Russian Revolution of 1905

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Russian Revolution of 1905

Encyclopdia Britannica Article

uprising that was instrumental in convincing Tsar Nicholas II to attempt the

transformation of the Russian government from an autocracy into a
constitutional monarchy. For several years before 1905 and especially after
the humiliating Russo-Japanese War (190405), diverse social groups
demonstrated their discontent with the Russian social and political system.
Their protests ranged from liberal rhetoric to strikes and included student
riots and terrorist assassinations. These efforts, coordinated by the Union
of Liberation, culminated in the massacre of peaceful demonstrators in the
square before the Winter Palace, St. Petersburg, on Bloody Sunday
(January 9 [January 22, New Style], 1905).
In St. Petersburg and other major industrial centres, general strikes
followed. Nicholas responded in February by announcing his intention to
establish an elected assembly to advise the government. But his proposal
did not satisfy the striking workers, the peasants (whose uprisings were
spreading), or even the liberals of the zemstvos (local government organs)
and of the professions, who by April were demanding that a constituent
assembly be convened.

The revolt spread to non-Russian parts of the empire, particularly to

Poland, Finland, the Baltic provinces, and Georgia, where it was reinforced
by nationalist movements. In some areas the rebellion was met by violent
opposition from the antirevolutionary Black Hundreds, who attacked the
socialists and staged pogroms against the Jews. But the armed forces
joined in on the side of the revolt as well: army units situated along the
Trans-Siberian Railroad line rioted, and in June the crew of the battleship
Potemkin mutinied in the harbour at Odessa.
The government decree on August 6 (August 19) announcing election
procedures for the advisory assembly stimulated even more protest, which
increased through September. The rebellion reached its peak in
October-November. A railroad strike, begun on October 7 (October 20),
swiftly developed into a general strike in most of the large cities.

The first workers' council, or soviet, acting as a strike committee, was

formed at Ivanovo-Vosnesensk; another, the St. Petersburg soviet, was
formed on October 13 (October 26). It initially directed the general strike;
but, as social democrats, especially Mensheviks, joined, it assumed the
character of a revolutionary government. Similar soviets were organized in
Moscow, Odessa, and other cities.
The magnitude of the strike finally convinced Nicholas to act. On the
advice of Sergey Yulyevich Witte, he issued the October Manifesto

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Russian Revolution of 1905

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(October 17 [October 30], 1905), which promised a constitution and the

establishment of an elected legislature (Duma). He also made Witte
president of the new Council of Ministers (i.e., prime minister).

These concessions did not meet the radical opposition's demands for an
assembly or a republic. The revolutionaries refused to yield; even the
liberals declined to participate in Witte's government. But some moderates
were satisfied, and many workers, interpreting the October Manifesto as a
victory, returned to their jobs. This was enough to break the opposition's
coalition and to weaken the St. Petersburg soviet.

At the end of November the government arrested the soviet's chairman,

the Menshevik G.S. Khrustalev-Nosar, and on December 3 (December 16)
occupied its building and arrested Leon Trotsky and others. But in Moscow
a new general strike was called; barricades were erected, and there was
fighting in the streets before the revolution was put down. In Finland order
was restored by removing some unpopular legislation, but special military
expeditions were sent to Poland, the Baltic provinces, and Georgia, where
the suppression of the rebellions was particularly bloody. By the beginning
of 1906 the government had regained control of the Trans-Siberian
Railroad and of the army, and the revolution was essentially over.
The uprising failed to replace the tsarist autocracy with a democratic
republic or even to convoke a constituent assembly, and most of the
revolutionary leaders were placed under arrest. It did, however, force the
imperial regime to institute extensive reforms, the most important of
which were the Fundamental Laws (1906), which functioned as a
constitution, and the creation of the Duma, which fostered the
development of legal political activity and parties.

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MLA Style: "Russian Revolution of 1905." Encyclopdia Britannica.

Encyclopdia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: Encyclopdia
Britannica, 2015.

APA Style: Russian Revolution of 1905. (2015). Encyclopdia Britannica.

Encyclopdia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: Encyclopdia
Britannica.

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