After the concessions granted as a result of the October Manifesto (17th of October 1905), Tsar Nicholas was quick to counterreact the given reforms and virtually deem the October Manifesto redundant.
Fundamental State Laws: 4 days before the First Duma was fully assembled, Tsar Nicholas hastily published the Fundamental State Laws. The main purpose of these laws was to make it official that no law shall come into practice without the Tsar's "consent". Which essentially meant that the Duma's were futile and had no real voice in making decisions for the Russian population.
Dismissal of First Duma: The First Duma, which consisted of mainly conservatives, attempted to react to the Tsar's Fundamental State Laws by regarding them "completely unacceptable". Consequently, much arguing and violence resulted as the First Duma believed the Tsar and his autocratic government obviously did not care about what they people needed. The First Duma was dismissed shortly after (lolpwnt).
Dismissal of Second Duma: The election of the Second Duma proved to cause the same issue as the First Duma, that the demands of the Duma were far too extreme and considered an obstacle in the Tsar's "fruitful work". Subsequently, the Second Duma was dismissed (lolpwntagain).
Change in Electoral Laws: In order to ensure that another group of radicals was not voted into the Duma, the Tsar and his deputies drastically altered the Electoral Laws. In order to achieve this, the Tsar changed the significance of social classes votes.
For example, to elect one deputy for the Duma it took 125, 000 industrial worker's votes, but only 230 landowner votes. This
was done as upper classes such as landowners were more known to vote for more conservative, reformists parties such as that of
the Kadets or Octobrists.
Kadets: A conservative group who strived for a Constitutional Monarchy Octobrists: Another conservative group who desired a progress towards the reforms conceeded in the October Manifesto.
Minimisation of influence from Third and Fourth Dumas: In additon to completely changing the electoral laws to vote in more conservative groups, the Tsar further maimed the political power of these groups by having them only represented by upper class Russians, which only make up a small minority of the main Russian populus. Although frivolous in their achievements, the Third and Fourth Duma did cause the Russian people to gain a further insight into political issues as well as educating them on what a democratic government could be like.
Stolypin's Reforms: Peter Stolypin was sworn in as Russia's Prime Minister on the 21st of July, 1906 into further empower the Tsar's rule by various agrarian and social reforms.
Peter Stolypin: Prime Minister, Savior of Tsarism, Badass
Pyotr Stolypin
Stolypin's Reforms
Land Reforms 1. The integration of "Kulaks", or wealthy peasants who were able to purchase land and enterprise. 2. Consistency with land prices according to its value and not the land owners interest. 3. Credit given to peasants to allow them to buy more land and improve in their cultivational technique. 4. Peasants were given permission to leave their previously mandatory commune.
Over 5 million peasants benefits from Stolypin's reforms with many relocating to Siberia. But, some still preferred their original community (or mir).
Social Reforms 5. Aid given to peasants to insure from sickness, disablement etc. 6. Peasants given exemption from new large taxes 7. Religious tolerance and freedom of conscience granted. 8. Compulsory primary education. Number of primary schools doubled as well as local councils expenditure for health and agricultural advice.
Industrial Reforms 9. Night and underground labour banned for children and woman. 10. Maximum working day shortened for adults. Showed that some of the reforms requested in Bloody Sunday were slowly being granted.
Russia by 1913
Politically - As a result of the people's needs being satisfied and opposition being eliminated, the Tsars position as absolute leader of Russia was more solid than ever. Also, for the first time the Tsar ruled in agreeance with that of a Duma elected (kinda) by the people.
Economically - National debt was reduced, exports doubled, average annual growth rate risen and government expenditure and income doubled. Although Russia probably thought they were going pretty sweet, they were nothing compared the megasharks of France, Germany and Britain.
Socially - The people of Russia were happier than ever under the Tsar, in particular the peasants, with many concessions given to appease them.