Bloody Sunday, 1905 Revolution, and Russian Reforms
Bloody Sunday in Derry
While unionists expressed regret over the deaths in Derry, they argued that the Civil Rights march was illegal and should not have occurred. The British Embassy in Dublin was burned by nationalist protesters, highlighting the anger of some nationalists towards the British Government’s actions.
Peasants and Workers in the 1905 Revolution
Russia lacked income tax, with the Tsar taxing peasant farmers’ produce to fund his regime. This heavy taxation led to frequent riots and widespread famine, such as in 1901. Despite their own food shortages, peasants were forced to produce surplus grain for export.
October Manifesto
The October Manifesto helped Tsar Nicholas II survive the 1905 revolution by introducing reforms demanded by the liberal middle class. These included new civil rights like freedom of speech and religion, the right to form political parties, and the creation of a democratic parliament (the Duma). This appeased liberals and ended the general strike.
However, the reforms were limited. The Fundamental Laws of the following year drastically reduced the Duma’s powers, allowing the Tsar to suspend it, propose laws, and control the armed forces. This showed the Tsar’s determination to maintain autocracy despite the new constitution.
Stolypin’s Land Reform
After the emancipation of serfs in 1861, land was allocated to peasant households but collectively owned by village communes. The communes divided land into strips for cultivation. The reform had limited success; by 1916, only 20% of peasant households had land titles, and fewer had consolidated plots. The reform failed to create a bulwark of support for the autocracy, and peasants participated in the 1917 revolutions, seizing properties of Stolypin farmers.
The Lena Goldfields Strike
Working conditions for gold miners along the Lena River were terrible. A protest over rotten horsemeat led to strikes that spread throughout the goldfields, becoming a mass protest. Between 200 and 500 workers were killed, with hundreds more wounded. Repression reduced strikes from thousands in 1905 to a few hundred in 1911. However, after the massacre, there were nearly 2,000 strikes and thousands of protest meetings. Alexander Kerensky investigated the terrible conditions endured by miners, gaining fame for his reports.