Why was the Tsar forced to abdicate in 1917?

 

Mistakes of Nicholas II

Mistrust of talented politicians. Witte and Stolypin were the possible ‘saviours’ of tsardom yet both were
unpopular and their efforts consciously undermined.

A series of non-entities and incompetents were appointed to influential governmental posts after 1911. They lacked the necessary political imagination to deal with a crisis and tended to resort to repression.

The terror tactics of the Cheka were both a cause and effect of growing public disorder. Strikes became more political and were on the increase (24 in 1911; 2401 in 1914)

Before the formal abdication occurred, Nicholas had already lost the will to fight. Lenin claimed that one of the preconditions of a successful revolution was that the existing ruling power had to have given up the will to survive.

Nicholas made the decision to take over the running of the war in 1915. This decision meant he would be held directly responsible for any military defeats.

An unpopular Tsarina and Rasputin were left in charge of the running of the country while Nicholas went to the front.

Nicholas failed to heed the ‘warning’ of 1905. He undermined the concept of constitutional monarchy before it even began, issuing the Fundamental Laws which directly contradicted the content and promises of the October Manifesto.

An entrenched autocrat, Nicholas wouldn’t allow the development of a more democratic, representative form of government.

The first two Dumas were closed down due to the left wing elements elected. In 1907 the electoral laws were tampered with to ensure future Dumas would be right wing and supportive of the Tsar.

Nicholas resisted the call of the ‘Progressive Bloc’ to establish a government of ‘public confidence’ to deal with the chaos and disorganisation on the Russian homefront.

 

Factors beyond Nicholas’ control

Russia was a huge country with a diverse population, making it extremely difficult to govern. Its society and economy were outdated and the task of modernisation was one that even a more able leader would have found extremely challenging.

The state of Russian agriculture held back progress. Stolypin’s reforms failed to produce a class of entrepreneurial farmers and agricultural production lagged behind industry. The ingrained conservatism of the Russian peasantry proved impossible to break.

Furthermore, Stolypin’s reforms produced a growing class of alienated poor landless peasants. Many drifted to the cities and factories, taking their discontent with them.

Although the industrial production for both coal and pig iron increased ten-fold between 1880 and 1913, there had not been enough ‘good’ years before the outset of the war.

The very nature of the empire made transport and communications problematic. Such problems could not easily or quickly be solved.

Industrial workers became increasingly disillusioned with the regime, forced to face extremely poor living and working conditions in the overcrowded factories.

Impact of the War

 

The Russian economy was ill-equipped to deal with the demands of war. There were severe food and fuel shortages, especially in Moscow and Petrograd. Factories closed down causing mass unemployment, rising prices and inflation.

The situation in the cities grew increasingly desperate as strikes, demonstrations and riots ensued. Within four days of the Putilov engineering works closing down, 240,000 workers were out on strike.

The incompetent of higher command, defeats and appalling casualty figures hit the morale of the army. Around 7 million men were the victim of enemy action.

Soldiers in 1917 were an unknown quantity whose loyalty and patriotism the generals and Tsar could not be sure of.  The bulk of the remaining trained army was on the front line, leaving Petrograd in the hands of freshly drafted peasant  recruits.

 

Loss of traditional supporters

Senior generals lost confidence in Nicholas’ ability to rule, and along with Rodzianko, Chairman of the Duma Committee, and Duma politicians, Shilgun and Guchkov, demanded his abdication

Aristocratic members of the Duma took the lead in abandoning the Tsar, refusing to disband on his orders. The police and army informed him they could not carry out his command and keep the populace in order. Indeed, many joined the rebels.

 

Additional Factors

There was a growth in political consciousness, with the formation of the Social Democrats and the revolutionary programmes of the Bolsheviks and Mensheviks. Nevertheless, revolutionary elements were lacking in February 1917.

 

 

Why was the Tsar forced to abdicate in 1917?

Introduction

 

• Set the scene using contextual knowledge

 

• Show understanding of historical debate

 

 

• Explain structure of essay

 

Main body of essay

 

Conclusion

• Summary of content

 

 

• Independent judgement