Who Was The Most Successful Russian Rulers From 1856-1964
Which of Russia’s rulers from 1855-1964 was the most successful in serving the interests of the Russian people best?
Throughout the period 1856-1964 there was much continuity in the needs of the Russian people. The world around Russia was constantly developing, and Russia was increasingly falling behind. The Russian people needed a strong and stable leader that would address all of the needs of the Russian people, including political, social and economic issues. Not all of the issues were being addressed continually throughout the period as different leaders concentrated on specific problems that they felt would benefit Russia the most. For example, Tsar Alexander II made many social reforms whilst Khrushchev concentrated on political issues. The ruler who was most successful in meeting …show more content…
the needs of the Russian people through their policies and reform was Lenin.
During the period 1855-1964 there was a constant need to develop the political structure of Russia due to the needs and interests of the people. All of the Tsars in his period were autocratic and believed in divine right of kings. As a result of this, there was no democracy or freedom for the people and little change occurred. For the majority of the Alexander II’s reign there was a stable government, and little opposition. Alexander II introduced the zemstvos in 1864, which were a form of local government and allowed normal people to be represented in government. Despite this, Alexander II was assassinated in 1881 by an opposition group called the People’s Will, whose aim was to carry out acts on behalf of the people which shows that the people did not support the Tsar as their leader. As a result of Alexander II assassination, Alexander III’s reign was a repressive one with an increase in secret police activity and more people being killed for opposing the Tsar. During his reign Alexander reduced the power of the Zemstvos and introduced the ‘Land Captains’ in 1889, this move was despised by the people especially those of a peasant background as it decreased the amount of say that they had in government. After his father’s death in 1894, Nicholas II was crowned Tsar. He carried on his father’s repressive and autocratic political policies. Up until 1905, most areas of life were heavily censored preventing any form of freedom. However, in 1905 the October Manifesto was signed by Nicholas II, this granted freedom of conscience, speech and association he also announced that no law would become operative without the approval of the Duma. This manifesto was abolished the following year. The desperate need for change in the political system became more apparent in the revolutions of March 1917. Following this Nicholas II abdicated and the Provisional government came into force.
The reforms and policies made during the last Tsarist years were not in the interests of the people but were made simply to maintain the power of the Tsar and his nobles. Most people would argue that during the years 1917-1964 there was more political freedom and less repression than in the Tsarist years. The provisional government did not meet the needs of the Russian people. They were an unstable and temporary government, and many people on the furthest parts of the Russian empire did not know about their existence. This provided them with many issues, such as trying to enforce democracy onto people they did not understand what democracy actually was. Many historians believe that at this point the people of Russia did not know themselves what form of government they wanted and due to the lack of education they did not know what form was best for them. In October 1917 came the Bolshevik revolutions. With their leader, Lenin, the Bolsheviks overthrew the provisional government and came into power. The leadership of Lenin was met with great approval from the people. Lenin promised political freedom unknown to them under the Tsars and Provisional government. In his rule
Lenin did not encounter much opposition, only that from within his own party. This shows that the people were happy under Lenin and his Bolshevik rule. Compared to life under the Tsars the Russian people felt that they had more of a say as they were represented in government by elected local officials. During the Lenin years the Russian people needed a swift transition from autocracy to a new form of government and that is exactly what Lenin gave them. After Lenin’s death in 1924 there was a power struggle between many superior members of the party, including Stalin. Josef Stalin finally came to power in 1928. Many would criticize Stalin because of his repressive and violent policies. Despite this he did address the needs and interests of his people and he was loved throughout the country. Similarly to Lenin he did not face any opposition and his rule was a stable one. The Russian people needed this to be able to recover from the long lasting effects of the First World War and the Russian civil war which shortly followed. He was obviously a strong leader as he led Russia through the horrors of the Second World War. Despite this hero view of Stalin there was little freedom and thousands of political opposition members were killed during his rule. Nikita Khrushchev came into power in 1953 following Stalin’s death in the same year. His main policy was Destalinisation, this included freeing many political prisoners that Stalin had captured. Destalinisation was popular with many people because it reversed many of the repressive policies made under Stalin. Throughout this period Stalin and Lenin met the needs of the Russian people more than any other leader. They addressed the political needs of the people and not what they wanted.
The period 1855-1964 saw some great economic change in Russia. Under Alexander II, the industrial revolution began to unfold in Russia. The number of railways being built increased, such as the Trans-Siberian railway. The industrial output of Russia doubled for areas such as grain and iron. Many foreign investors went to Russia to start businesses to improve the economy there. Overall, Alexander II was successful in meeting the needs of the people by providing them with jobs and food. Shortly after his coronation Alexander III put Bunge in charge of the economy. Under Bunge the poll tax was abolished and more of the railways were made publically owned. This increased the freedom and allowed many people to make more money to support themselves. However, after 1885 the value of the rouble fell and in 1891 there was a national famine in which thousands of people lost their lives. Alexander III did address the needs of the country in his economic policies but he was not successful in serving the needs of the people. Like his father, Nicholas II followed through with many economic policies which did benefit the country, however these acts did not affect the people as a whole such as the increase in the amount of money industry was making abroad. The Great War was a turning point in Russian history. Inflation increased by 400% and wages were not increasing to be able to cope. Nicholas II could not cope with the pressure of war and later abdicated. The Russian people were largely effected by the poor economy, especially those on the front. Nicholas II was not successful in meeting the needs of his people. After the Second World War, Lenin came into power and introduced the Supreme Economic Council in 1917 which nationalised all businesses with over ten people employed there. As a result of war communism, famines and disease were widespread. This affected a large part of the population and many died because of this. The USSR eventually recovered economically from the war years, with the help of the New Economic Plan introduced in 1921. Grain harvests and industrial production all steadily increased in the period 1921-1926, this provided more jobs and consequently the standard of living improved in urban areas. Stalin carried on the economic policies of Lenin and by 1939 the USSR was out producing Germany and unemployment decreased. The economic policies of Lenin and Stalin improved the lives of many people, and they both successfully addressed the needs and interests of their people.
Throughout the period 1856-1964 there was much continuity in the needs of the Russian people. The world around Russia was constantly developing, and Russia was increasingly falling behind. The Russian people needed a strong and stable leader that would address all of the needs of the Russian people, including political, social and economic issues. Not all of the issues were being addressed continually throughout the period as different leaders concentrated on specific problems that they felt would benefit Russia the most. For example, Tsar Alexander II made many social reforms whilst Khrushchev concentrated on political issues. The ruler who was most successful in meeting …show more content…
the needs of the Russian people through their policies and reform was Lenin.
During the period 1855-1964 there was a constant need to develop the political structure of Russia due to the needs and interests of the people. All of the Tsars in his period were autocratic and believed in divine right of kings. As a result of this, there was no democracy or freedom for the people and little change occurred. For the majority of the Alexander II’s reign there was a stable government, and little opposition. Alexander II introduced the zemstvos in 1864, which were a form of local government and allowed normal people to be represented in government. Despite this, Alexander II was assassinated in 1881 by an opposition group called the People’s Will, whose aim was to carry out acts on behalf of the people which shows that the people did not support the Tsar as their leader. As a result of Alexander II assassination, Alexander III’s reign was a repressive one with an increase in secret police activity and more people being killed for opposing the Tsar. During his reign Alexander reduced the power of the Zemstvos and introduced the ‘Land Captains’ in 1889, this move was despised by the people especially those of a peasant background as it decreased the amount of say that they had in government. After his father’s death in 1894, Nicholas II was crowned Tsar. He carried on his father’s repressive and autocratic political policies. Up until 1905, most areas of life were heavily censored preventing any form of freedom. However, in 1905 the October Manifesto was signed by Nicholas II, this granted freedom of conscience, speech and association he also announced that no law would become operative without the approval of the Duma. This manifesto was abolished the following year. The desperate need for change in the political system became more apparent in the revolutions of March 1917. Following this Nicholas II abdicated and the Provisional government came into force.
The reforms and policies made during the last Tsarist years were not in the interests of the people but were made simply to maintain the power of the Tsar and his nobles. Most people would argue that during the years 1917-1964 there was more political freedom and less repression than in the Tsarist years. The provisional government did not meet the needs of the Russian people. They were an unstable and temporary government, and many people on the furthest parts of the Russian empire did not know about their existence. This provided them with many issues, such as trying to enforce democracy onto people they did not understand what democracy actually was. Many historians believe that at this point the people of Russia did not know themselves what form of government they wanted and due to the lack of education they did not know what form was best for them. In October 1917 came the Bolshevik revolutions. With their leader, Lenin, the Bolsheviks overthrew the provisional government and came into power. The leadership of Lenin was met with great approval from the people. Lenin promised political freedom unknown to them under the Tsars and Provisional government. In his rule
Lenin did not encounter much opposition, only that from within his own party. This shows that the people were happy under Lenin and his Bolshevik rule. Compared to life under the Tsars the Russian people felt that they had more of a say as they were represented in government by elected local officials. During the Lenin years the Russian people needed a swift transition from autocracy to a new form of government and that is exactly what Lenin gave them. After Lenin’s death in 1924 there was a power struggle between many superior members of the party, including Stalin. Josef Stalin finally came to power in 1928. Many would criticize Stalin because of his repressive and violent policies. Despite this he did address the needs and interests of his people and he was loved throughout the country. Similarly to Lenin he did not face any opposition and his rule was a stable one. The Russian people needed this to be able to recover from the long lasting effects of the First World War and the Russian civil war which shortly followed. He was obviously a strong leader as he led Russia through the horrors of the Second World War. Despite this hero view of Stalin there was little freedom and thousands of political opposition members were killed during his rule. Nikita Khrushchev came into power in 1953 following Stalin’s death in the same year. His main policy was Destalinisation, this included freeing many political prisoners that Stalin had captured. Destalinisation was popular with many people because it reversed many of the repressive policies made under Stalin. Throughout this period Stalin and Lenin met the needs of the Russian people more than any other leader. They addressed the political needs of the people and not what they wanted.
The period 1855-1964 saw some great economic change in Russia. Under Alexander II, the industrial revolution began to unfold in Russia. The number of railways being built increased, such as the Trans-Siberian railway. The industrial output of Russia doubled for areas such as grain and iron. Many foreign investors went to Russia to start businesses to improve the economy there. Overall, Alexander II was successful in meeting the needs of the people by providing them with jobs and food. Shortly after his coronation Alexander III put Bunge in charge of the economy. Under Bunge the poll tax was abolished and more of the railways were made publically owned. This increased the freedom and allowed many people to make more money to support themselves. However, after 1885 the value of the rouble fell and in 1891 there was a national famine in which thousands of people lost their lives. Alexander III did address the needs of the country in his economic policies but he was not successful in serving the needs of the people. Like his father, Nicholas II followed through with many economic policies which did benefit the country, however these acts did not affect the people as a whole such as the increase in the amount of money industry was making abroad. The Great War was a turning point in Russian history. Inflation increased by 400% and wages were not increasing to be able to cope. Nicholas II could not cope with the pressure of war and later abdicated. The Russian people were largely effected by the poor economy, especially those on the front. Nicholas II was not successful in meeting the needs of his people. After the Second World War, Lenin came into power and introduced the Supreme Economic Council in 1917 which nationalised all businesses with over ten people employed there. As a result of war communism, famines and disease were widespread. This affected a large part of the population and many died because of this. The USSR eventually recovered economically from the war years, with the help of the New Economic Plan introduced in 1921. Grain harvests and industrial production all steadily increased in the period 1921-1926, this provided more jobs and consequently the standard of living improved in urban areas. Stalin carried on the economic policies of Lenin and by 1939 the USSR was out producing Germany and unemployment decreased. The economic policies of Lenin and Stalin improved the lives of many people, and they both successfully addressed the needs and interests of their people.