Society before 1914

Society breaking apart

Serfdom

This continued until 1861. It was ended by a compromise which left neither the nobility nor the serfs satisfied. The peasants (freed serfs) suffered a 49 year indemnity (mortgage) on their land, and received less land than they expected.

Illiteracy

Only about 30% of peasants were literate by 1914. It had been the policy of the Tsars to keep them ignorant.

Nobility losing influence

The aristocracy still had great power in the army, civil service, local government and as landowners. They disliked their loss of authority since the freeing of the serfs. Money compensation was soon spent. They resented the fact that the Nicholas II shut himself and his family away at Tsarskoe Selo (Tsar’s Village) outside St Petersburg. They preferred Grand Duke Michael, the Tsar’s popular brother.

Middle classes dissatisfied

In towns the middle class was small, but growing by 1914. Professional people and industrialists thought that Tsardom ignored their needs and hoped for a constitutional Government.

Poor urban conditions

The few industrial towns acted as magnets for the landless peasantry and were growing very fast. This resulted in a poor standard of building, hygiene and public amenities. Moscow and St Petersburg (the capital) were expanding hugely. A growing group of permanent urban workers resented their poor living and working conditions and resorted to strikes and demonstrations to

make their protests felt.

A constitutional government is organised according to a set of rules (a constitution) which regulates the relationships between the ruler and the ruled. It usually implies some kind of democracy.

By 1914 Russian society was breaking apart. Each class followed its own interests and none was very loyal to the Tsar. Society was heading towards a crisis. This was delayed by the patriotism the nation felt when it found itself at war.