  There was also prejudice against other ethnic groups especially the Jews who were badly treated by the Russians.  Due to increased taxation on the peasants to subsidize industrialization also was a factor.  Schools also started questioning the government’s policies.  Many students protested what was going and the government also clamped down on them through a number of measures ranging from expulsion to military service.  The Revolution started on December 4, 1904 when students were protesting when workers led a procession on the Winter Palace led by Fr. Georgy Gapon who were fired upon by Russian troops. This led to massive unrest among laborers as well as the military.  It also affected the Russo-Japanese War where the Japanese won and took territory from the Russians.  It was now the start of the Revolution of 1905 as massive protest began in various parts of the country.  Later on to stop the unrest, there was the signing of the October Manifesto that led to the creation of the Duma. The Constitution of 1906 created the multi-party system and the limited Monarchy.  However this was short-lived and later paved the way for the 1917 Revolution that overthrow the Tsar.