What were the social, economic and political conditions in Russia before 1905?

The following were the social, economic, and political conditions in Russia before 1905.

(a) Social Conditions: The majority religion was Russian Orthodox Christianity which had grown out of the Greek Orthodox Church. But the empire also included Catholics, Protestants, Muslims and Buddhists. The non-Russian nationalities were not treated equal to that of Russian nationalities. They were not given the freedom to follow their culture and language. Workers were divided into group on the basis of skill and training. Peasants formed their group called commune or mir.

(b) Economic conditions: The majority of Russians were agriculturists. Grain was the main item of export from Russia. Industries were few. Prominent industrial areas were St Petersburg and Moscow. Much of the production was done by the craftsmen. There were large factories alongside the craft workshops. With the expansion of the Russian rail network, foreign investment in factories grew. There were huge coal, iron and steel production. There were equal numbers of factory workers and craftsmen. The workers were exploited by capitalists who made their life miserable.

(c) Political Conditions: Russia was a monarchy. (Tsar Nicholas II ruled Russia and its empire that extended to current-day Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, parts of Poland, Ukraine and Belarus. It stretched to the Pacific and comprised today’s Central Asian states, as well as Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan). The Tsars believed in the divine rights of kings. They were not responsible to the Parliament. All political parties were illegal in Russia.

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