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Tsar Nicholas II and the Dumas
August 23, 1988

Nicholas II last Tsar - born 1868, son of Alex III.
took power at age of 26, 1894. Poof.
Tutor taught Nick autocracy/divine right/no parliament/ROC/no Jews
Accepted all ideas without question. Alex II assination enhanced ideas.
Married Alexandra Hesse. ROC fanatic, smart, enhanced tutor's ideas.
Japanese War (Japan started it) 1904. Thought it would be a quick win.
Port Arthur eliminated; other fleet sailed 8 months and eliminated too.
Russians defeated everywhere due to corruption and T-S railway useless.
Requested peace - Treaty of Portsmouth signed 1905.
Worker morale low - food costs up, unemployment. Criticized openly.
Jan 1905 saw strike in St Petersburg - soon spread.
Petition signed by 135000 people organised. Peaceful presentation.
It asked for war end, a parliament, smaller working hrs and more pay.
Father Gapon led - unionist/policeman/priest. Against petition at start.
Marched to Winter Palace - orderly/pics of Tsar/"God Save the Tsar"song.
shot at/mowed down by troops (Cossacks). 100s dead.
Tsar was held to blame, and opposition to him never stopped since.
provoked strikes/lootings/burnings/mutinies.
troops' loyalty questioned; Portsmouth Treaty terms became known.
caused nationwide strikes - by October country virtually stopped.
strikes organised by Soviets. One member was the Menshevik Trotsky.
Nick got help from Witte - suggested a parliament.
Oct 30th Manifesto appeared.
provided a Duma (parliament) freedom of : speech/religion/assembly
Most Russians quit while they were ahead.
1st Duma assembled May 1906. 450 people. No Bols/Mens - boycotted.
Nick continued to claim autocracy - against the Duma.
pissed them off - wanted a proper say/land reform/free prisoners
also a voice in the appointment of ministers.
Witte asked Tsar - NO. Witte fired and disbanded Duma 22 July.
Second Duma included Bolsheviks and Mensheviks.
this made it more against the Tsar than ever.
Met first in Feb 1907, dissolved in June by Nick. Arrests.
Third Duma was made by jerrymandering - a "Landowners Duma".
easier to control - ran five years and was very conservative.
follows by equally conservative Fourth Duma.

The Duma was introduced after public harassment of the Tsar by the people, and it was included in the October Manifesto. It provided for an elected representative government, and all political parties were allowed in. The State needed the Duma's approval before any new laws were passed, and the Tsar could appoint and dismiss ministers willy-nilly. He still had a huge amount of power. The Duma was so long coming because Nicholas's tutor had instilled in him autocracy and anti-change feeling.