The Bare Essentials: Imperial Russia

1. Geography
The Russian Empire was very large. So large, in fact, that it covered one-sixth of our planet’s land surface. At it’s greatest extent it was 5,000 miles from west to east and 2,000 miles from north to south: a total of some 8.5 million square miles. It stretched from the arctic north to the deserts south of the Caspian Sea; from Poland in the west to the Bering Sea by Alaska in the east. It was both a European and an Asian country – in fact the bulk of the empire (but not the bulk of the population) lay in Asia.

2. Agriculture and climate
Despite it’s size, much of the Russian Empire was uninhabitable and its land unproductive. Only about 6% of all Russian land could be used for farming. The climate did not help either. It was very hot in summer and very cold in winter, the coldest regions being in the east in Siberia. As a result the soil was only suitable for farming a few months out of the year.

3. Population
The Russian population expanded dramatically in the nineteenth century as the figures below show.

1. 40 million
2. 68 million
3. 74 million
4. 124 million
5. 170 million

 

4. Social Structure
Russian society was structured like a pyramid with the Tsar at the top and the peasants at the bottom. The vast majority of the Russian population were peasants (85% at the turn of the twentieth century). Difficulties in farming led to families working together to survive. Encouraged by landowners and the state, peasants had been organised into communes (mirs) since the middle of the eighteenth century. The land was then divided into strips and distributed according to family size. The mir not only provided security but also gave peasants some experience of self-government. Matters of common concern were discussed and decided together.  

The peasants were largely illiterate, religious, superstitious and highly conservative. At the middle of the nineteenth century most peasants were serfs – virtual slaves – with no personal freedom at all.

The rest of Russian society was made up of landowners, army officers, government officials, bureaucrats, clergy, professionals (such as lawyers, doctors and teachers), merchants, traders, businessmen and a very small working class. The middle class and nobility were also relatively small groups but they possessed most of the wealth.

In addition to all these social divisions, there were ethnic ones as well. In 1897 Russians only made up about 44% of the population of 125 million.

Russians              55,650,000            Germans                1,800,000
Ukrainians            22,400,000            Caucasians             1,600,000
Poles                      7,900,000            Latvians                1,400,000
White Russians       5,900,000            Georgians             1,300,000
Jewish                    5,000,000            Lithuanians             1,200,000
Finns                      3,100,000            Armenians              1,100,000
And over 13 million Turkic Muslims plus a variety of smaller groups.

5. Government
The peoples of Russia were governed by one person, the Tsar. For over 300 years, from 1613, the Romanov dynasty held the country together. The Tsar’s powers were absolute. All policy and decision making lay with him. He was the ‘father’ of his people, they were his ‘children’. The Tsar believed he was chosen by God and he therefore ruled by divine right. He was answerable to no one but God. While he was advised by individual ministers, the State Council and the Senate the Tsar hired and fired as he saw fit. The Russian aristocracy was also quite weak. The people had no say in government, no parliament, no political parties, and no means of debate.

The vast majority of the Russian population would never have contact with their Tsar. Poor communications and transport made this impossible. They accepted his authority but in practice the bulk of the country was run by the local landed gentry, clergy and bureaucracy. In many ways Russia was run as a colony – divided into provinces, districts and villages. The Mister of the Interior, the police and ultimately the army kept order, and the Orthodox Church taught obedience and a better life in the next world.                 

 

Imperial Russia

Tasks

 

How large was the Russian Empire?

 

How much of Russian land was suitable for farming? How did the climate make matters worse?

 

Describe the change in Russia’s population from 1814-1914.

 

Draw a simple diagram to show the structure of Russian society. Be sure to add the groups situated in the middle, as well as those at the top and bottom. Mark on your diagram where Russia’s wealth lay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What was the mir? Why was it necessary and how did it operate?

 

In 1897 what percentage of the Empire’s population were Russian? Name some other ethnic groups to be found in the Empire.

 

 

Which family ruled Russia for 300 years?

 

 

How did the Tsar view his relationship with his subjects?

 

 

The Tsar ruled by divine right. What does this mean?

 

10.Did the Tsar seek advice?

 

11.Why was it necessary to rule Russia as a colony?

 

12.Who kept order throughout the Empire?

 

13.What role did the Church play in keeping control?