Josep Javier Prats Marín-Lozano

Report on Russia for a new Tsar c.1903

STRUCTURE:

This is the country you rule:

 Territory/ Geography/ Communications:

o Vast empire (6400 km west to east).
o Important cities and industry concentrated in the west
o Main communication route Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to
Vladivostok. Otherwise some railway (by 1900 only same amount as
Britain)
o Diverse geography: Largely uninhabited or sparsely inhabited (Tundra
in the north frozen most of the year), Huge forests, Steppes (plains and
grassland), Deserts to the south

 People/ languages/ethnicities/Society
o Only 40% of pop. Had Russian as their first language
o Almost 80% of population classified as peasants. (within them some
were workers in factories, some kulaks (richer peasants))-generally
extremely poor and in years of bad harvest they could die of famine.
o Groups without Russian as first language called nationalities. This
included Cossacks (Very loyal soldiers) but also Poles and Finns (hated
Russian rule
o Nobility: very much alike to European nobility but in very small
percentage of population
o Urbanites: “sort of” middle class
 Institutions and power:
o Tsar absolute ruler (supported by autocracy, nationality and
orthodoxy-power directly from God.
o Imperial council made up of nobles advised him and cabinet of
ministers ran government but all respond only to him.
o Divided opinions on gov. (forward looking-liberalising vs autocratic)
o Huge bureaucracy with rigid hierarchy. Very inefficient
o Difficult to govern huge empire. Different regions controlled by
regional governors who often acted independently.
o Opposition not tolerated (e.g. public gatherings of more than 12
people required police permission). Oppresive and intolerant.
(disidents exiled to Siberia e.g. 300,000 by 1898…)
o Okhrana-secret police

 Religion(s):
o Russian orthodox Church (bond between God-like Tsar and the
people) main religion.
o Also large numbers of muslims and also Jews.
 Economy:
o Backward compared to European countries
 Josep Javier Prats Marín-Lozano

o Mainly based on agriculture but some industrialisation in cities in the

west.
o Growing middle class (industrialists, bankers traders, businessmen)

Mir // kulaks //okhrana

These are the challenges you face:

 Inequality
 Over reliance on Repression
 Inefficient government (corrupt, too big, ministries fighting)
 Too big and too diverse country
 Economy

These are the strengths you have as a ruler:

 Religion/ Church:
 Tradition and loyalty of peasants and Cossacks. Most Russians do see him as
the legitimate absolute leader.
 Biggest army in the world loyal to him. Powerful repressive institutions.

Here is my advice to you:

 Do a constitution to give some power to the people

 Delegate on experts
 Base power positions on meritocracy
 Enclosure?
 Less nepotism
 Follow suggestions to make the country more European-like
 Let workers live with their families and improve conditions through laws
 Improve transport links: Industrialisation
 Less censorship?
 Don’t do sudden changes which might cause reverse reaction or revolt from
nobles.
