OCR Specification focus:
‘the causes, extent, nature and consequences of the 1905 Revolution; Witte and the October Manifesto; the Fundamental Law’
The 1905 Revolution was a complex uprising driven by deep political, social, and economic tensions. Its causes and outcomes shaped Nicholas II’s rule and Russia’s path.
Causes of the 1905 Revolution
Long-Term Economic and Social Grievances
Russian society in the early twentieth century was characterised by stark inequality.
Peasantry: Around 80% of the population were peasants, suffering from land hunger, high redemption payments, and rural poverty.
Industrial workers: Rapid industrialisation under Sergei Witte, Minister of Finance (1892–1903), had created poor working conditions, long hours, and overcrowded urban living.
Middle classes: Professionals and businessmen sought greater political rights and were frustrated by the autocracy’s refusal to modernise politically.
Autocracy: A system of government in which one ruler holds absolute power, with no constitutional limits or parliamentary accountability.
The lack of political representation fuelled resentment across these groups, making society volatile.
Political Opposition
Opposition movements challenged Nicholas II’s rigid control:
Liberals (Constitutional Democrats or Kadets): Wanted constitutional monarchy and civil rights.
Populists: Drew on peasant traditions of communal ownership.
Marxists: Divided into Mensheviks and Bolsheviks, seeking working-class revolution.
These groups remained fragmented but provided ideological alternatives to autocracy.
The Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905)
Russia’s humiliating defeat against Japan intensified unrest.
Military failures at Port Arthur, Mukden, and Tsushima undermined Nicholas II’s prestige.
Economic dislocation: War strained food supplies, disrupted industry, and worsened inflation.
National pride suffered, discrediting the government.
Bloody Sunday (January 1905)
On 9 January 1905, peaceful demonstrators led by Father Gapon marched to the Winter Palace seeking reforms. Troops fired on them, killing hundreds.
This massacre shattered the myth of the Tsar as the ‘Little Father’.
It sparked nationwide strikes, mutinies, and peasant uprisings.
Extent and Nature of the Revolution
Spread of Unrest
The revolution was not a single event but a wave of disturbances:
Urban strikes: Over two million workers took part in strikes across 1905.
Peasant revolts: Attacks on landlords, looting, and burning of estates spread through the countryside.
National minorities: Poles, Finns, Georgians, and others demanded autonomy.
Military mutinies: Most famously the mutiny on the battleship Potemkin, signalling cracks in the regime’s main pillar of support.
Organisational Developments
Workers formed soviets (councils) to organise strikes and political action, the most significant being the St Petersburg Soviet, chaired by Trotsky.
Coordination remained limited, but the soviets demonstrated an alternative form of political power.
The October Manifesto
Witte’s Role
After returning to government in 1905, Sergei Witte urged Nicholas II to make concessions. He believed reform was essential to stabilise the regime.
He persuaded the Tsar to issue the October Manifesto on 17 October 1905.
Facsimile of the October Manifesto as printed in Ведомости С.-Петербургского градоначальства (St Petersburg Governorate Gazette). The text proclaims civil freedoms and the creation of an elected Duma. Source
October Manifesto: A document issued by Nicholas II promising basic civil liberties and the creation of an elected legislative assembly (the Duma).
Content of the October Manifesto
Civil liberties: Freedom of speech, assembly, and association.
Duma: An elected body with legislative powers.
Voting rights: Broader participation, though still limited.
These promises split opposition:
Liberals (Kadets and Octobrists) welcomed reform.
Radicals (Socialists, Marxists) dismissed it as insufficient.
Consequences of the 1905 Revolution
Short-Term Outcomes
Revolutionary activity declined after October, as concessions pacified moderates.
Nicholas II retained ultimate control, reassured by loyal sections of the army.
Repression followed: strikers and revolutionaries faced arrests, executions, and exile.
The Fundamental Law (1906)
In April 1906, Nicholas issued the Fundamental Law which reaffirmed autocracy.
The Tsar retained the power to dissolve the Duma, veto legislation, and control the army and foreign policy.
This effectively nullified much of the October Manifesto.
Nicholas II delivers the opening address to the two chambers in the Winter Palace, signalling the new representative institutions promised in 1905. The image helps students grasp the ceremonial relationship between crown and parliament under the 1906 settlement. Source
Fundamental Law: A set of statutes issued in 1906 by Nicholas II that reasserted the Tsar’s supreme autocratic authority, limiting the real power of the Duma.
The Fundamental Law showed that the regime had no intention of genuine constitutional reform.
Long-Term Consequences
The 1905 Revolution revealed the fragility of the Russian autocracy but also its resilience.
The creation of the Duma established a precedent for representative politics, even if constrained.
Radical groups learned from 1905, refining strategies that would later be deployed in 1917.
Nicholas II’s credibility was weakened: many no longer trusted promises of reform.
Evaluation of the Revolution
The 1905 Revolution was significant because:
It forced the Tsar to make unprecedented concessions.
It demonstrated the power of mass strikes and soviets.
Yet, it failed to overthrow the regime due to opposition divisions, lack of unified leadership, and the loyalty of key parts of the army.
The revolution marked the beginning of the end for autocracy, even if Nicholas II survived for another twelve years.
FAQ
Father Gapon was a charismatic Orthodox priest who organised the Assembly of Russian Factory and Mill Workers, a legal workers’ association tolerated by the police.
He led the peaceful march on 9 January 1905, intending to deliver a petition to the Tsar. His leadership gave the demonstration moral and religious authority, which made the massacre’s impact even more devastating. After Bloody Sunday, Gapon fled into exile, disillusioned with the Tsar.
The war strained the Russian economy, diverting resources from domestic needs.
Food shortages worsened in cities.
Inflation eroded real wages.
Defeats at Port Arthur, Mukden, and Tsushima humiliated the army and government.
The war also undermined Nicholas II’s credibility as military failures showed his weakness as commander. Public anger, combined with worsening living conditions, made unrest inevitable by 1905.
The St Petersburg Soviet, formed in October 1905, coordinated strikes and gave workers an organisational voice.
Led briefly by Trotsky, it represented the first attempt at a council-based government. It issued proclamations, managed strike funds, and even attempted to organise armed resistance.
Although it was swiftly crushed by the authorities in December 1905, the Soviet became a model for future revolutionary organisation in 1917.
Liberals (Octobrists, Kadets): Welcomed reforms, hoping to build a constitutional monarchy.
Socialists and Marxists: Rejected the concessions as inadequate, viewing them as a tactic to weaken revolutionary momentum.
Peasant unrest: Continued sporadically, since land reform was not addressed.
This division diluted revolutionary unity, allowing the regime to survive the crisis. The split between moderate and radical opposition remained a defining feature of Russian politics.
Although the October Manifesto promised a legislative assembly, the Fundamental Law reasserted Nicholas II’s supremacy.
Key limitations included:
The Tsar’s right to dissolve the Duma at will.
Retention of control over the military and foreign policy.
A veto on any legislation.
Thus, the Duma existed but had little real authority. This ensured that autocracy, rather than constitutional monarchy, remained the political reality in Russia.
Practice Questions
Question 1 (2 marks)
Identify two long-term causes of the 1905 Revolution.
Mark scheme:
1 mark for each valid long-term cause identified.
Acceptable answers include:
Land hunger and poverty among the peasantry.
Poor working conditions and overcrowding for industrial workers.
Rapid industrialisation creating economic strain.
Middle-class frustration with lack of political rights.
(Max 2 marks)
Question 2 (6 marks)
Explain how the October Manifesto affected opposition groups in Russia in 1905.
Mark scheme:
Level 1 (1–2 marks): Simple description, limited detail (e.g. “Some groups supported it, others did not”).
Level 2 (3–4 marks): More developed explanation with some examples (e.g. “Liberals such as the Octobrists supported the October Manifesto because it promised civil rights, while socialists opposed it”).
Level 3 (5–6 marks): Clear and developed explanation, demonstrating understanding of divisions within opposition groups (e.g. “The October Manifesto split the opposition. Liberals such as Kadets and Octobrists welcomed civil liberties and the Duma, while radicals, including the Social Revolutionaries and Marxists, rejected it as inadequate. This division weakened the revolutionary movement and helped stabilise the regime in the short term”).
(Max 6 marks)
